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Breaker Boys: How a Photograph Helped End Child Labor (Captured History) Paperback – July 31, 2011

by Michael Burgan (Author)
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 44 ratings
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Little boys, some as young as 6, spent their long days, not playing or studying, but sorting coal in dusty, loud, and dangerous conditions. Many of these breaker boys worked 10 hours a day, six days a week all for as little as 45 cents a day. Child labor was common in the United States in the 19th century. It took the compelling, heart breaking photographs of Lewis Hine and others to bring the harsh working conditions to light. Hine and his fellow Progressives wanted to end child labor. He knew photography would reveal the truth and teach and change the world. With his camera Hine showed people what life was like for immigrants, the poor, and the children working in mines, factories, and mills. In the words of an historian, the more than 7,000 photos Hine took of American children at work aroused public sentiment against child labor in a way that no printed page or public lecture could.
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Previous page
  1. Reading age
    12 - 15 years
  2. Print length
    64 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Grade level
    5 - Kindergarten
  5. Lexile measure
    1020L
  6. Dimensions
    8.9 x 0.2 x 10 inches
  7. Publisher
    Compass Point Books
  8. Publication date
    July 31, 2011
  9. ISBN-10
    0756545102
  10. ISBN-13
    978-0756545109
  11. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Captured History" is the perfect name for a fascinating series from Compass Point. --"School Library Journal, "Flashback: These Books of Historical Photographs Transp"

Photographs can change history. So contends this and other entries in the valuable "Captured History" series. Breaker Boys' straightforward text focuses on a 1911 photograph by Lewis Hine of a group of boys who sorted coal at a Pennsylvania mine for 10 hours a day. The four chapters discuss coal mining, children in the mines, Hine and his work, and the slow changes in child labor laws. Students will be able to identify the structure as cause and effect, and analyze the role of the four chapters. They can also look for sentences and paragraphs that develop the idea of the political influence of photographs. To extend the topic, have students find more Hine photographs about child labor at the Library of Congress website or Flickr.com that can be used in presentations. --"School Library Journal, "Core Essentials: 20 Outstanding Nonfiction Books for th"

It was not too long ago that child labor was common practice in the United States. Children as young as six worked 10-12 hours a day in dirty, dangerous mine and factory positions, making pennies per hour. While today we would be scandalized by these conditions, it took the photographic works of individuals like Lewis Hines to bring these realities to light. In Breaker Boys, young readers will explore the photographs and the history behind them. --"Barnes Noble Kids blog"

About the Author

Formerly an editor at the educational publisher Weekly Reader, Michael Burgan has been a freelance writer for 17 years. He has written more than 250 books for children and young adults, specializing in U.S. history, geography, and biographies of world leaders. He has also written fiction and adapted classic novels. Burgan has won several awards for his writing, and his plays for adult audiences have been staged across the United States. He graduated from the University of Connecticut with a BA in history. He currently resides in Santa Fe, New Mexico with his cat Callie.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Compass Point Books (July 31, 2011)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 64 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0756545102
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0756545109
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 12 - 15 years
  • Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 1020L
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ 5 - Kindergarten
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 8 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8.9 x 0.2 x 10 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 44 ratings

About the author

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Michael Burgan

Michael Burgan

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Michael Burgan studied history at the University of Connecticut before embarking on his career of writing about history, current events, geography, science, and more for children. He worked at Weekly Reader for six years before becoming a freelance author. He is a member of Biographers International Organization and edits its monthly newsletter, The Biographer's Craft. A produced playwright, he is also a member of the Dramatists Guild.

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
44 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Kay Tippett
5.0 out of 5 stars Breaker Boys for the Classroom
Reviewed in the United States on June 22, 2014
Verified Purchase
I plan to use this book to help introduce nonfiction in the classroom. The book shows that people can effect change in society by using their individual talents. The pictures are powerful, and the length of the book is adequate for classroom activities. I am well pleased.
2 people found this helpful
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J. Boggs
5.0 out of 5 stars Hine was agreat documentarian brave, honest and artfulas well.
Reviewed in the United States on April 5, 2021
Verified Purchase
Lewis Hine uses all his wiles and every measure of subterfuge to insert himself and his cameras into all those shameful places where children, often young, both boys, and yes girls are toiling away, often from dark to dark, with few breaks for 6 or 7 days a week for meager compensation. Sounds like a dickensenesque cliche? His pictures when eventually published caused a furor of sorts in reform communities, yet reform was very slow in coming. You see a large group of boys just emerging from a mine and your are startled by the look on their faces, of a grim, conditioned hopelessness is a look you have never before seen except in middle-aged men. These boys are determined to keep living but to a life without hope. Not for the weak at heart, I recommend the book for many reasons but above all because it is the truth and is a truth still not widely known and with implications not yet fully understood.
One person found this helpful
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William J. Hecht
4.0 out of 5 stars Worth a look
Reviewed in the United States on May 27, 2016
Verified Purchase
Great photos and an interesting tale about the photographer. Since i have antecedents who were Breaker Boys and Miners in Pa it is most interesting but only a small part of the difficult lives they led.
3 people found this helpful
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Karen Singrey
5.0 out of 5 stars More history
Reviewed in the United States on May 31, 2023
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How appalling this kind of “work” went on. Seems unreal today, but we know it happened!
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Big Time Book Junkie
5.0 out of 5 stars Gift for my grandson
Reviewed in the United States on March 17, 2014
Verified Purchase
Purchased this paperback for our grandson as it was required reading for something called Battle of the Books. His mom and dad couldn't find a copy anywhere in their very small, Alaskan community. Our grandson did enjoy the book, it was delivered quickly and was in great shape.

Since I didn't read the book I can only rate it on what he told me. He's 11.
3 people found this helpful
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reeser23
5.0 out of 5 stars Great pictures
Reviewed in the United States on July 20, 2014
Verified Purchase
Beautiful and sad BOOK. Great purchase for those who love history.
2 people found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Great.
Reviewed in the United States on January 18, 2019
Verified Purchase
Great story and pictures.
One person found this helpful
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Randolph A McCord
4.0 out of 5 stars for the classroom
Reviewed in the United States on August 9, 2019
Verified Purchase
I keep this in my middle school class collection for silent sustained reading.
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