Ken Robbins

Ken Robbins was an author and photographer known for his photographic nonfiction books for children, including Thunder on the Plains: The Story of the American Buffalo. His work often combined concise, accessible text with distinctive hand-colored or hand-tinted photographs to introduce young readers to natural and everyday subjects. He specialized in topics such as animals, plants, tools, and structures; among his other titles are Seeds, Apples, Autumn Leaves, Tools, and Trucks, several of which were published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

Robbins’s book Tools, featuring his trademark hand-tinted photographs, was recognized as a New York Times Best Illustrated Book, reflecting his reputation for visually rich, educational picture books. He lived in East Hampton, Long Island, where his photography also captured the landscape, wildlife, and people of the East End over several decades.