Sydney Smith (illustrator)
Canadian illustrator of children's books
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sydney Smith is a Canadian illustrator of children's books. He is the 2024 recipient of the Hans Christian Andersen Award for his "lasting contribution to children's literature".[1] He earlier won the 2015 Governor General's Award for English-language children's illustration for Sidewalk Flowers, a wordless picture book which he illustrated with author JonArno Lawson. He currently resides in Halifax, Nova Scotia.[2]
- Sidewalk Flowers
- Town Is by the Sea
- Small in the City
- Governor General's Award 2015
- CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal 2018, 2021
- Hans Christian Andersen award 2024
Sydney Smith | |
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| Born | Canada |
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Education
Smith studied drawing and printmaking at NSCAD University in Halifax, Nova Scotia.[3] It was while studying there that he realized his interest for illustrating children's books.
Career
Most of his work is illustrations for other authors. Smith's first three assignments were for re-issues of books by Sheree Fitch. To date he has authored and illustrated two titles, 2019's Small in the City and 2023's Do You Remember? He has worked for two different publishing houses in his career as an illustrator: Nimbus Publishing and Groundwood Books. In addition to his work as an illustrator and author, Smith has also done graphic design work for Canadian musical acts Hey Rosetta! and Old Man Luedecke.[3]
Published works
- 2010: Mabel Murple by Sheree Fitch
- 2011: There Were Monkeys In My Kitchen by Sheree Fitch
- 2012: Toes In My Nose: And Other Poems by Sheree Fitch
- 2014: Jewel of the Thames (A Portia Adams Adventure Book 1) by Angela Misri
- 2014: Music Is For Everyone by Jill Barber
- 2015: Grant and Tillie Go Walking by Monica Kulling
- 2015: Sidewalk Flowers by JonArno Lawson
- 2016: Look Out for the Fitzgerald-Trouts by Esta Spalding
- 2016: The White Cat and the Monk: A Retelling of the Poem "Pangur Bán" by Jo Ellen Bogart
- 2017: Town Is by the Sea by Joanne Schwartz
- 2019: Small in the City by Sydney Smith
- 2020: I Talk Like a River by Jordan Scott
- 2023: Do You Remember? by Sydney Smith
- 2023: My Baba's Garden by Jordan Scott
Awards and recognition
| Year | Award | Book | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Lillian Shepherd Memorial Award for Excellence in Illustration[4] | Music Is For Everyone | Won |
| 2015 | Governor General's Award for English-language children's illustration[5] | Sidewalk Flowers | Won |
| 2015 | Prix Libbylit for Best Picture Book (Belgium)[6] | Sidewalk Flowers | Won |
| 2015 | New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book of the Year[5] | Sidewalk Flowers | Won |
| 2015 | Publishers Weekly Best Books of the Year[5] | Sidewalk Flowers | Won |
| 2015 | Goodreads Choice Awards Best Picture Books[5] | Sidewalk Flowers | Nominated |
| 2016 | Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Illustrator's Award[7] | Sidewalk Flowers | Won |
| 2018 | CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal[8] | Town Is by the Sea | Won |
| 2018 | TD Canadian Children's Literature Award[9] | Town Is by the Sea | Won |
| 2021 | Kate Greenaway Medal[10][11] | Small in the City | Won |
| 2024 | Hans Christian Andersen Award[1] | Won | |
| 2024 | Governor General's Award for English-language children's illustration[12] | Do You Remember? | Pending |