Hope Anita Smith

Hope Anita Smith
Born	Akron, Ohio, U.S.
Language	English
Nationality	American
Alma mater	La Sierra University
Genre	Poetry, middle grade fiction, picture books
Years active	1999–present
Notable works	Keeping the Night Watch
Notable awards	Coretta Scott King Award (2004)

Hope Anita Smith is an American poet and author of children's books, best known for winning the Coretta Scott King Honor for her middle grade novel Keeping the Night Watch.[1]

Biography

Smith was born in Akron, Ohio.[2] She was introduced to the children's publishing industry via fellow author and teacher Myra Cohn Livingston, whose class she attended and ultimately discovered her voice and interest in writing for children there.[2] She attended La Sierra University from 1980 to 1983, studying English, but ultimately did not graduate.[3]

Smith wrote her second picture book My Daddy Rules the World: Poems about Dads, with the intention of celebrating fathers all over the world because she cites to have always had a soft spot for the way fathers interact with their children, also intending to give credit to fathers.[4]

Selected works

Picture books

• Mother Poems (Henry Holt, 2009)
• My Daddy Rules the World: Poems about Dads (Henry Holt, 2017)

Middle grade

• The Way a Door Closes, illustrated by Shane W. Evans (Henry Holt, 2003)
• Keeping the Night Watch (Henry Holt, 2008)
• It Rained Warm Bread, co-authored with Gloria Moskowitz-Sweet, illustrated by Lea Lyon (Henry Holt, 2019)

Awards and honors

• 2004 John Steptoe New Talent Author Award for The Way a Door Closes, illustrated by Shane W. Evans[5]
• 2004 Judy Lopez Memorial Award for Children's Literature for The Way a Door Closes, illustrated by Shane W. Evans[6]
• 2004 Claudia Lewis Award for The Way a Door Closes, illustrated by Shane W. Evans[7]
• 2008 School Library Journal's Best Books of 2008 for Keeping the Night Watch[8]
• 2009 Coretta Scott King Honor for Keeping the Night Watch[9]
• 2009 American Library Association Notable Children's Books for Keeping the Night Watch[10]

References

1. "Coretta Scott King Book Awards - All Recipients, 1970-Present | Coretta Scott King Roundtable". www.ala.org. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
2. Rhuday-Perkovich, Olugbemisola (February 4, 2011). "Hope Anita Smith". The Brown Bookshelf. Retrieved May 12, 2019.
3. "Award-winning author, poet to give reading at La Sierra - La Sierra News". La Sierra University. October 22, 2015. Retrieved May 12, 2019.
4. Farrell, Della. "Celebrating Dads with Poetry: Hope Anita Smith on". School Library Journal. Retrieved May 12, 2019.
5. "John Steptoe New Talent Award". Round Tables. January 26, 2009. Archived from the original on September 3, 2011. Retrieved May 12, 2019.
6. "Judy Lopez Award". Women's National Book Association Los Angeles. Retrieved June 5, 2023.
7. Kofoed, Sharon. "Research Guides: Handy Topics in the Curriculum Department: Claudia Lewis Award". University of Nebraska Kearney. Retrieved May 12, 2019.
8. "2009 ALSC & YALSA Book Picks: The year's best titles for children and teens". School Library Journal. Retrieved May 12, 2019.
9. "Coretta Scott King Book Awards - All Recipients, 1970-Present". Round Tables. April 5, 2012. Retrieved May 12, 2019.
10. "2009 Notable Children's Books". Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC). November 30, 1999. Retrieved May 12, 2019.