Roland Smith

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Roland Smith
Born November 30, 1951 (1951-11-30) (age 56)
Flag of the United States Portland, Oregon
Education Portland State University
Occupation Author
Spouse Marie Smith
Children Bethany, Shawn, and Niki Smith
Parents --


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Please improve this article if you can. (March 2008)

Roland Smith (b. November 30, 1951 in Portland, Oregon) is an American author of young adult fiction as well as nonfiction books for children.

Smith graduated from Portland State University and, following a part-time job at the Oregon Zoo in Portland, began a 20-year career as a zookeeper, both at the Oregon Zoo and the Point Defiance Zoo in Tacoma, Washington.[1] After working to save wildlife following the Exxon Valdez oil spill, in 1990, he published his first book, Sea Otter Rescue, a non-fiction account of the process of animal rescue. Smith continued to draw upon his zoo experiences for other non-fiction titles, including Journey of the Red Wolf, which won an Oregon Book Award in 1996.

In 1997, Smith published his first novel, Thunder Cave. The book continues Smith's animal themes, as teenage protagonist Jacob Lansa follows his biologist father to Africa where the father is researching elephants. The Lansa character also appears in 1999's Jaguar and 2001's The Last Lobo.

Other novels by Smith include The Captain's Dog: My Journey with the Lewis and Clark Tribe, Zach's Lie, Cryptid Hunters, and his most recent, Peak, the story of a teenage boy obsessed with climbing mountains. Smith's books have won "Book of the Year" awards in Colorado, Nevada, South Carolina, and Florida, as well as in his native Oregon.[2] [1]

He lives in Tualatin, Oregon with his wife and stepchildren.[1]

Contents

[edit] Books Written

Non-Fiction Books
Series Title Publisher Publish Date Notes
Millbrook Books Snakes In The Zoo Millbrook Press
(October 1, 1992)
Millbrook Books Primates In The Zoo Millbrook Press
(October 1, 1992)
Millbrook Books Whales, Dolphins, Porpoises Millbrook Press
(October 1, 1994)
Millbrook Books Cats In The Zoo Millbrook Press
(October 1, 1994)
Journey of the Red Wolf Dutton Juvenile
(April 1st, 1996)
Inside the Zoo Nursery Vultures Lerner Publications
(November 1997)
Inside the Zoo Nursery Arican Elephants Gulliver Books Paperbacks
(March 15, 1998)
In The Forest With Elephants Gulliver Green; 1st ed edition
(March, 1998)
Sea Otter Rescue: The Aftermath of an Oil Spill Puffin
(November 1, 1999)
Fiction Books
Series Title Publisher Publish Date Notes
Amy's Missing B Y L S Press; 1 edition
(April 1996)
Jacob Lansa Series Thunder Cave Hyperion
(April 1, 1997)
Jacob Lansa Series Jaguar Hyperion
(February 3, 1999)
Sasquatch Hyperion
(September 25, 1999)
The Captain's Dog Harcourt Paperbacks
(August 1, 2000)
Jacob Lansa Series The Last Lobo Hyperion
(July 23, 2001)
Zach Granger Series Zach's Lie Hyperion
(April 28, 2003)
Alphabet Series B is for Beaver: An Oregon Alphabet Book Sleeping Bear Press; 1 edition
(Spetember 12, 2003)
Alphabet Series E is for Evergreen: A Washington State Alphabet Book Sleeping Bear Press; 1 edition
(August 20th, 2004)
Cryptid Hunters Hyperion; 1 edition
(December 27, 2004)
Alphabet Series Z is for Zookeeper: A Zoo Alphabet Book Sleeping Bear Press; 1 edition
(April 1, 2005)
Alphabet Series N is for Our Nation's Capitol: A Washington D.C Alphabet Book Sleeping Bear Press; 1 edition
(April 15, 2005)
Zach Granger Series Jack's Run Hyperion
(March 27, 2007)
Peak Harcourt Children's Books
(May 1, 2007)
Elephant Run Hyperion; 1 edition
(September 25, 2007)

[edit] Honors and awards

  • Sea Otter Rescue
    • 1990: Outstanding Trade Books for Children designation, Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books Blue Ribbon Book
  • Thunder Cave
    • 1996: Notable Children's Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies, and Notable Books for a Global Society, Children's Literature Reading Specialist Interest Group of the International Reading Association (IRA)
    • 1998: Young Readers Choice Award nomination
  • Journey of the Red Wolf
    • 1997: Notable Science Trade Books for Children, National Science Teachers Association/Children's Book Council (CBC), Children's Choices list, IRA/CBC
  • Jaguar
    • 1998: IRA Children's Choice Award
    • 1999: IRA Young Adult Choice, Bank Street College of Education Children's Books of the Year designation
    • 2000: Nebraska Golden Sower Award, Florida Sunshine Book Award, Jason Project Novel of the Year
  • Sasquatch
    • 1999: Young Adult Library Services Association honor, American Library Association Top-Ten Quick Picks for Reluctant YA Readers List, Bank Street College of Education Best Children's Books of the Year designation
  • In the Forest with the Elephants
    • 1999: Bank Street College of Education Best Children's Books of the Year designation, Children's Literature Choice List
  • The Captain's Dog
    • 1999: Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association Children's Book Award
    • 2002: Beacon of Freedom Award;
  • Zach's Lie
    • 2003-04: Mark Twain Book Award,
    • 2004-05: Maud Hart Lovelace Award, Nevada Young Readers Award, North Dakota Flickertail Award
  • Jack's Run
    • 2007-08: Mark Twain Book Award
  • nominations for numerous state reading awards.[1]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d Roland Smith. Answers.com. Retrieved on 2007-10-22.
  2. ^ Awards and Nominations. RolandSmith.com. Retrieved on 2007-10-22.

[edit] External links