SATA
ENTRY TYPE:
WORK TITLE: On a Wing and a Tear
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: http://www.cynthialeitichsmith.com/
CITY: Austin
STATE:
COUNTRY: United States
NATIONALITY: American
LAST VOLUME: SATA 403
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Born December 31, 1967, in Kansas City, MO; daughter of H.E. and Caroline Smith; married Greg Leitich (divorced); married Christopher T. Assaf, 2020.
EDUCATION:University of Kansas, Lawrence, B.S., 1990; University of Michigan Law School, J.D., 1994; studied at Paris-Sorbonne University.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer and educator. Worked variously as a reporter for small-town and urban newspapers, in public relations for a nonprofit agency, and for a greeting-card company and an oil company; Department of Health and Human Services, Chicago, IL, law clerk, 1994-95; St. Edward’s University, Austin, TX, teacher, c. mid-1990s; Vermont College of Fine Arts, faculty member of M.F.A. program in writing for children and young adults, 2005—, Katherine Paterson Inaugural Endowed Chair, 2020—; Heartdrum (HarperCollins Children’s Books imprint), author-curator. Cofounder and former senior editor of Michigan Journal of Gender & Law; speaker at schools, libraries, museums, universities, and conferences.
MEMBER:Authors Guild, Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, PEN America, Writers’ League of Texas, Wordcraft Circle of Native Writers and Storytellers.
AWARDS:Notable Children’s Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies designation, National Council for the Social Studies/Children’s Book Council (NCSS/CBC), Oklahoma Book Award finalist, Oklahoma Center for the Book, and Storyteller Award runner-up, Western Writers Association, all 2000, all for Jingle Dancer; Oklahoma Book Award finalist and Writer of the Year award for Children’s Prose, Wordcraft Circle of Native Writers and Storytellers, both 2001, both for Rain Is Not My Indian Name; Notable Children’s Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies designation, Texas Institute of Letters Award finalist, Native American Book List inclusion, National Education Association, Best Children’s Books selection, Bank Street College of Education, and Cooperative Children’s Book Center Choices selection, all 2003, all for Indian Shoes; Borders Original Voices nominee, 2007, and Best Books for Young Adults nominee and Books for the Teen Age selection, New York Public Library, all for Tantalize; Teens’ Top-Ten nominee, 2009, for Eternal; Great Site for Kids designation, American Library Association, for CynthiaLeitichSmith.com; Children’s Book Award finalist, Writers’ League of Texas, 2010, for Holler Loudly; named first Spirit of Texas Author for high schools, Texas Library Association; Teens’ Top-Ten nominee, 2012, for Blessed; American Indian Youth Literature Award for YA, American Indian Library Association, 2020, for Hearts Unbroken; NSK Neustadt Prize for Children’s & Young Adult Literature, 2021; Reading the West Book Award for Young Readers, 2022, for Ancestor Approved.
WRITINGS
Author of the novellas Cat Calls, 2010, and Haunted Love, 2011. Works collected in anthologies, including In My Grandmother’s House: Award-Winning Authors Tell Stories about Their Grandmothers, edited by Bonnie Christensen, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2003; Period Pieces: Stories for Girls, HarperCollins, 2003; Over the River and through the Woods: Stories about Grandmothers, HarperCollins, 2003; Moccasin Thunder: American Indian Stories for Today, edited by Lori M. Carlson, HarperCollins, 2005; Immortal: Love Stories with Bite, edited by P.C. Cast, BenBella Books (Dallas, TX), 2008; Geektastic: Stories from the Nerd Herd, edited by Holly Black and Cecil Castellucci, Little, Brown (New York, NY), 2009; Sideshow: Ten Original Dark Tales, edited by Deborah Noyes, Candlewick Press (Somerville, MA), 2009; Dear Bully: Seventy Authors Tell Their Stories, HarperTeen (New York, NY), 2011; Dear Teen Me: Authors Write Letters to Their Teen Selves, edited by E. Kristin Anderson and Miranda Kenneally, Zest, 2012; Things I’ll Never Say: Stories about Our Secret Selves, edited by Ann Angel, Candlewick Press (Somerville, MA), 2015; Violent Ends, edited by Shaun David Hutchinson, Simon Pulse, 2015; Our Story Begins: Children’s Authors and Illustrators Share Fun, Inspiring, and Occasionally Ridiculous Things They Wrote and Drew as Kids, edited by Elissa Brent Weissman, Atheneum, 2017; The Hero Next Door, edited by Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich, Random House, 2019; I Remember: Poems and Pictures of Heritage, edited by Lee Bennett Hopkins, Lee & Low, 2019; Thanku: Poems of Gratitude, edited by Miranda Paul, Millbrook, 2019; and Hop to It: Poems to Get You Moving, edited by Sylvia Vardell and Janet Wong, Pomelo Books, 2021. Contributor to periodicals, including Book Link, Horn Book, Journal of Children’s Literature, and Library Talk. Maintains the blog Cynsations.
Rain Is Not My Indian Name was adapted for audiobook, Listening Library, 2001; Blessed was adapted for audiobook, read by Kim Mai Guest, Listening Library, 2011; the “Feral” novels were adapted for audiobook, read by Todd Haberkorn and others, Brilliance Audio, beginning 2014; other books adapted for audiobook include Tantalize, Eternal, and Diabolical.
SIDELIGHTS
Cynthia Leitich Smith is an author of Native American heritage whose picture books, middle-grade tales, and young-adult novels are noted for their sensitivity and humor as well as for their strong narratives, well-drawn characters, and vivid settings. She is also published in poetry, short stories, and nonfiction essays for young readers. “I’m a sense-of-place writer,” Smith told Jen Wardrip of Authors Unleashed, “and it’s no accident that all of my stories are set in places that I’ve lived or spent a lot of quality time.” Other works penned by the author include her “Tantalize” and “Feral” series of teen gothic fantasy novels. She is the creator of the Cynsations book blog and collaborated with HarperCollins on the Heartdrum imprint for featuring indigenous voices.
A tribally enrolled citizen of the Muscogee Nation with Cherokee heritage as well, Smith explores contemporary Native American themes in a number of her works while also focusing on loss, urban assimilation, and the importance of community. In her award-winning young-adult novel Rain Is Not My Indian Name, she focuses on a mixed-heritage teen who, in the midst of confronting a personal tragedy, gains an understanding of her heritage, while the picture book Jingle Dancer finds a Muscogee-Ojibwe girl honoring the women in her family while solving a personal difficulty.
Growing up in Kansas City, Missouri, Smith was a shy child who dictated her first poem to her mother as a first grader. By grade six she was writing a column for her school’s newspaper and in junior high and high school she served as newspaper editor. Smith majored in journalism and English at the University of Kansas, intending to become a reporter.
After earning her bachelor’s degree, Smith enrolled at the University of Michigan Law School, having shifted her career goals to legal reporter and media-law journalism professor. In addition to meeting Greg Leitich, who would become a friend and collaborator (as well as her husband for almost twenty years), she a gender-rights law journal and served as president of the Native American Law Students Association. While employed as a law clerk after graduation, Smith wrote stories during her lunch hours, and it soon became clear that she preferred writing for children over a legal career. She eventually became the Katherine Paterson Inaugural Endowed Chair in the Vermont College of Fine Arts’s MFA Program in Writing for Children and Young Adults.
