Sydney Smith (illustrator) explained

Sydney Smith
Birth Name:Sydney Smith
Birth Place:Canada
Nationality:Canadian

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]

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.[4]

Published works

Awards and recognition

YearAwardBookResult
2015Lillian Shepherd Memorial Award for Excellence in Illustration[5] Music Is For Everyone
2015Governor General’s Award For Illustrated Children’s Books[6] Sidewalk Flowers
2015Prix Libbylit for Best Picture Book (Belgium)[7] Sidewalk Flowers
2015New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book of the Year[8] Sidewalk Flowers
2015Publishers Weekly Best Books of the Year[9] Sidewalk Flowers
2015Goodreads Choice Awards Best Picture Books[10] Sidewalk Flowers
2016Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Illustrator's Award[11] Sidewalk Flowers
2018CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal[12] Town Is by the Sea
2018TD Canadian Children's Literature Award[13] Town Is by the Sea
2021Kate Greenaway Medal[14] [15] Small in the City
2024Hans Christian Andersen Award

Notes and References

  1. https://www.cbc.ca/books/canadian-illustrator-sydney-smith-wins-prestigious-children-s-book-prize-hans-christian-andersen-award-1.7167028 "Canadian illustrator Sydney Smith wins prestigious children's book prize, Hans Christian Andersen Award"
  2. Web site: About.
  3. Web site: Q and A Sidewalk Flowers illustrator Sydney Smith. February 24, 2015. Quill and Quire. January 7, 2016.
  4. Web site: Q and A Sidewalk Flowers illustrator Sydney Smith. February 24, 2015. Quill and Quire. January 7, 2016.
  5. Web site: Lillian Shepherd Memorial Award for Excellence in Illustration. 2015. The Canadian Children's Book Centre. January 7, 2016. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20150912024058/http://www.bookcentre.ca/awards/lillian_shepherd_memorial_award_excellence_illustration. September 12, 2015.
  6. Web site: Sidewalk Flowers - Anansi Press. 2016. Anansi Press. January 7, 2016.
  7. Web site: Prix Libbylit. 2015. Ricochet Jeune. January 7, 2016. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304032255/http://www.ricochet-jeunes.org/les-prix/pays/belgique/prix/207-prix-libbylit. March 4, 2016.
  8. Web site: Sidewalk Flowers - Anansi Press. 2016. Anansi Press. January 7, 2016.
  9. Web site: Sidewalk Flowers - Anansi Press. 2016. Anansi Press. January 7, 2016.
  10. Web site: Sidewalk Flowers - Anansi Press. 2016. Anansi Press. January 7, 2016.
  11. Web site: Sidewalk Flowers wins CLA's 2016 Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Illustrator's Award . Canadian Library Association . 15 April 2016.
  12. Web site: PW: Geraldine McCaughrean, Sydney Smith Win 2018 Carnegie, Greenaway Medals. 2018. Publishers Weekly. June 18, 2018.
  13. Web site: Best Canadian children's book of 2018? It just won a $50,000 prize. 2018. thestar. October 31, 2018.
  14. Web site: Flood. Alison. 2021-06-16. Jason Reynolds wins Carnegie medal for 'breathtaking' Look Both Ways. 2021-06-17. the Guardian. en.
  15. Web site: 2021-06-17. Reynolds, Smith win 2021 Carnegie, Greenaway medals. 2021-06-17. Books+Publishing. en-AU.