Roland Smith
Encyclopedia
Roland Smith is an American author of young adult fiction as well as nonfiction books for children.
, 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
. 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.
Jaguar
and 2001's The Last Lobo
. Lansa also appeared in "Tentacles" the sequel to "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".
He will write the fourth book in the second 39 Clues series, Cahills vs. Vespers to be released August 2012.
, Nevada
, South Carolina
, and Florida
, as well as in his native Oregon
. Peak won the 2007 National Outdoor Book Award
(Children's Category).
Early life and education
Roland Smith was born in Portland, OregonPortland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, and graduated from Portland State University
Portland State University
Portland State University is a public state urban university located in downtown Portland, Oregon, United States. Founded in 1946, it has the largest overall enrollment of any university in the state of Oregon, including undergraduate and graduate students. It is also the only public university in...
and, following a part-time job at the Oregon Zoo
Oregon Zoo
The Oregon Zoo, formerly the Washington Park Zoo, is a zoo in Portland, the largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon. Located southwest of Downtown Portland, the zoo is inside Portland's Washington Park, and includes a narrow-gauge railway that connects to the International Rose Test Garden inside...
in Portland, began a 20-year career as a zookeeper
Zookeeper
A zookeeper is a worker in a zoo, responsible for the feeding and daily care of the animals. As part of their routine, they clean the exhibits and report health problems...
, both at the Oregon Zoo and the Point Defiance Zoo in Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma is a mid-sized urban port city and the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. The city is on Washington's Puget Sound, southwest of Seattle, northeast of the state capital, Olympia, and northwest of Mount Rainier National Park. The population was 198,397, according to...
. After working to save wildlife following the Exxon Valdez oil spill
Exxon Valdez oil spill
The Exxon Valdez oil spill occurred in Prince William Sound, Alaska, on March 24, 1989, when the Exxon Valdez, an oil tanker bound for Long Beach, California, struck Prince William Sound's Bligh Reef and spilled of crude oil. It is considered to be one of the most devastating human-caused...
, 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
Oregon Book Award
The Oregon Book Awards are presented annually by Literary Arts, Inc. for "the finest accomplishments by Oregon writers who work in genres of poetry, fiction, literary nonfiction, drama and young readers literature." -History:...
in 1996.
Publishing career
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'sJaguar
Jaguar
The jaguar is a big cat, a feline in the Panthera genus, and is the only Panthera species found in the Americas. The jaguar is the third-largest feline after the tiger and the lion, and the largest in the Western Hemisphere. The jaguar's present range extends from Southern United States and Mexico...
and 2001's The Last Lobo
The Last Lobo
The Last Lobo is a young adult adventure novel by Roland Smith, first published by Hyperion Books in 2001. It follows on from Thunder Cave and Jaguar.-Plot summary:...
. Lansa also appeared in "Tentacles" the sequel to "Cryptid Hunters".
Partial novels information
Other novels by Smith include The Captain's Dog: My Journey with the Lewis and Clark Tribe, Zach's Lie, Jack's Run, Cryptid HuntersCryptid Hunters
Cryptid Hunters is a 2004 novel by Roland Smith about twins living with their uncle who fall out of a plane into the Congolese jungle. Their uncle comes searching for them, but his enemy Noah Blackwood is in the same jungle, and their uncle must get to them before Blackwood does...
, Sasquatch (novel), about a boy who searches for Bigfoot
Bigfoot
Bigfoot, also known as sasquatch, is an ape-like cryptid that purportedly inhabits forests, mainly in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. Bigfoot is usually described as a large, hairy, bipedal humanoid...
. Peak, the story of a teenage boy obsessed with climbing mountains, Elephant Run
Elephant Run
Elephant Run is a young adult historical novel by Roland Smith, first published in 2007. It takes place mainly in Burma in the midst of World War II. The main character is Nick Freestone, a 14-year-old boy who is sent to live with his father on the family teak plantation to escape the bombing in...
, and Tentacles
Tentacles (novel)
Tentacles is a 2009 young adult science fiction novel by Roland Smith and the sequel to Cryptid Hunters. It is one of 25 award-winning books by Smith. At Barnes & Noble, it has a sales rank of 18,005 and on the "Lexile" scale, it received a rating equal to "740L"...
. 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".
He will write the fourth book in the second 39 Clues series, Cahills vs. Vespers to be released August 2012.
Awards
Smith's books have won "Book of the Year" awards in ColoradoColorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
, and Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, as well as in his native Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
. Peak won the 2007 National Outdoor Book Award
National Outdoor Book Award
The National Outdoor Book Award was formed in 1997 as a US-based non-profit program which each year honors the best in outdoor writing and publishing. It is housed at Idaho State University and chaired by Ron Watters. Awards are presented in ten categories. The award is announced in early November...
(Children's Category).