Smith’s first picture book, Jingle Dancer, finds young Jenna determined to do the jingle dance at an upcoming pow-wow. To get the cone-shaped jingles for her dress, Jenna visits several neighbors and relatives. A Publishers Weekly reviewer wrote that Smith “convincingly juxtaposes cherished Native American tradition and contemporary lifestyle in this smooth debut,” and Booklist contributor Connie Fletcher noted that Jingle Dancer “highlights the importance of family and community.”
Smith’s chapter book Indian Shoes collects six humorous interconnected stories about Ray Halfmoon and his grandfather, who live in urban Chicago and rural Oklahoma respectively. While a Publishers Weekly contributor found the text to be somewhat “flowery” in its depiction of their “strong bond” between generations, a Kirkus Reviews critic dubbed the volume a “very pleasing first-chapter book” and described Smith’s story as both “funny” and “heartwarming.” Similarly, Anne O’Malley, reviewing Indian Shoes in Booklist, described the lead characters as “charming” and the stories a “powerful, poignant evocation of a cross-generational bond.”
An incredibly noisy youngster is the focus of Smith’s picture book Holler Loudly, which is illustrated by Barry Gott. Every so often, a member of the Loudly family gives birth to an infant with a voice so strong that it causes birds to lose their feathers. Young Holler is one such infant, and his inability to speak in normal tones poses a problem no matter where he goes, be it a classroom, a movie theater, or the local fishing hole. When a raging tornado threatens his hometown, however, Holler and his astounding vocal abilities come to the rescue. “This original Southwestern tall tale has an easy rhythm,” according to a Kirkus Reviews writer, and in School Library Journal, Maryann H. Owen predicted that “readers as well as listeners will have fun with this animated story.”
Santa Knows, a humorous work that Smith coauthored with her then-husband Greg, focuses on the adventures of Alfie F. Snorklepuss, a dour youngster who simply refuses to believe in Santa Claus. Thanks to a letter written by Alfie’s lovable little sister Noelle, jolly Saint Nick pays the boy a visit on Christmas Eve and together they head off to the North Pole to tour the workshop. When Noelle awakens on Christmas morning, she finds an unusual and unexpected gift beneath the tree. “Children will relate to Noelle’s feelings when her brother tries to discourage her belief in Santa,” Maureen Wade asserted in School Library Journal, and a Kirkus Reviews contributor dubbed Santa Knows “a newly minted winner.”
Smith combines Native American cultural traditions and romantic elements in her first novel for young adults. In Rain Is Not My Indian Name, Cassidy Rain Berghoff, who goes by Rain, is one of a handful of people of mixed Native American heritage living in her small Kansas town. Rain experiences more than her share of tragedy: her mother died after being struck by lightning. Now, shortly after celebrating her fourteenth birthday and sharing a kiss with best friend Galen, she gets the news that Galen has died in a car accident. Torn by grief, she cannot deal with the loss until months later, when participation in an intertribal community project inspires her to begin healing.
Rain Is Not My Indian Name was greeted with critical acclaim. Carol Edwards, writing in School Library Journal, called the book a “wonderful novel of a present-day teen and her ‘patchwork tribe.’” Although a Publishers Weekly critic noted that multiple plot lines and the non-chronological narrative “make it difficult to enter Smith’s complex novel,” readers will nonetheless gain an “ample reward” due to the “warmth and texture of the writing.”
Smith turns her attention to the gothic fantasy genre in Tantalize, a young-adult novel that serves as both “a thinking reader’s horror novel and an entertaining, empowering ride,” according to Elle Wolterbeek in her review in the Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy. Since the death of her parents years earlier, seventeen-year-old Quincie Morris has lived with her uncle Davidson, owner of a vampire-themed restaurant in Austin, Texas. Quincie’s best friend and first love, Kieren, is a hybrid werewolf and he becomes a prime suspect when the head chef at the restaurant is murdered. Meanwhile, the chef’s replacement, Bradley, evidences an intense interest in Quincie and attempts to beguile her with exotic foods and wine. “The restaurant’s heady mix of rich foods and supernatural sexuality sets the tone for the novel,” Lauren Adams reported in her Horn Book review of Tantalize.
Reviewing the first novel in the “Tantalize” series, Donna Rosenblum predicted in School Library Journal that audiences will be captivated by the “disturbing fantasy of vampires, werewolves, and a strong no-nonsense heroine.” Several critics applauded Smith’s epistolary approach to the narrative, which incorporates menu pages, advertisements, and newspaper clippings to tell its tale. “Readers familiar with Bram Stoker’s Dracula will be thrilled with this modern-day extension of the genre,” Wolterbeek observed of Tantalize.
In Eternal, a dark love story with touches of humor, Smith continues the fantasy of “Tantalize.” Told in alternating chapters from the perspective of two characters, Eternal centers on the relationship between Miranda, a vampire princess, and Zachary, a disgraced guardian angel who failed in his attempt to save her from her ghastly vampire. To regain his honor, Zachary now gains access to the house of Dracula, where he takes a job as Miranda’s personal assistant and tries to revive her sense of humanity. “The suspenseful and entertaining story plays out in a parallel Chicago mingling mortal and immortal, damned and blessed,” remarked Adams. A Kirkus Reviews contributor noted that “the pace of this entertaining romp is quick and the action plentiful,” and a Publishers Weekly critic applauded “the action-packed finale” in Eternal.
Blessed, the third installment in Smith’s fantasy series, unites characters from Tantalize and Eternal. Having been unwittingly transformed into a vampire by Bradley, Quincie vows to bring him to justice, joining forces with Zachary, her guardian angel, and Kieren, her werewolf boyfriend to do so. A sense of urgency drives their mission, as Bradley stands poised to take control of an army of vampires. “Smith’s writing style is sometimes dramatic, often humorous, and always energetic,” Dotsy Harland commented in her review of Blessed in Voice of Youth Advocates. A writer in Kirkus Reviews predicted of Blessed that fans of the first two novels “will again be pulled into this wild and ultimately fascinating, if at times grisly, alternate universe.”
In Diabolical, Miranda enlists Quincie, Kieren, and Zachary to investigate the goings-on at Scholomance Preparatory Academy, a school in rural Vermont attended by her friend Lucy. When the three enroll at the academy, they discover not only that Lucy’s life is in danger but that the school is under the control of Satan himself. Suzanne Osman, writing in Voice of Youth Advocates, praised “the macabre and deliciously haunting charm of” Diabolical, and School Library Journal contributor Donna Rosenblum noted that the fourth “Tantalize” novel “combines action, suspense, and romance with just the right touch of humor.”
The stories in the “Tantalize” series gain a fresh perspective via Smith’s graphic-novel adaptations, which include Tantalize: Kieren’s Story and Eternal: Zachary’s Story, both featuring artwork by Ming Doyle. According to Francisca Goldsmith in Booklist, Tantalize: Kieren’s Story “works equally well as a gentle spoof and a repackaging of a more straightforward paranormal fantasy.”
