Alex T. Smith Explained

Alex T. Smith
Birth Date:	2 August 1985
Birth Place:	Coventry, Warwickshire, England
Alma Mater:	Coventry University
Occupation:	Author, Illustrator

Alex T. Smith (born 2 August 1985) is a British author and illustrator of children's books, including Primrose, Egg, Ella, and the Claude book series. He was the illustrator for World Book Day 2014 in September 2013.^[1] His books have been published in several languages including Welsh,^[2] French,^[3] German,^[4] Swedish,^[5] Italian,^[6] Hungarian^[7] and Chinese.^[8]

Education

He graduated in 2006 from Coventry University with a degree in illustration.^[9]

Claude series

The adventures of Claude were published in a series of 10 books from 2011 to 2016. Recurring characters include Sir Bobblysock who accompanies Claude, and Mr & Mrs Shinyshoes, Claude's owners.

Claude was chosen as one of Clara Vulliamy's five favorite fictional characters ^[10] and appears on gift cards produced by National Book Tokens.^[11]

In October 2013, it was announced that Claude had been optioned by Sixteen South for television^[12] aimed at boys and girls aged 4–6, and premiered on Disney Junior in June 2018.^[13]

Bibliography

• Eliot Jones, Midnight Superhero (2009) - illustrator; text by Anne Cottringer
• Home (2010)
• My Mum has X-Ray Vision (2010) - illustrator; text by Angela McAllister
• Bella and Monty: A Hairy, Scary Night (2010)
• Egg (2011)
• Fantastic Frankie and the Brain-drain Machine (2011) - illustrator; text by Anna Kemp
• Ella (2012)
• Eliot, Midnight Superhero (2012 revised edition) - illustrator; text by Anne Cottringer
• Happy Birthday, Bunny! (2012) - illustrator; text by Anna Schaub
• Primrose (2013)
• Catch Us If You Can-Can (2013)
• Hector and the BIG BAD KNIGHT (2014)^[14]
• Little Red and the Very Hungry Lion (2015)
• Grave Matter (2017) - illustrator; text by Juno Dawson
• How Winston Delivered Christmas: A Christmas Story in Twenty-Four-and-a-Half Chapters (2019)

Tom & Matt Series

• The Baddie (2010) - illustrator; text by Anna Maxted
• The Horrible Princess (2010) - illustrator; text by Anna Maxted

Claude Series

• Claude in the City (2011)
• Claude on Holiday (2011) (republished as 'Claude at the Beach')
• Claude at the Circus (2012)
• Claude in the Country (2012)
• Claude in the Spotlight (2013)
• Claude on the Slopes (2013)
• Claude at Sea (2016) (picture book)
• Claude: Lights! Camera! Action! (2016)
• Claude Going for Gold (2016)
• Santa Claude (2016)
• Claude at the Palace (2020)

Mr Penguin Series

• Mr Penguin and the Lost Treasure (2017)
• Mr Penguin and the Fortress of Secrets (2018)
• Mr Penguin and the Catastrophic Cruise (2019)
• Mr Penguin and the Tomb of Doom (2021)

Critical reception of books

• Catch Us If You Can-Can has been called "hilarious"^[15] by The Guardian.
• Claude in the Spotlight is thought of as "a very funny book, with lots of great pictures" by The Guardian^[16] and Booktrust described it as "An utterly charming book for emerging readers."^[17] Metro appreciated the "quirky illustrations and plenty of humour."^[18]
• Claude in the City reminded Martin Chilton writing in The Telegraph of "the fine stories of Allan Ahlberg."^[19] TheBookBag "loved everything about this book" and especially enjoyed the sense of fun, and how rich the text and pictures were for younger readers.".^[20] Claude in the City was described by the kidlit blog, There's a Book, as the "perfect transition from picture books to chapter books."^[21]

