Brandon Stanton launched his photography career in 2010 with Humans of New York, a blog that pairs photos of people he encountered on the streets of that city with commentary by and about them. The blog, which has more than 10 million followers, spawned a book of the same title, a 500,000-copy bestseller released by St. Martin’s in 2013. Now Stanton trains his lens on children in Little Humans, a book for young readers featuring photos of kids he spotted on the streets and in the parks of New York City. Due out from Farrar, Straus and Giroux this month, the book captures young subjects in a variety of poses and pastimes, and reflects the same wide range of ethnicities, quirky attire, and personalities found in his blog and debut book.

Stanton turned a weekend photography hobby into a full-time passion in 2010, after losing his job as a Chicago bond trader. Since he found taking photos an enjoyable and stress-relieving pursuit, he decided to “take some time off,” and traveled with his camera to a number of cities, including Philadelphia and New Orleans, before making New York his last shutter stop. “At first, I took candid shots of people, and eventually began taking portraits with people’s permission,” he explained. “By the time I got to New York, I realized that this was what I wanted to do – and the city offered so many incredible and unique photographic opportunities. I decided to stay and start a blog featuring my photos and observations.”

As his blog began to gain attention and followers, Stanton’s thoughts turned to publishing his work in a book for adults. In a stroke of serendipitous timing, Joy Peskin, v-p and editorial director of FSG Books for Young Readers, contacted Stanton just as he and his agent, Brian DeFiore, were finishing a proposal for the book that would become Humans of New York. “In September 2012, my assistant, Angie Chen, came to me and suggested there might be a potential picture book based on Brandon’s blog, and I thought it was a fantastic idea,” said Peskin. “Right away, Brandon responded that he loved the idea – and that he was so glad I asked! As luck would have it, St. Martin’s acquired rights to the adult book, so we were able to unite efforts and make Macmillan a home for Brandon.”

A Team Effort

In his children’s book, Stanton opted to pair his photos with a free-verse text celebrating kids’ aspirations, activities, and achievements, which he wrote with creative input from his girlfriend, Erin O’Sullivan (to whom the book is dedicated). With what Peskin described as “a great collaborative effort,” Little Humans took shape. The editor credits creative director Anne Diebel for “leading the charge for our in-house team with her creative vision,” and noted that she, Diebel, Chen, and Stanton worked together to decide which of hundreds of photos (the bulk of which had appeared on the author’s blog) should be included in the book. “There were so many great photos, and we all had a favorite kid whom we wanted to work into the book, and we also had to decide what phrase of text should go with which photo,” said Peskin. “We left no stone unturned to reach decisions that everyone was happy with.”

Musing on the process of taking the photos that appear in Little Humans, Stanton observed that photographing children rather than adults requires a different approach and involves getting down to their level – both quite literally. “Before even acknowledging the child, I first approach the adult to ask permission to take a photograph,” he said. “Then once they agree, I go the other way completely and forget about the adult. I sit down wherever we are and do my best to make the kid comfortable. I find the best way to do that is to act like a kid myself. With all that time on the ground, I have to change my clothes as soon as I get home every day!” The potential pitfall of photographing children, Stanton adds, is securing parental permission – and then learning that the kid isn’t on board. “When kids refuse to face the camera, pout, hide, or scream ‘No!’ there is absolutely nothing more heartbreaking.”

Stanton won’t rule out creating another children’s book, but is now working on his second book for adults, which he said “in my head at least” is currently titled Humans of New York: The Stories. Scheduled for fall 2015 release by St. Martin’s, that compendium will reflect the evolving format of Stanton’s blog, which incorporates lengthier commentary from and about his photographed subjects.

Earlier this week, FSG launched Little Humans, which has an announced first printing of 150,000 copies, at an author event at Manhattan’s 92nd Street Y. Stanton will subsequently visit several New York City bookstores and is set to appear at New York Comic Con on October 13.

The author is pleased to make a creative foray into the children’s book arena, and hopes that readers identify with the diverse individuals spotlighted in Little Humans. “I would love for children to connect with the kids in these photos, and to imagine what their lives are like,” he said. “I hope the book helps them realize that they can be quirky, creative, and comfortable with their differences and even their vulnerabilities, and that they’ll see themselves in this book. That’s the impact I’d like it to have.”

Little Humans by Brandon Stanton. Farrar, Straus & Giroux, $17.99 Oct. ISBN 978-0-374-37456-3