In Feral Nights, Smith begins her “Feral” novel saga for teens. Yoshi, a werecat, is searching for his missing sister, Ruby, when he finds her working as a waitress at a vampire-themed restaurant. There Yoshi meets Clyde, an injured werelion-possum, and Clyde’s human friend, Aimee, who are investigating a murder in which Ruby is a suspect. Clyde is haunted by the ghost of his murdered friend, one of a royal family of werearmadillos that have put a bounty on the heads of both Ruby and Yoshi. Joining together, Clyde, Yoshi, and Aimee now search for the truth, encountering various wereanimals and many other mystical species along the way. As Sunnie Sette commented in School Library Journal, Feral Nights “will intrigue” fans of Smith’s “Tantalize” novels “as it was written in part in response to fan queries about popular secondary characters.” A contributor to Kirkus Reviews predicted that readers will enjoy “the playful, smart tone” in Feral Nights.
In Feral Curse, tragedy comes when secret werecat Kayla reveals her true nature to boyfriend, Ben: after running away in anger, he stages a ritual intended to cure her and dies in a freak accident. Ben’s accident occurred on a carousel, and the town council now dismantles the contraption and sells some of the parts as collectibles. When Yoshi touches a carousel animal-shaped seat he finds for sale at an antique shop, he is transported to Kayla’s town, meeting other shifters who have arrived there in similar fashion. Katie Bircher noted in her Horn Book review of Feral Curse that the characters’ “witty banter peppered with pop-culture references keeps the tone light even as the stakes ramp up.” A Kirkus Reviews critic recommended the work as “a neat, smart middle novel that clearly sets the stage for an epic showdown.”
The epic showdown comes in Feral Pride, as humans’ fears of werebeasts grow to a threatening level. Kayla’s shift from human to werecat is captured on video and becomes a viral online sensation, prompting many people to fear beings that they do not yet understand. As efforts get underway in Austin, Texas, to subdue the werebeasts and prevent their ability to change form, Kayla, Clyde, Yoshi, and Aimee remain hidden, hoping to end the interspecies battle. Writing in Horn Book, Bircher cited the “sharp humor and fully realized characters” in Smith’s entertaining fantasy saga, noting that “the four teens’ alternating first-person narratives allowing the various subplots (including romantic ones) to be explored.” Remarking on the novel’s “non-preachy style,” Donna Rosenblum added in School Library Journal that Feral Pride is “a successful conclusion to a thought-provoking series.”
In her 2018 standalone novel, Hearts Unbroken, Smith tells the story of Louise Wolfe, a Muscogee teen attending a majority-white high school. Lou—a cousin of Cassidy Rain Berghoff of Rain Is Not My Indian Name —dates a bigot named Cam, who does not fully respect her Native identity. Later, she falls for a fellow aspiring journalist named Joey, with whom she investigates a secretive group of parents taking a stand against diversity. In an interview with a contributor on the Brazos Bookstore website, Smith stated: “ Hearts Unbroken is a book of my heart. While it includes painful moments, Louise’s story celebrates first love, Native strength and the power of communities. Unlike my previous Native books, Hearts Unbroken is for upper-level YA readers, and the aggressions (micro and macro) are integral to both the page-turning plot and Lou’s inner journey.” Regarding the book’s protagonist, Smith told the same contributor: “In many ways, she’s a typical, overachieving, suburban teen. She’s a caring big sister, an occasionally self-absorbed friend, a budding young student journalist.”
Reviewing the novel in School Library Journal, Chelsea Couillard-Smith commented: “Blending teen romance with complex questions of identity, equality, and censorship, this is an excellent choice.” A Kirkus Reviews critic suggested: “Endearing enough for Smith’s fans, too many sub-issues hinder an organic unfolding to convert new readers.” However, Florence Simmons, contributor to Booklist, asserted: “Despite its flaws, this is truly a thought-provoking and educational novel.” “Smith effectively presents the continuous micro-aggressions Lou faces as a young Native woman alongside the central narrative arc,” remarked Christina L. Dobbs in Horn Book.
Smith’s next young-adult novel is Harvest House, starring Muscogee sophomore Hughie Wolfe, younger sister of Louise from Hearts Unbroken. Hughie is disappointed when budget cuts eliminate his Kansas high school’s fall theater production, ruining his chance at landing the lead role. A haunted-house fundraiser at a rural crossroads—rumored to be haunted by a vengeful Indian maiden—seems like the next best opportunity, until Hughie arrives to learn he is expected to play a caricatured “Indian ghost.” Moreover, the organizer intends to stage an insensitive “Indian burial ground” complete with inauthentic and stereotyped dancing, war whoops, and aggression. Meanwhile alternate chapters provide the first-person narration of Celeste, the one haunting the crossroads. When a video appears to capture Celeste interfering with an evildoer targeting brown-skinned girls, upheaval ensues.
A Kirkus Reviews writer lauded the layered narrative of Harvest House, which “superbly highlights and discusses” current issues surrounding Native communities, including redface, missing and victimized women, and two-spirit identities. Smith mentioned to interviewer Uma Krishnaswami that she intended for the novel to touch on topics also including “microaggressions, stereotypes, loss of life, and failures of law enforcement and the news media.” The Kirkus Reviews writer appreciated how the novel’s episodes of racist treatment are “handled with delicacy and distinct realism,” while the diverse cast “showcases a range of Indigenous lives.” The reviewer summed Harvest House up as an “atmospheric novel compellingly interweaving chills and contemporary themes.” A Publishers Weekly reviewer likewise affirmed that Smith “intertwines thoughtful conversation surrounding … racism faced by Indigenous teenagers with a convincing ghost story to craft a spine-tingling, edge-of-the-seat chiller.”
[open new]Smith teamed up with fellow author Kekla Magoon and artist Molly Murakami to kick off the “Blue Stars” middle-grade graphic-novel series with Mission 1, The Vice Principal Problem. Living with their grandmother in Urbanopolis are two rather different girls: Riley Halfmoon comes from a large Muscogee family in Oklahoma and loves gymnastics and making friends, while Maya Dawn is used to solitary life with her parents on an Air Force base and is content to tinker away on the modest robotics team. Coincidentally, they both have reasons to be fond of blue stars. When villainous Vice Principal Balderdash sets his sights on eliminating extracurricular programs and even their school’s library, both girls decide to run for class president. Since Balderdash seems intent on foiling their plans, they decide to team up to double their power and hopefully their impact in saving their school and unmasking Balderdash’s evil designs.
A Publishers Weekly reviewer affirmed that Smith and Magoon’s “bustling slice-of-life plot beats” contribute to a “realistically rendered and impeccably paced graphic novel” that illuminates the “importance of youth involvement in local politics.” In School Library Journal, Andrea Lipinski proclaimed that The Vice Principal Problem proves both a “sweet and thoughtful story about military families, friendship, and … trust” and a “weird and funny adventure as the girls scheme to combine their strengths.”
