Roland Smith

Infobox Person
name = Roland Smith


image_size =
caption =
birth_date = Birth date and age|1951|11|30|mf=y
birth_place = flagicon|USA Portland, Oregon
education = Portland State University
occupation = Author
spouse = Marie Smith
parents = --
children = Bethany, Shawn, and Niki Smith

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.cite web|url=http://www.answers.com/main/ntquery?s=roland+smith&gwp=13|title=Roland Smith|publisher=Answers.com|accessdate=2007-10-22] 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.cite web|url=http://www.rolandsmith.com/awards/index.htm|title=Awards and Nominations|publisher=RolandSmith.com|accessdate=2007-10-22] cite web|url=http://www.answers.com/main/ntquery?s=roland+smith&gwp=13|title=Roland Smith|publisher=Answers.com|accessdate=2007-10-22]

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

Books Written

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.

References

External links

* [http://www.rolandsmith.com/ Roland Smith's home page]
* [http://teacher.scholastic.com/wolves/roltran.htm Interview with Roland Smith from Scholastic.com]