Why am I passionate about this?

Photography has its own language. It can be used to tell us things about the world in a way that words never can. Through photography I have explored the world and witnessed the huge difference in circumstances that exist. It has made me aware of how we all live in our own little bubbles of family, work, school, and neighborhood. I love books that take us outside those bubbles, and since becoming a Dad, reading and looking at books is a way for me to travel with my children to different places before they go to bed. I hope that these books can open up your and your children’s eyes.


I wrote...

Where Children Sleep Vol. 2

By James Mollison,

Book cover of Where Children Sleep Vol. 2

What is my book about?

My Where Children Sleep project takes readers on a journey around the world, showing the varied conditions in which children…

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The books I picked & why

Book cover of Maps

James Mollison Why did I love this book?

This is a brilliant first introduction to the countries of the world; I’ve spent many evenings with my children looking through the large double-page maps, which are filled with charming illustrations relating to each country and nuggets of information.

It’s fun learning about national foods, animals, famous people, cities, and buildings of each country. Now I know the Chinese use cormorants to catch fish, and the national bird of Nepal is a Himalayan Monal! 

By Aleksandra Mizielinska, Daniel Mizielinski,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Maps as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 10, 11, 12, and 13.

What is this book about?

Travel the world without leaving your living room.

This book of maps is a visual feast for readers of all ages, with lavishly drawn illustrations from the incomparable Mizielinskis. It features not only borders, cities, rivers, and peaks, but also places of historical and cultural interest, eminent personalities, iconic animals and plants, cultural events, and many more fascinating facts associated with every region of our planet.


Book cover of Material World: A Global Family Portrait

James Mollison Why did I love this book?

I love the way that you get to travel around the world with this book. Its simple idea must have been a logistical nightmare to photograph; finding a home, people who would be willing to have the inconvenience of having all of their possessions taken out of their homes and placed in front of them.

Being nosey and inquisitive myself I enjoy the way you can peak into these families lives through the objects they own (or don’t own). I find the differences in the families circumstances and possessions a poignant visual representation of consumerism.

By Peter Menzel,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked Material World as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Called “Fascinating! An incredible book” by Oprah Winfrey, this beloved photography collection vividly portrays the look and feel of the human condition everywhere on Earth.

In an unprecedented effort, sixteen of the world’s foremost photographers traveled to thirty nations around the globe to live for a week with families that were statistically average for that nation. At the end of each visit, photographer and family collaborated on a remarkable portrait of the family members outside their home, surrounded by all of their possessions; a few jars and jugs for some, an explosion of electronic gadgetry for others.

This internationally acclaimed…


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Book cover of The City Sings Green & Other Poems About Welcoming Wildlife

The City Sings Green & Other Poems About Welcoming Wildlife By Erica Silverman, Ginnie Hsu (illustrator),

A unique and artful blend of poetry, science, and activism, this picture book shows how city dwellers can intervene so that nature can work her magic.

In Oslo, Norway: citizens create a honeybee highway that stretches from one side of the city to the other, offering flowerpots, resting spots, bee…

Book cover of Exactitudes

James Mollison Why did I love this book?

We all think we’re individuals and unique. I love the way this project shatters that illusion. It’s also true that humans are tribal, and in this book, we get to see modern tribes.

I find it fun flicking through the pages of the portraits and seeing repetitions of people who are seen on their own to be alternatives, but when seen as a group, they seem to somehow conform. 

By Ellie Uyttenbroek, Ari Versluis (photographer),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Exactitudes as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Rotterdam-based photographer Ari Versluis and profiler Ellie Uyttenbroek have systematically documented the dress codes of various social groups. Rotterdam's heterogeneous street scene remains a major source of inspiration for them, although for this new edition, with 48 new series, they have also visited Milan, Beijing, Rio de Janeiro, Casablanca, Praia (Cabo Verde), New York, Bordeaux, London and Paris.


Book cover of Henry Rox Revue

James Mollison Why did I love this book?

This is delightful and charming book of photographs of fruit & vegetables, turned into musicians, acrobats, and various animals. I love the way he has used familiar objects and given them expressive personalities.

It is fun discussing with my children how Henry Rox managed to make the compositions (they were done in the 1930s—1940s, long before Photoshop) and how these pictures can change your perception of what a banana or onion can be.

By Wolfgang Vollmer,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Henry Rox Revue as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Die Henry Rox Revue verbindet artistische Meisterleistungen zwischen Akrobatik, Musik und Tanz mit Skurrilitäten des Alltags - Unmögliches ist hier in einmaligen Fotografien festgehalten. Henry Rox` fotografische Bildwelt ist eine verrückte Revue mit hintergründigem Witz und launigem Charme. Sie spielt mit Verkleiden und Parodieren und lebt von einfachen wie gleichermaßen phantasievollen Arrangements und Inszenierungen, in denen er unterschiedlichste Rollen mit diversen Früchten und Gemüsen als Hauptdarsteller besetzt. Die wenigen Dokumente, Fotografien und Hinweise auf Henry Rox` Arbeiten sind auf viele Archive und Sammlungen in Amerika und Europa verteilt. Eine umfassende Veröffentlichung, eine ausführliche Einordnung seiner Arbeiten hat es bisher nicht…


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Book cover of Wand

Wand By Landra Jennings,

Eleven-year-old Mira wishes everything could go back to the way it was. Before she changed schools and had to quit gymnastics. Especially before Papa died. Now she spends her days cooking and cleaning for her stepsisters and Val—who she still won’t call mom and still won’t forgive for the terrible…

Book cover of Eyes Open

James Mollison Why did I love this book?

This is a fun book of photography projects for children (although they would also be good for any adult aspiring photographer). I like the way it has varied practical projects which get you thinking about the process of making photographs based around a theme or idea.

It poses interesting questions to think about when taking a photograph, and as Susan Meilsellas says “whether or not a photograph can change the world, photography can change you. Just open your eyes!”

By Susan Meiselas,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Eyes Open as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 8, 9, 10, and 11.

What is this book about?

Compiled by Magnum photojournalist Susan Meiselas, Eyes Open is a sourcebook of photography ideas for kids-to engage with the world through the camera.

Twenty-three enticing projects help inspire a process of discovery and new ways of telling stories and animating ideas. Eyes Open features photographs by young people from around the globe, as well as work by professional artists that demonstrates how a simple idea can be expanded. Playful and meaningful, this book is for young would-be photographers and those interested in expressing themselves creatively.


Explore my book 😀

Where Children Sleep Vol. 2

By James Mollison,

Book cover of Where Children Sleep Vol. 2

What is my book about?

My Where Children Sleep project takes readers on a journey around the world, showing the varied conditions in which children live, sleep, and dream.

Filled with photographs and stories across 33 countries and five continents, the book is a compassionate commentary on class, race, and inequality. Moving portraits of children are paired with powerful images of where they sleep and set alongside texts about their lives. This book looks at complex contemporary issues–such as inequality, gun violence, climate change, the refugee crisis, child labor, poverty, and gender–through the perspective of the children who face them every day. It is a simple yet powerful portrait of the world today.

Book cover of Maps
Book cover of Material World: A Global Family Portrait
Book cover of Exactitudes

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