Also aimed at middle graders is On a Wing and a Tear, which finds Mel and her mother living in Chicago with Grampa Halfmoon and her orphaned cousin Ray. With their companions including a pair of talking animals, fabled ballplayer Great-Grandfather Bat and Gray Squirrel, anticipation is rising over the Great Ball Game pitting birds versus animals down in Georgia. A road trip there proves replete with adventure, including reunions with relatives, Bat’s near capture, a nostalgic rendezvous, environmental engagement, a breakdown, and a pair of apparent stalkers. Especially poignant are intersections between a school assignment of Mel’s and echoes of the Trail of Tears.
With Mel being Muscogee-Odawa and Ray Cherokee-Seminole, Booklist reviewer Joel Shoemaker commended the “exceptional Native American representation throughout” and affirmed that the “light narrative tone and charming characters ensure an upbeat adventure.” Admiring the “fascinating circular structure” and “expertly crafted humorous snippets,” a Kirkus Reviews writer reckoned On a Wing and a Tear a “unique and noteworthy tale that weaves together past and present with humor through stellar, multilayered writing.”
Firefly Season is a lyrical picture book written by Smith and illustrated by Kate Gardiner, of the Nipmuck Indians. Seven-year-old Kansan Piper delights in the month spent each year at the border of the Cherokee and Muscogee nations with her cousins. They fish, listen to elders’ stories, eat grape dumplings, and speak Mvskoke words, like koleppa for “firefly.” Rueing the absence of her cousins back home in Kansas City, Piper becomes close friends with four-year-old neighbor Sumi, whose family is from Mumbai, India. The bond proves so powerful that when Piper’s family moves to Topeka, the girls’ strengthen their bond by joining each other on trips to their families’ homelands. A Publishers Weekly reviewer observed that Smith’s “declarative language … traces a familial narrative filled with longing, love, and the blessing of found sisterhood.” A Kirkus Reviews writer deemed Firefly Season a “lovely tale that honors Native heritage and the beauty of both blood and chosen families”—a “glowing tribute to family across distance and lineage.”[suspend new]
Smith served as editor of the short-story anthology Ancestor Approved: Intertribal Stories for Kids in 2021. The anthology compiles stories from seventeen Native American writers from different nations and is centered around the themes of ancestry and ethnic identity. A contributor to Kirkus Reviews found it to be “a joyful invitation to celebrate the circle of ancestors together.” The same critic noted that “senses of goodwill and humor pervade the book.” A Publishers Weekly contributor insisted that “it’s a wonderful introduction to the included authors’ work and a persuasive encouragement to seek out more Indigenous stories.”
[resume new]Smith has also edited the young-adult anthology Legendary Frybread Drive-In: Intertribal Stories. An otherworldly food truck links the eighteen tales, which feature poetry and different genres of prose and which span North America from Hawaii to Alaska to Oklahoma and beyond. The authors include Eric Gansworth, Darcie Little Badger, Cheryl Isaacs, and Smith herself. A Kirkus Reviews writer declared that the “emotional core of the book feels deftly balanced,” as “obvious thought and care went into the crafting and arranging of the stories.” The reviewer hailed the collection as “superlative.”[close new]
Reflecting on her decision to pursue a literary life, Smith told Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy interviewer Wolterbeek: “When I quit my day job in law, it was a heart decision—not a head decision, and certainly not a financial one. My commitment was not only to my own books but also to the body of fiction and nonfiction for young readers. I wanted to do my part to act as an ambassador for youth literacy, literature, and the grown-ups who champion both.” In addition to her writing, she maintains an award-winning website that provides author interviews, links, and references for those interested in the contemporary children’s and Y.A. market. Describing the site to Wolterbeek, she explained that “my way of doing what I can to raise awareness and support my fellow book lovers, both the young and young at heart.”
Smith once told SATA: “My motto is: Any child can be a hero that everyone cheers. In my Native, mainstream and fantastical writing for young readers, oft repeated themes include inclusion, empowerment, intergenerational ties and underrepresented perspectives.
“My Native writing is Indigenous not only in content but also in perspective and literary tradition. It’s occasionally unsettling to non-Indian readers in that it pushes back against stereotypes and misconceptions and, perhaps even more so, in that it does so in an expressly Native artistic way. I feel that this discomfort is a health signal that the learning journey has begun.
“We have our own storytelling and literary traditions, and it’s my responsibility and honor to carry those forward to validate our American Indian kids while also providing all children the opportunity to stretch and reconsider various dynamics, informed by our world views.”
Smith later told SATA: “I love Story. I was the child who lingered at the kitchen table, listening to the elders reflect on family lore, when my many of cousins rushed outside to play. Student journalism provided a bridge for me to overcome my shyness and social awkwardness, to reach out to others and ask them to tell their stories. Yet through it all, I was drawn to books, including comics, and movies. I was an especially huge fan of the original Star Wars, and reading about George Lucas’s writing process inspired me to consider story-building from a very young age. I also was a child poet. My grandfather gave me his old manual typewriter, and I loved to bang out poems in bedroom.
“My creative and academic community at VCFA has been increasingly influential. I used to tell students to go to other faculty advisors with their poetry but having listened to the same lectures and scribbled during the same workshops, now I’m writing poetry, too.
“In Sisters of the Neversea, I specifically thank students for two graduate lectures—one on the power of wonder in the young and one on the many masks of boys—for informing and inspiring that manuscript. I’m also very involved in conversations within the Native children’s-YA literary creative community, especially those centered on our own literary styles, traditions and priorities.
“I tend to write a first draft with a beginning, middle, and end. Then I print it, read it, toss it, delete the file, and start over, informed by what I learned about the characters, plot, and world in the process. (This is very upsetting to my graduate students, but it’s not as though I require them to do the same.) That said, it isn’t necessary when crafting sequels as the prior book(s) count as pre-writing that largely serves the same purpose.
“How long I’ll have to cycle on the same conversations, especially with regard to empowering authentic Native voices in the conversation of books, and yet we have so many more friends and allies than I ever would’ve imagined, people who’re sincerely committed to learning, righting wrongs, and doing better moving forward.
“Sisters of the Neversea is my favorite book, I think because my inner child longed for a day when she could fly to the fantastical and be part of an adventure in a way that was validating and said she belonged in the world of books.
“I hope my books foster empathy, healing, hope, and compassion among young readers today and for the rest of their lives.”
BIOCRIT
BOOKS
Authors and Artists for Young Adults, Volume 51, Gale (Detroit, MI), 2003.
PERIODICALS
Better Homes & Gardens, July 11, 2000, Steve Cooper, “Raising a Reader.”
Book, July 1, 2000, Kathleen Odean, “Debuts That Deliver.”
Booklist, May 15, 2000, Connie Fletcher, review of Jingle Dancer, p. 1750; April 1, 2002, Judy Morrissey, “The Million Dollar Shot,” p. 1348; June 1, 2002, Anne O’Malley, review of Indian Shoes, p. 1725; February 1, 2011, Daniel Kraus, review of Blessed, p. 78; June 1, 2011, Francisca Goldsmith, review of Tantalize: Kieren’s Story, p. 52; January 1, 2015, Kara Dean, review of Feral Pride, p. 88; March 1, 2015, Elizabeth Nelson, review of Feral Nights, p. 71; September 15, 2018, Florence Simmons, review of Hearts Unbroken, p. 54; September, 2024, Joel Shoemaker, review of On a Wing and a Tear, p. 82.
Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, December 1, 2010, Hope Morrison, review of Holler Loudly, p. 205.
Horn Book, March 1, 2007, Lauren Adams, review of Tantalize, p. 202; March 1, 2009, Lauren Adams, review of Eternal, p. 203; January 1, 2011, Robin L. Smith, review of Holler Loudly, p. 83, and Lauren Adams, review of Blessed, p. 101; January 1, 2012, Lauren Adams, review of Diabolical, p. 101; March 1, 2013, Katie Bircher, review of Feral Nights, p. 120; March 1, 2014, Katie Bircher, review of Feral Curse, p. 129; January 1, 2015, Katie Bircher, review of Feral Pride, p. 88; November 1, 2018, Christina L. Dobbs, review of Hearts Unbroken, p. 90.
Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, October 1, 2005, James Blasingame, “People to Watch: Cynthia and Greg Leitich Smith,” p. 163; September 1, 2007, Elle Wolterbeek, review of Tantalize, p. 74, and interview with Leitich Smith, p. 81; March 1, 2010, James Blasingame, review of Eternal: Zachary’s Story, p. 525.
Kirkus Reviews, April 1, 2002, review of Indian Shoes, p. 499; November 1, 2006, review of Santa Knows, p. 1134; January 15, 2009, review of Eternal; October 1, 2010, review of Holler Loudly; December 1, 2010, review of Blessed; July 15, 2011, review of Tantalize: Kieren’s Story; December 1, 2011, review of Diabolical; July 15, 2011, review of Tantalize: Kieren’s Story; December 15, 2012, review of Feral Nights; January 1, 2014, review of Feral Curse; November 15, 2014, review of Feral Pride; August 1, 2018, review of Hearts Unbroken; December 15, 2020, review of Ancestor Approved: Intertribal Stories for Kids; July 15, 2024, review of On a Wing and a Tear; May 1, 2025, review of Firefly Season; June 15, 2025, review of Legendary Frybread Drive-In: Intertribal Stories.
Kliatt, March 1, 2007, Cara Chancellor, review of Tantalize, p. 18.
Library Talk, March 1, 2002, Sharron L. McElmeel, “Author Profile: Cynthia Leitich Smith.”
Publishers Weekly, May 15, 2000, review of Jingle Dancer, p. 117; July 9, 2001, review of Rain Is Not My Indian Name, p. 68; April 1, 2002, review of Indian Shoes, p. 83; March 5, 2007, review of Tantalize, p. 62; March 16, 2009, review of Eternal, p. 63; October 18, 2010, review of Holler Loudly, p. 42; August 22, 2011, review of Tantalize: Kieren’s Story, p. 52; December 24, 2012, review of Feral Nights, p. 58; December 21, 2020, review of Ancestor Approved, p. 91; January 8, 2024, review of The Vice Principal Problem, p. 48; February 24, 2025, review of Firefly Season, p. 91.
School Library Journal, June 1, 2001, Carol Edwards, review of Rain Is Not My Indian Name, p. 156; October 1, 2006, Maureen Wade, review of Santa Knows, p. 101; May 1, 2007, Donna Rosenblum, review of Tantalize, p. 144; July 1, 2009, Leah J. Sparks, review of Eternal, p. 92; January 1, 2011, Maryann H. Owen, review of Holler Loudly, p. 84; April 1, 2011, Angela J. Reynolds, review of Blessed, p. 184; September 1, 2011, Alana Joli Abbott, review of Tantalize: Kieren’s Story, p. 191; January 1, 2012, Jessica Miller, review of Blessed, p. 59; March 1, 2012, Donna Rosenblum, review of Diabolical, p. 175; March 1, 2013, Sunnie Sette, review of Feral Nights, p. 175; May 1, 2013, Ryan F Paulsen, review of Eternal, p. 140; March 1, 2014, Donna Rosenblum, review of Feral Curse, p. 163; January 1, 2015, Donna Rosenblum, review of Feral Pride, p. 116; October 1, 2018, Chelsea Couillard-Smith, review of Hearts Unbroken, p. 78; March, 2024, Andrea Lipinski, review of The Vice Principal Problem, p. 88.
Teacher Librarian, October 1, 2001, Teri Lesesne, author interview, p. 51.
Voice of Youth Advocates, February 1, 2011, Dotsy Harland, review of Blessed, p. 578; October 1, 2011, Beth Andersen, review of Tantalize, p. 410; February 1, 2012, Suzanne Osman, review of Diabolical, p. 611; February 1, 2015, Brandi Young, review of Feral Nights, p. 84.
World Literature Today, October 20, 2020, “Cynthia Leitich Smith Named Winner of the 2021 NSK Neustadt Prize for Children’s Literature.”
Writing for Kids, June 1, 2002, Alice Pope, “Sound off with Children’s Writers”; June 1, 2013, Suzanne Osman, review of Eternal, p. 80; February 1, 2015, Brandi Young, review of Feral Pride, p. 84
ONLINE
A Room of Her Own Foundation website, http://aroomofherownfoundation.org/ (April 14, 2021), author profile.
Authors Unleashed, http://authorsunleashed.blogspot.com/ (August 21, 2009), Jen Wardrip, author interview.
Brazos Bookstore website, https://www.brazosbookstore.com/ (January 24, 2019), author interview.
Cynthia Leitich Smith website, https://cynthialeitichsmith.com (August 5, 2025).
Harper Stacks, https://harperstacks.com/ (September 4, 2024), Rosemary Brosnan, “On a Wing and a Tear: Author Interview with Cynthia Leitich Smith.”
M Is for Movement, https://misformovement.org/ (June 1, 2018), author interview.
Rich in Color, http://richincolor.com/ (October 9, 2018), author interview.
Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, Austin Chapter website, https://austin.scbwi.org/ (January 24, 2019), author profile; (April 14, 2021), “Cynthia Leitich Smith Writing Mentor Award.”
Texas Book Festival website, https://www.texasbookfestival.org/ (January 24, 2019), author profile.
Uma Krishnaswami website, https://www.umakrishnaswami.com/ (August 3, 2023), “Process Talk: Cynthia Leitich Smith on Harvest House.”
Vermont College of Fine Arts website, https://vcfa.edu/ (August 3, 2023), author profile.
We Need Diverse Books website, https://diversebooks.org/ (May 18, 2020), author interview.
Mini Bio
Cynthia Leitich Smith (Mvskoke Nation) is a 2025 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award Candidate, a NSK Neustadt Laureate, Southern Miss Medallion winner, Texas Literary Hall of Fame inductee, and the author-curator of Heartdrum, a Native-focused imprint at HarperCollins Children’s Books. Cynthia has been named to deliver the 2026 ALSC Children’s Literature Lecture. She’s a New York Times bestselling author, and her latest titles include ON A WING AND A TEAR, the BLUE STARS graphic novel series, FIREFLY SEASON, and LEGENDARY FRYBREAD DRIVE-IN: INTERTRIBAL STORIES.
