Immigrants and Elves. The Everyday and the Fantastic in Danish Photographical Children’s Books

Abstract

When you think of children’s picture books, the first images that come to mind will
most likely be drawings. However, in the 1950s a quarter of all children’s picture books
were illustrated with photographs. The article gives an overview of the Danish photographical
picture book tradition, which dates back to Fotografiske Børnegrupper (Photographs
of groups of children) published in 1866, consisting of photographs by Harald
Paetz and short poems by Hans Christian Andersen. It covers documentary stories,
i.e. books that present the lives of children around the world. Some of these convey a
decidedly social and political message. This article also covers books in which photography
serves to enhance the imagination, and presents supernatural beings or humanized
animals and objects.