Awards and recognitions

• 2006 Second prize in the Macmillan Prize for Children's Picture Book Illustration.^[22]
• 2009 Longlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal.^[22]
• 2011 Stockport School's Book Award for My mum has X-ray Vision by Alex T. Smith and Angela McAllister.^[23]
• 2011 Dundee Picture Book Award for Bella & Monty.
• 2013 Longlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal for Claude at the Circus.
• 2014 Longlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal for Claude in the Spotlight.^[24]
• 2016 Longlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal for The Hundred and One Dalmatians.^[25]

External links

• Official website
• Official Blog - Link printed on all Alex T. Smith's books. Sketchbook images shared on this blog.
• Official Twitter

Notes and References

1. Web site: About the World Book Day Illustrator | World Book Day . 13 September 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131016065100/http://www.worldbookday.com/about/the-world-book-day-illustrator/ . 16 October 2013 . dead . dmy-all .
2. Web site: www.gwales.com - 9781849671552, Cyfres Clem: 2. Clem ar Wyliau. gwales.com. 28 July 2016.
3. Web site: Les aventures de Léon. ricochet-jeunes.org. 28 July 2016.
4. Web site: Literatur: Erstlesebuch "Luis in der Stadt" - hohes Niveau - badische-zeitung.de. badische-zeitung.de. 28 July 2016.
5. Web site: Smith, A - Claude på semester - 29686944. rabensjogren.se. 28 July 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160815132714/http://www.rabensjogren.se/bocker/Utgiven/2013/Sommar/smith_alex-t-claude_pa_semester-kartonnage/. 15 August 2016. dead.
6. Web site: Pablo in vacanza - Gallucci editore. galluccieditore.com. 28 July 2016.
7. Web site: Mano Konyvek. kiadok.lira.hu. 28 July 2016.
8. Web site: 淘气狗克劳德 (豆瓣). book.douban.com. 28 July 2016.
9. Web site: Alex T. Smith - Hachette Children's Group. hachettechildrens.co.uk. 28 July 2016.
10. Web site: Clara Vulliamy's five favorite characters - Telegraph. telegraph.co.uk. 28 July 2016.
11. Web site: Alex T. Smith: CLAUDE National Book Tokens!. alextsmith.blogspot.co.uk. 28 July 2016.
12. Web site: Book Trade Announcements - 'Claude' Optioned For Television By Sixteen South. booktrade.info. 28 July 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160814214431/http://www.booktrade.info/index.php/showarticle/49995. 14 August 2016. dead.
13. Web site: New Sixteen South show Claude set to air on Disney Junior channel . Irish News . 24 March 2019 . 25 May 2018.
14. Web site: Alex T. Smith: HECTOR and the BIG BAD KNIGHT - now available to preorder!. alextsmith.blogspot.co.uk. 28 July 2016.
15. Web site: Catch us if you Can-Can by Alex T Smith - review Children's books The Guardian. guardian.co.uk. 28 July 2016.
16. Web site: Claude in the Spotlight by Alex T Smith - review Children's books The Guardian. guardian.co.uk. 28 July 2016.
17. Web site: Claude in the Spotlight by Alex T Smith Book Trust. booktrust.org.uk. 28 July 2016.
18. Web site: Books for kids's summer reading: Experts recommend the best picks Metro News. metro.co.uk. 28 July 2016.
19. Web site: Claude In The City by Alex T Smith: review - Telegraph. telegraph.co.uk. 28 July 2016.
20. Web site: Claude in the City by Alex T Smith - TheBookbag.co.uk book review. thebookbag.co.uk. 28 July 2016.
21. Web site: Book Review: Claude In The City by Alex T. Smith There's A Book. theresabook.com. 28 July 2016.
22. Web site: Alex T. Smith - We Are Writers. writers.scholastic.co.uk. 28 July 2016.
23. Web site: Alex T Smith Portfolio. www.arenaillustration.com. 9 December 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20130809214019/http://arenaillustration.com/Artists/thumbsAlexTSmith.html. 9 August 2013. dead.
24. News: Alex T Smith: Claude In The Spotlight Nominated for The CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal 2014. www.arenaillustration.com. 6 November 2013. 7 June 2022.
25. News: Alex T Smith: CILIP Medal Nominations. www.arenaillustration.com. 19 October 2015. 7 June 2022.