Emma Bland Smith
Twitter: @EmmaBlandSmith • Facebook: Emmablandsmith • Instagram: emmasmithsf • Website: emmabsmith.com
Emma Bland Smith is a librarian and the award-winning author of many books for children (including The Gardener of Alcatraz; Claude: The True Story of a White Alligator; and The Pig War). She lives in San Francisco in an old creaky house with her family, pets, and too many cookbooks and coffee mugs.
A strong sense of place is one thing that Emma tries to put in all her books. She herself spent several years in France as a child. Later she lived in Santa Barbara, Paris, and New York, before returning to settle down just a block from her childhood home.
Emma writes primarily narrative nonfiction picture books. Her books have received honors such as the Cook Prize, the Sigurd Olson Nature Writing Award, Kirkus Reviews Best Books of the Year, the Louisiana Readers' Choice Award, and the Towner Award. The Gardener of Alcatraz is currently a 2024-5 finalist for the California Young Reader Medal.
Emma is inspired by places she loves, amazing people, and incredible animals. The Fabulous Fannie Farmer: Kitchen Scientist and America's Cook comes out in January 2024.
Go to emmabsmith.com to read more about her publications.