Short Bio
Cynthia Leitich Smith is the New York Times bestselling, award-winning author and anthologist of more than 20 books for young readers. She was named a 2025 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award Candidate, the NSK Neustadt Laureate, Texas Literary Hall of Fame inductee, and winner of the Southern Miss Medallion for Outstanding Contributions in Children’s Literature. Cynthia has been named to deliver the 2026 ALSC Children’s Literature Lecture. She is the author-curator of Heartdrum, a Native-focused imprint at HarperCollins Children’s Books, and served as the Katherine Paterson Inaugural Chair for the children’s-YA writing MFA program at Vermont College of Fine Arts. Cynthia is a citizen of the Muscogee Nation and lives in Texas.
Medium Bio
Cynthia Leitich Smith is an acclaimed, NYTimes bestselling author of more than 20 books, a 2025 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award Candidate, winner of the 2024 Southern Miss Medallion for Outstanding Contributions in Children’s Literature, 2024 Texas Literary Hall of Fame inductee, and the 2021 NSK Neustadt Laureate. Cynthia has been named to deliver the 2026 ALSC Children’s Literature Lecture.
Reading Rockets named her to its list of 100 Children’s Authors and Illustrators Everyone Should Know. Her titles include HEARTS UNBROKEN, winner of an American Indian Youth Literature Award; the anthology ANCESTOR APPROVED: INTERTRIBAL STORIES FOR KIDS, which was an ALA Notable Book and winner of the Reading of the West Book Award; the middle grade novel SISTERS OF THE NEVERSEA, which received six starred reviews; and the YA ghost mystery HARVEST HOUSE, which is one of five Bram Stoker Award® Nominees for Superior Achievement in a Young Adult Novel.
Her latest titles include ON A WING AND A TEAR, which was named to Kirkus Reviews Best Books of the 21rst Century (So Far) and Sid Fleischman Award for Humor Honor Book; the BLUE STARS graphic novel series, which was a Junior Library Guild Selection and named to ALA Best Graphic Novels for Kids; FIREFLY SEASON, a return to her picture book roots, and LEGENDARY FRYBREAD DRIVE-IN: INTERTRIBAL STORIES, a YA anthology.
Cynthia is also the author-curator of Heartdrum, a Native-focused imprint of HarperCollins, and was the inaugural Katherine Paterson Chair at the Vermont College of Fine Arts MFA program. Cynthia is a citizen of the Muscogee Nation and lives in Texas.
Kid-friendly Bio
Cynthia Leitich Smith grew up in the Kansas City area and has loved writing since she was a kid! She started out as a poet and a news reporter in elementary school and even became the editor of her school newspaper as a teenager. She was the first in her family to graduate from college, earning her degree at the University of Kansas, and then went on to get a law degree from the University of Michigan Law School.
Now, Cynthia is a writing teacher and an author who creates books for kids. She also helps other authors share their stories with the world. As a citizen of the Muscogee Nation, an Indigenous Nation in Oklahoma, she brings her culture and heritage into her work.
Cynthia lives in Texas with her two Chihuahuas, Gnocchi and Orzo, who love to keep her company while she writes.
YA-friendly Bio
Cynthia Leitich Smith grew up in the Kansas City area and found her passion for writing early on as the editor of her middle school and high school newspapers. She’s a first-generation college graduate with a journalism degree from the University of Kansas and a law degree from the University of Michigan Law School.
Today, Cynthia is an award-winning, bestselling author of books for young readers. She’s also the author-curator of Heartdrum, a Native-focused imprint at HarperCollins. As a citizen of the Muscogee Nation, an Indigenous Nation based in Oklahoma, she brings her heritage into her stories, creating powerful and authentic narratives.
Cynthia now lives in Texas with her two Chihuahuas, Gnocchi and Orzo, who keep her company while she writes her next great adventure.
Fancy Bio
Cynthia Leitich Smith is an acclaimed, New York Times bestselling author of more than 20 books, a 2025 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award Candidate, a 2024 Texas Literary Hall of Fame inductee, winner of the 2024 Southern Miss Medallion for Outstanding Contributions in Children’s Literature, and the 2021 NSK Neustadt Laureate. Reading Rockets named her to its list of 100 Children’s Authors and Illustrators Everyone Should Know. Cynthia has been named to deliver the 2026 ALSC Children’s Literature Lecture.
Her debut picture book, JINGLE DANCER, is widely considered a modern classic, and her chapter book INDIAN SHOES was among the first children’s titles to represent urban Native life. Her debut tween novel, RAIN IS NOT MY INDIAN NAME, was named one of the 30 Most Influential Children’s Books of All Time by Book Riot, which also listed her among 10 Must-Read Native American Authors.
Recent titles include HEARTS UNBROKEN, winner of an American Indian Youth Literature Award; the anthology ANCESTOR APPROVED: INTERTRIBAL STORIES FOR KIDS, which was an ALA Notable Book and winner of the Reading of the West Book Award; an Indigenous PETER PAN retelling titled SISTERS OF THE NEVERSEA, which received six starred reviews; and the YA ghost mystery HARVEST HOUSE, a Bram Stoker Award® Nominee for Superior Achievement in a Young Adult Novel.
Her latest titles include ON A WING AND A TEAR, named to Kirkus Reviews Best Books of the 21rst Century (So Far) and Sid Fleischman Award for Humor Honor Book; the BLUE STARS graphic novel series, a Junior Library Guild Selection and named to ALA Best Graphic Novels for Kids; FIREFLY SEASON, marking a return to her picture book roots; and LEGENDARY FRYBREAD DRIVE-IN: INTERTRIBAL STORIES, a YA anthology.
Cynthia joined Authors Against Book Bans when it was established in 2024. She is also the author-curator of Heartdrum, a Native-focused imprint of HarperCollins, and served as the inaugural Katherine Paterson Chair at the Vermont College of Fine Arts MFA program. A citizen of the Muscogee Nation, Cynthia resides in Texas.
Ridiculously Long Bio
Cynthia Leitich Smith is an acclaimed, New York Times bestselling author of more than 20 books. She is a 2025 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award Candidate, a 2024 Texas Literary Hall of Fame inductee, winner of the 2024 Southern Miss Medallion for Outstanding Contributions in Children’s Literature, and the 2021 NSK Neustadt Laureate. Cynthia has been named to deliver the 2026 ALSC Children’s Literature Lecture. Reading Rockets named her to its list of “100 Children’s Authors and Illustrators Everyone Should Know.”
Her debut picture book, JINGLE DANCER, is widely considered a modern classic, while her chapter book INDIAN SHOES was among the first children’s titles to represent urban Native life. Her debut tween novel, RAIN IS NOT MY INDIAN NAME, was named one of the “30 Most Influential Children’s Books of All Time” by Book Riot, which also listed her among “10 Must-Read Native American Authors.” Cynthia was also named Writer of the Year by Wordcraft Circle of Native Writers and Storytellers for RAIN IS NOT MY INDIAN NAME.
Recent titles include HEARTS UNBROKEN, winner of both an American Indian Youth Literature Award and a Foreword Reviews Book Award Silver Medal; the anthology ANCESTOR APPROVED: INTERTRIBAL STORIES FOR KIDS, an ALA Notable Book and winner of the Reading the West Book Award; the Indigenous PETER PAN retelling SISTERS OF THE NEVERSEA, which received six starred reviews; and the YA ghost mystery HARVEST HOUSE, a Bram Stoker Award® Nominee for Superior Achievement in a Young Adult Novel.
