Andrew Anselmo Smith (born July 16, 1959)[1] is an American author and short story writer in the young adult fiction genre.[2] He has written ten novels including Winger and Grasshopper Jungle, which is currently being adapted into a movie. Smith is known for his dark subject matter, and his randomized writing style.

Andrew A. Smith
BornAndrew Anselmo Smith
(1959-07-16) July 16, 1959 (age 65)
California, U.S.[1]
Occupation
  • Author
  • educator
EducationCalifornia State University Northridge
GenreYoung Adult Fiction
Years active2008–present
Notable works
Notable awardsBoston Globe-Horn Book Award
Website
AuthorAndrewSmith.com

Early life

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Andrew Smith was born in California in 1959.[3] He decided to pursue a career as a writer because he was the editor of his high school newspaper.[4] He traveled around the world and worked in various jobs such as working in metal mills, as a longshoreman, in bars and liquor stores, in security, and as a musician.[5] After graduating from college, he tried pursuing careers as a journalist, writing for newspapers, and writing radio stations, but he felt it wasn't the kind of writing that he wanted to do for the rest of his life.[4] After much traveling around the world, Smith finally settled for a job as a high school teacher.[4] He taught advanced placement classes and coached a rugby team.[5] The writing that he was doing on the side was never for publication; he would write for fun until he was challenged by one of his lifelong friends to get one of his books published.[4] In 2008 his first novel, Ghost Medicine, was published, followed by several more novels including Grasshopper Jungle[4] and The Alex Crow.[6]

Personal life

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He is currently[when?] married, has two children, and teaches government, US history, and economics at Canyon High School in Santa Clarita, California.[7][8] Smith's novel Grasshopper Jungle was never meant to be published, as he had decided to quit writing for others, but his son urged him to publish it.[9][10]

Awards

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Andrew Smith has received several awards for his many books. His novel Marbury Lens has received a Young Adult Library Services Association Best For Young Adults award,[11] the Booklist Editor's Choice 2010 award, and was named Publishers Weekly Best Children's Book of the Year for 2010.[12] His novel Winger was given an Amazon Best of the Year award and received an American Library Association Top 10 for 2014.[13] Winger was also rated as one of Publishers Weekly Best Books of 2013 and Publishers Weekly Top 10 Summer Reads of 2013, was given a Junior Library Guild Selection for 2013, and was a 2014 Rainbow List Nominee.[14] His novel In the Path of Falling Objects received the Best Book For Young Adults Award. His novel Grasshopper Jungle has been awarded the 2014 Boston Globe-Horn Book Award[15] and was a 2015 Michael Printz Honor Book.[16]

Works

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Marbury Lens series

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  • The Marbury Lens (2010) According to WorldCat, the book is held in 1022 libraries.[18]
  • King of Marbury (2012, book 1.5)
  • Passenger (2012) According to WorldCat, the book is held in 666 libraries.[18]

Winger

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Sam Abernathy

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  • The Size of the Truth (2019)
  • Bye-Bye, Blue Creek (2020)

Grasshopper Jungle

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Other works

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  • Ghost Medicine (2008) According to WorldCat, the book is held in 874 libraries.[18]
  • In the Path of Falling Objects (2009) According to WorldCat, the book is held in 653 libraries.[18]
  • Stick (2011) According to WorldCat, the book is held in 688 libraries.[18]
  • 100 Sideways Miles (2014)
  • The Alex Crow (2015) Reviewed in the New York Times[6]
  • "Julian Breaks Every Rule" in Because You Love to Hate Me: 13 Tales of Villainy (2017)
  • Rabbit & Robot (2018) Starred review from Publishers Weekly[21]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Smith, Andrew (Andrew Anselmo), 1959–". Library of Congress Authorities. Retrieved 2022-04-23.
  2. ^ "Andrew Smith". Gale Literary Databases. Gale Literary Databases. Retrieved 2 October 2014.
  3. ^ Smith, Andrew (2014). "Author Andrew Smith". Author Andrew Smith. Macmillan Publishers. Retrieved 20 October 2014.
  4. ^ a b c d e "Andrew Smith". amazon.com. Amazon. Retrieved 16 October 2014.
  5. ^ a b "Andrew Smith". US.Macmillan.Com. Macmillan Publishers. Retrieved 16 October 2014.
  6. ^ a b Reynolds, Jason (2015-04-10). "'The Alex Crow,' by Andrew Smith". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2016-02-23.
  7. ^ Fuller, Amy (2010). "Smith, Andrew 1959- (Andrew Anselmo Smith)". Gale Virtual Reference Library. Archived from the original on May 21, 2011. Retrieved 2014-10-06.
  8. ^ Kearney, Megan (2012-06-07). "Author Andrew Smith shares writing experience with Foothill students". The Foothill Dragon Press. Retrieved 2014-10-06.
  9. ^ Amazon Books (2014-02-12). ""Andrew Smith on "Grasshopper Jungle""". Youtube (Podcast). Youtube. Retrieved 2014-10-06.
  10. ^ "Interview with Andrew Smith". The Book Stop. 2014-04-06. Archived from the original on 2014-10-20. Retrieved 2014-10-06.
  11. ^ "AndrewSmith". authorandrewsmith.com. Retrieved 2014-10-12.
  12. ^ "Marbury Lens". macmillan.com. Macmillan. Archived from the original on 2016-02-05. Retrieved 2014-10-12.
  13. ^ "Winger". bookbrowse.com. BookBrowse. Retrieved 2014-10-12.
  14. ^ "Andrew Smith". ghostmedicine.com. Retrieved 2014-10-12.
  15. ^ "Fiction Reviews of 2014 Boston Globe-Horn Book Award Winner and Honor Books". hbook.com. Wordpress. Retrieved 2014-10-12.
  16. ^ a b "2015 Michael Printz winners | Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA)". www.ala.org. 24 November 2015. Retrieved 2016-02-23.
  17. ^ "84th Annual California Book Awards Winners".
  18. ^ a b c d e f g WorldCat author listing
  19. ^ "What to read this summer: Top 20 picks". CNN. 2013-06-19. Retrieved 2014-12-18.
  20. ^ Smith, Andrew (24 September 2019). Exile from Eden. ISBN 9781534422230.
  21. ^ "Rabbit & Robot". www.publishersweekly.com. Retrieved 2019-02-08.
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