Sherri Smith

Sherri L. Smith is the award-winning author of YA novels Lucy the Giant, Sparrow, Hot Sour Salty Sweet, Flygirl, and Orleans. Her bestselling novel, The Toymaker’s Apprentice is the Southern California Booksellers Association Award winner for Middle Grade. Her books have been listed as Amelia Bloomer, American Library Association Best Books for Young People, and Junior Library Guild Selections. Flygirl was the 2009 California Book Awards Gold Medalist. Sherri was a 2014 National Book Awards judge in the Young People’s Literature category. She is a three-time writer-in-resident at Hedgebrook retreat in Washington State, as well as a resident at Wassard Elea retreat, in Ascea, Italy. She’s worked for the likes of Disney as a stop motion animator and on films such as Tim Burton’s Mars Attacks!

Born in Chicago, IL (HOLLA) but raised all over the nation, Sherri is best known in MY life as the author of Fly Girl my son’s generation’s version of Imitation of Life.

Ida Mae is a young lady wanting to enter the WASP program during WWII. However, being a black woman doesn’t open many doors for her and she is forced to “pass” for a white woman. The book deals with so many aspects of being black, that you’re left an emotional ball at the end.

I can also attest that this book flies (see what I did there?) off the shelves during our book fairs each time we have had one.

Pick it up. Start a conversation with your tween. It may open some HUGE conversational doors for you all.

Promise.

Other books that Ms. Smith has written are:

Hot, Sour, Salty, Sweet

Sparrow

Lucy the Giant

Orleans