Roland Smith
| Roland Smith | |
|---|---|
| Born | 30 November 1951 Portland, Oregon |
| Occupation | Author |
| Education | Portland State University |
| Spouse(s) | Marie Smith |
Roland Smith (born November 30, 1951) is an American author of young adult fiction as well as nonfiction books for children.
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Early life and education [edit]
Roland Smith was born in Portland, Oregon, and 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.
Publishing career [edit]
In 1997 Smith published his first novel, Thundercave. The book continues Smith's theme, 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. Lansa also appeared in "Tentacles" the sequel to "Cryptid Hunters".
Partial novels information [edit]
Other novels by Smith include The Captain's Dog: My Journey with the Lewis and Clark Tribe, Zach's Lie, Jack's Run, Cryptid Hunters, Sasquatch (novel), about a boy who searches for Bigfoot. Peak, the story of a teenage boy obsessed with climbing mountains, Elephant Run, and Tentacles. In 2008, Smith published the first book in the series I, Q, titled Independence Hall. In 2010, Smith published the second book of the series I, Q, titled "The White House". The third book in the series titled "Kitty Hawk" was released September 1, 2012. He authored the fourth book in the second 39 Clues series, Cahills vs. Vespers, released on September 4, 2012. The book is entitled, Shatterproof. It is the only one-word title in both series.
Awards [edit]
Smith's books have won "Book of the Year" awards in Colorado, Nevada, South Carolina, and Florida, as well as in his native Oregon.[1][2] Peak won the 2007 National Outdoor Book Award (Children's Category).
Personal life [edit]
Smith lives in Tualatin, Oregon with his wife and stepchildren.[1]
References [edit]
- ^ a b c "Roland Smith". Answers.com. Retrieved 2007-10-22.
- ^ "Awards and Nominations". Roland Smith.com. Retrieved 2007-10-22.
External links [edit]
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