Her latest titles include ON A WING AND A TEAR, named to Kirkus Reviews Best Books of the 21rst Century (So Far) and Sid Fleischman Award for Humor Honor Book; the BLUE STARS graphic novel series, a Junior Library Guild Selection and named to ALA Best Graphic Novels for Kids; FIREFLY SEASON, marking a return to her picture book roots; and LEGENDARY FRYBREAD DRIVE-IN: INTERTRIBAL STORIES, a YA anthology.
Additionally, Cynthia is the New York Times and Publishers Weekly best-selling YA author of the Gothic fantasy FERAL trilogy and TANTALIZE series. These novels were published by Candlewick Press in the U.S., Walker Books in the U.K. and Australia/New Zealand, and other publishers worldwide.
Cynthia has been featured twice at the National Book Festival. Her titles have been honored among New York Public Library Best Books, Chicago Public Library Best Books, Kirkus Reviews Best Books, Publishers Weekly Best Books, Shelf Awareness Best Books, American Indians in Children’s Literature Best Books, Parents Magazine Best Books, Notable Children’s Trade Books in Social Studies, Indie Next List picks, Politics & Prose Best Books, Oklahoma Book Award finalists, NEA Choices, CCBC Choices, Bank Street Choices, Children’s Crown List selections, YALSA Popular Paperbacks, the Amelia Bloomer List, Writers’ League of Texas award winners, TLA Spirit of Texas (YA) choices, and more. In addition to fiction, she has published children’s poetry, short stories, and narrative nonfiction essays.
Cynthia was named the first Spirit of Texas Young Adult author by the Young Adult Round Table of the Texas Library Association and the first young adult author honored with the Illumine Award by the Austin Public Library Friends Foundation. The Austin chapter of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators instituted the Cynthia Leitich Smith Mentor Award in her honor. She is a member of the Texas Institute of Letters.
For nearly twenty years, she served on the faculty of the Vermont College of Fine Arts MFA program in Writing for Children and Young Adults, where she held the inaugural Katherine Paterson Endowed Chair.
Cynthia graduated with degrees in news/editorial and public relations from the White School of Journalism at the University of Kansas, Lawrence, in 1990, and from the University of Michigan Law School in 1994. At Michigan Law, she was a co-founder and senior editor of The Michigan Journal of Gender & Law and president of the Native American Law Students Association. She studied abroad in Paris, France, during the summer of 1991 at Paris-Sorbonne University in conjunction with Tulane University Law School.
Cynthia has served on the advisory board of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators and both the advisory board and honorary advisory board of We Need Diverse Books. She currently coordinates the organization’s annual Native writing intensive.
Her website, cynthialeitichsmith.com, was named one of the “Top 10 Writer Sites on the Internet” by Writer’s Digest and an ALA Great Website for Kids. Her Cynsations digital magazine was listed among the top two read by the children’s/YA publishing community in the SCBWI “To Market” column. School Library Journal praised Cynsations, saying, “If you read only one blog, this is it!”
Her latest titles include ON A WING AND A TEAR, named to Kirkus Reviews Best Books of the 21rst Century (So Far); the BLUE STARS graphic novel series, a Junior Library Guild Selection and named to ALA Best Graphic Novels for Kids; FIREFLY SEASON, a return to her picture book roots; and LEGENDARY FRYBREAD DRIVE-IN: INTERTRIBAL STORIES, a YA anthology.
Cynthia joined Authors Against Book Bans in 2024. She is also the author-curator of Heartdrum, a Native-focused imprint of HarperCollins. She is published by Heartdrum and Candlewick Press.
Cynthia was born in Kansas City, Missouri. She has lived in Missouri, Kansas, Illinois, Michigan, Oklahoma, and Texas. A citizen of the Muscogee Nation, she resides in Texas.
Forthcoming Books
FIREFLY SEASON, illustrated by Kate Gardiner (Heartdrum, May 13, 2025): contemporary picture book.
LEGENDARY FRY BREAD DRIVE-IN: INTERTRIBAL STORIES, cover by Paula TopSky Houtz (Heartdrum, Aug. 26, 2025): utopian YA anthology.
Contributor, YOU WERE MADE FOR THIS WORLD: CELEBRATED INDIGENOUS VOICES SPEAK TO YOUNG PEOPLE, edited by Sara and Stephanie Sinclair (Tundra, July 15, 2025). Companion art: “Going for a Run” by Michael Nichll Yahgulanaas (Haida).
HERE COME THE AUNTIES, illustrated by Aphelandra Messner (Heartdrum, winter 2026): contemporary picture book.
BLUE STARS series: MISSION TWO: THE COMMUNITY CRISIS, co-authored by Kekla Magoon, illustrated by Molly Murakami (Candlewick, spring 2026): superhero graphic novel.
HERE COME THE GRANDMAS, illustrated by Aphelandra Messner (Heartdrum, winter 2027): contemporary picture book.
BLUE STARS series: MISSION THREE: THE DEMOCRACY DILEMMA, co-authored by Kekla Magoon, illustrated by Molly Murakami (Candlewick, TBA): superhero graphic novel.
UNTITLED (Heartdrum, spring 2029): speculative YA novel.
RED CLAY LOVE (Heartdrum, spring 2029): contemporary YA novel.
Fun Facts
Cynthia learned how to read on superhero comic books. Her favorite comic characters (in no particular order) are Spider-Man (both Miles Morales and Peter Parker), Wonder Woman, Lois Lane, Batman’s butler Alfred, Bat Girl (Barbara Gordon), Robin (Tim Drake), Loki, Peggy Carter, Groot, Rocket, Valkyrie, Kate Bishop, and Ms. Marvel.
Cynthia has seen “Star Wars” (1977) in the movie theater over 180 times. Her favorite character is R2D2.
Cynthia’s favorite book from childhood was THE WITCH OF BLACKBIRD POND by Elizabeth George Speare (1958), and Cynthia’s love of the novel is mentioned in the foreword by Karen Cushman that appears in the paperback edition (Clarion, 2011).
Cynthia bought her first car (a 1968 Mustang Coupe) at age 16 for $2,000 with money she made babysitting between age 12 and age 15 at a dollar an hour.
Cynthia studied law abroad in Paris, France.
Cynthia’s favorite food is tacos.
Cynthia is a Free Little Library steward.
When Cynthia has writer’s block, she dances around her home to the soundtrack of the “Xanadu” movie.
Cynthia had a lot of jobs before becoming an author. In her teens and twenties, she worked as a cashier at a gas station, in concessions at a movie-theater, as food server at a chain Tex-Mex restaurant, as a food server at an athletic club, as a receptionist at a law firm, as a telephone switchboard operator at a bank, as a news-reporting intern (at small town, mid-size, and big-city newspapers), as a public relations intern (at an oil company, a greeting-card company, and a non-profit organization), as an editorial assistant at a major university, as an English Composition tutor at a private college, and as a law clerk (for legal aid in Hawaii, for a small, gender-rights law firm, and both the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Social Security Administration).
