Sydney Smith (illustrator) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sydney Smith
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
Canada
|
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Awards |
|
Sydney Smith is a talented Canadian artist who illustrates books for children. He is well-known for his beautiful drawings that bring stories to life. In 2024, he received the prestigious Hans Christian Andersen Award. This award is given to artists who have made a lasting and important contribution to children's literature around the world.
Before that, in 2015, he won the Governor General's Award for English-language children's illustration. This award was for his work on Sidewalk Flowers, a special wordless picture book he illustrated with author JonArno Lawson. Sydney Smith lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia, a city in Canada.
Contents
Becoming an Illustrator
Sydney Smith went to NSCAD University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. While he was studying there, he focused on drawing and printmaking. It was during this time that he discovered his passion for illustrating children's books. He realized he loved creating pictures that tell stories for young readers.
Sydney Smith's Career
Most of Sydney Smith's work involves creating illustrations for books written by other authors. His very first jobs were for new editions of books by Sheree Fitch. He has also written and illustrated two of his own books. These are Small in the City, published in 2019, and Do You Remember?, which came out in 2023.
He has worked with two different publishing companies: Nimbus Publishing and Groundwood Books. Besides his book work, Sydney Smith has also used his artistic skills for graphic design. He has created designs for Canadian music groups like Hey Rosetta! and Old Man Luedecke.
Books Illustrated by Sydney Smith
Here are some of the books Sydney Smith has illustrated:
- 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 (he also wrote this one!)
- 2020: I Talk Like a River by Jordan Scott
- 2023: Do You Remember? by Sydney Smith (he also wrote this one!)
- 2023: My Baba's Garden by Jordan Scott
Awards and Special Recognition
Sydney Smith has won many awards for his amazing illustrations. Here are some of them:
| Year | Award | Book | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Lillian Shepherd Memorial Award for Excellence in Illustration | Music Is For Everyone | Won |
| 2015 | Governor General's Award for English-language children's illustration | Sidewalk Flowers | Won |
| 2015 | Prix Libbylit for Best Picture Book (Belgium) | Sidewalk Flowers | Won |
| 2015 | New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book of the Year | Sidewalk Flowers | Won |
| 2015 | Publishers Weekly Best Books of the Year | Sidewalk Flowers | Won |
| 2015 | Goodreads Choice Awards Best Picture Books | Sidewalk Flowers | Nominated |
| 2016 | Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Illustrator's Award | Sidewalk Flowers | Won |
| 2018 | CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal | Town Is by the Sea | Won |
| 2018 | TD Canadian Children's Literature Award | Town Is by the Sea | Won |
| 2021 | Kate Greenaway Medal | Small in the City | Won |
| 2024 | Hans Christian Andersen Award | Won | |
| 2024 | Governor General's Award for English-language children's illustration | Do You Remember? | Pending |
