Andrew A. Smith

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

Andrew A. Smith
BornAndrew Anselmo Smith
1959 (age 60–61)
California, U.S.
Occupation
  • Author
  • educator
EducationCalifornia State University Northridge
GenreYoung Adult Fiction
Notable works
Notable awardsBoston Globe-Horn Book Award
Years active2008–present
Website
AuthorAndrewSmith.com

Early life

Andrew Smith was born in California in 1959.[2] He always knew that he wanted to be a writer ever since he was the editor of his high school newspaper.[3] He traveled around the world and from job to job, working in metal mills, as a longshoreman, in bars and liquor stores, in security and as a musician.[4] After graduating 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.[3] After much traveling around the world, Smith finally settled for a job as a high school teacher.[3] He taught advanced placement classes and coached a rugby team.[4] 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.[3] In 2008 his first novel, Ghost Medicine, was published, followed by several more successful novels including Grasshopper Jungle[3] and The Alex Crow.[5]

Personal life

He is currently married with two children and teaches Government, US History, and Economics at Canyon High School in Santa Clarita, California.[6][7] 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.[8][9]

Awards

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,[10] the Booklist Editor's Choice 2010 award, and was named Publishers Weekly Best Children's Book of the Year for 2010.[11] His novel Winger was given an Amazon Best of the Year award and received an American Library Association Top 10 for 2014.[12] 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.[13] 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[14] and was a 2015 Michael Printz Honor Book.[15]

  • 2014 California Book Awards Young Adult Finalist for 100 Sideways Miles [16]

Works

Marbury Lens Series
  • The Marbury Lens (2010) According to WorldCat, the book is held in 1022 libraries.[17]
  • King of Marbury (2012, book 1.5)
  • Passenger (2012) According to WorldCat, the book is held in 666 libraries.[17]

Winger

Sam Abernathy
  • The Size of the Truth (2019)

Grasshopper Jungle

Other works
  • Ghost Medicine (2008) According to WorldCat, the book is held in 874 libraries.[17]
  • In the Path of Falling Objects (2009) According to WorldCat, the book is held in 653 libraries.[17]
  • Stick (2011) According to WorldCat, the book is held in 688 libraries.[17]
  • 100 Sideways Miles (2014)
  • The Alex Crow (2015) Reviewed in the New York Times[5]
  • Rabbit & Robot (2018) Starred review from Publisher's Weekly[20]

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