PLANTING HOPE

Brazilian photographer and environmental activist Sebastião Salgado used his camera to galvanize the world.

Growing up in the lush Mata Atlântica forest of Brazil, Sebastião cultivated a respect for nature early. That sentiment stayed with him even after he moved to São Paulo and then, after speaking out against the government, fled to Paris, where he took his first photograph. When his work as an economist sent him to Rwanda, he discovered that images were better than reports at telling a more complete story about the people, their lives, and the land. He became a globe-traveling professional photographer, documenting everything from protests for labor rights to wars to environmental destruction. When he returned to Rwanda, the country was in the midst of civil war. The violence affected him so deeply that he retired from photography. He and his wife, Lélia, returned to the Brazilian farm of his childhood to heal, only to find his childhood paradise ravaged by the timber industry. They set out to reforest the land. When the forest began to recover, Sebastião returned to his camera and traveled the world, documenting humans’ relationship with nature. Major events in Sebastião’s life are competently presented for young audiences, with clear chains of cause and effect. Throughout, Hoelzel explores the theme of humanity’s place within nature. The watercolor and pencil illustrations are lush and engrossing, and the many double-page illustrations create an immersive experience.

An inspiring account for aspiring environmentalists and photographers.