Danna Smith

Danna Smith is an award-winning author known for her delightful and informative children’s books. She has written over twenty-five books for children, including “The Hawk of the Castle” (Candlewick), which was a 2018 Bank Street College of Education Best Children’s Books of the Year, and “Rooftop Garden” (Barefoot Books). Her works range from board books, novelty books, and Little Golden Books for the youngest readers, to fiction and nonfiction picture books for older readers. She also has a poetry book (How Do You Haiku?) with activities that guide kids to create powerful haiku and a novel (The Complete Book of Aspen) that delves into the emotional journey of a girl named Aspen as she discovers a family secret that challenges her identity. When she was young, a pen was her favorite toy. She grew up weaving words into silly poems or stories that sparked emotion. She wrote her first poem when she was six, her first short story when she was ten, and her first picture book when she was seventeen. It took years of practice and perseverance before she sold her first manuscript to Disney-Hyperion in 2004. Born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah, Danna was exposed to all sorts of creatures through her father who trained, bred, and rehabilitated animals.  It was common to find bobcats, alligators, monkeys, hawks, and even vultures at her home.  A love of animals and nature has spilled over into her love of writing.  Today her favorite toy is a computer keyboard. Danna Smith’s upcoming works include “The Colors of Fall” (A Little Golden Book) releasing on August 6, 2024, “The Colors of Spring” (A Little Golden Book) and two board books (Little Simon) releasing in Spring 2025, and a picture book (Workman Kids) releasing in 2026. Every page turned is an adventure waiting to unfold! 📚✨