Cynthia’s original children’s writing teacher is Newbery Honor Author and National Book Award Finalist Kathi Appelt. Kathi’s book THE UNDERNEATH is dedicated to Cynthia, and Cynthia’s book, ETERNAL: ZACHARY’S STORY is dedicated to Kathi.
Other books dedicated to Cynthia include THE HIGHEST TRIBUTE: THURGOOD MARSHALL’S LIFE, LEADERSHIP, AND LEGACY by Kekla Magoon and Laura Freeman, PROM BABIES by Kekla Magoon, FIRE TRUCK VS. DRAGON by Chris Barton and Shanda McCloskey, FAR OUT! by Anne Bustard, DIDI DODO, FUTURE SPY: ROBO-DODO RUMBLE (DIDI DODO, FUTURE SPY #2)(THE FLYTRAP FILES) by Tom Angleberger, PEPPERMINT COCOA CRUSHES by Laney Nielson, NINJAS, PIRANHAS AND GALILEO by Greg Leitich Smith, and a book in THE GODDESS GIRLS series by Suzanne Williams and Joan Holub.
Growing Up(ish)
When I was a kid in the Kansas City area, I spent lots of time reading books. In fact, I learned to read on superhero comic books from my dad. My mom would take me on Saturday mornings to the local library to load up for the week. At age 7, I won a summer reading contest sponsored by the Mid-Continent Public Library of Grandview, Missouri. It was an extra big deal because kids as old as 12 participated. I got to meet the mayor and had my photo in the newspaper. It’s my favorite achievement.
Between third and fourth grade, I moved across state line to Lenexa, Kansas. Through junior high, I worried too much about being a foot taller than everyone else (they kept growing; I didn’t). I was shy and bullied at school. Books were my safe place.
bridge_to_terabithia
Growing up, my favorite books included BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA by Katherine Paterson, THE WITCH OF BLACKBIRD POND by Elizabeth George Speare, and FROM THE MIXED-UP FILES OF MRS. BASIL E. FRANKWEILER by E.L. Konigsburg. These all received The John Newbery Medal, awarded by the American Library Association. I also loved TIGER EYES and ARE YOU THERE GOD? IT’S ME, MARGARET by Judy Blume. Like many women of my generation, I am thankful to Judy for helping me survive the upper elementary grades and junior high.
As for my own story, I was lucky enough to be part of a close extended family, an only child with lots of first-to-third cousins, most of us in Missouri (my dad’s home state) and Oklahoma (my mom’s home state). I’m a citizen of the Muscogee Nation and a descendant of the Cherokee Nation. These are among the southeastern tribes forcibly relocated to Indian Territory (now called “Oklahoma”) during the removal known as “The Trail of Tears.”
I always had a special fascination with stories about the grandfather who’d died the year I was born. I remember hearing again and again about how he was a gruff man who cried at sad movies, how he was deeply committed to his career in the U.S. Air Force, and how as a boy he’d grown up with his brothers and sisters at Seneca Indian School in Oklahoma. That makes me a second-generation survivor of the U.S. federal Indian boarding schools experience.
Exploring Interests
cyn_teen
My love of stories inspired an interest in newspaper reporting.
In the mid 1980s, I served as editor-in-chief of The Epic at Shawnee Mission West High School in Overland Park, Kansas; and later went on to major in news/editorial and public relations with a concentration in English at The William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communications at The University of Kansas, Lawrence. All along, I wrote poems and short stories but didn’t seriously consider being any other kind of professional writer than a journalist.
Over the next few years, I reported for The University Daily Kansan and then various community and metropolitan newspapers. It was a terrific opportunity to learn about people from all walks of life. I talked to a Black lawyer about his work in the civil rights movement, to a city alderman about his decision to run for state representative, and to a Tony award-winning actress about her guru. Over time, I became less shy and more confident.
In the 1990s, I learned a JD at The University of Michigan Law School in Ann Arbor. My plan was to become a newspaper reporter covering legal court cases and then teach Media Law at a journalism school (or maybe First Amendment at a law school). During summers, I studied the French legal system in Paris, worked for a legal aid office in Hawaii, clerked for a federal appellate judge in Kansas, and reported for both The Detroit Legal News and The Dallas Morning News. In my spare time, I was writing fiction for grown-ups, too. Then, for almost a year after graduation, I worked in the law offices of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and of the Social Security Administration in Chicago.
Children's and YA Writing
My mom was the one who suggested I write for children, and I thought that was a horrible idea. Then I started to read children’s books again, and I realized I couldn’t think of anything better to do with my life.
In the wake of the Oklahoma City Bombing, I felt compelled to dedicate my career to young readers. Immediately. Full time. No excuses. I did what everyone tells you not to do: I quit my day job.
I moved to Austin, Texas. I started teaching part-time at St. Edward’s University and doing freelance writing for a couple of parenting magazines. I joined the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators. I read SCBWI publications, attended conferences and workshops, met mentors and friends. Most importantly, I took a children’s writing class at a ranch in La Grange, Texas; from author Kathi Appelt.
jingle_dancer
Within a year and a half, I sold my first book, JINGLE DANCER.
Over time, I’ve continued to write contemporary stories and books for young readers but also have branched into creative nonfiction, short stories, young adult fiction, and speculative fiction.
I grew into my role as a signal booster for children’s-YA literature, joined the faculty of the MFA program in Writing for Children and Young Adults at Vermont College of Fine Arts, began coordinating the WNDB Children’s-YA Native Writing Intensive, and now serve as author-curator for Heartdrum, a Native-focused imprint of HarperCollins Children’s Books.
My journalistic and legal education helped prepare me to write for youth readers and to pursue a competitive career in children’s-YA publishing. So did the lessons I learned from SCBWI, VCFA, and Kathi Appelt.
But the earliest, perhaps most influential, gifts I received as an author came from childhood—from family stories, comic books from the quick mart, and children’s-YA books from the public and school libraries.
Cynthia Leitich Smith
USA flag
Cynthia Leitich Smith is the acclaimed author of Tantalize and several other books for young readers. A member of the faculty at the Vermont College MFA program in writing for children and young adults, she lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband, author Greg Leitich Smith.
Genres: Young Adult Fantasy
New and upcoming books
May 2025
thumb
Firefly Season
August 2025
thumb
Legendary Frybread Drive-In: Intertribal Stories
February 2026
thumb
Here Come the Aunties!
Series
Tantalize
1. Tantalize (2007)
2. Eternal (2009)
3. Blessed (2011)
4. Diabolical (2012)
thumbthumbthumbthumb
Tantalize Graphic Novel
1. Tantalize: Kieren's Story (2011)
2. Eternal: Zachary's Story (2013)
thumbthumb
Feral
1. Feral Nights (2013)
2. Feral Curse (2014)
3. Feral Pride (2015)
thumbthumbthumb
Blue Stars (with Kekla Magoon)
1. Mission One: The Vice Principal Problem (2024)
thumb
Novels
Rain Is Not My Indian Name (2001)
Violent Ends (2015) (with others)
Hearts Unbroken (2018)
Sisters of the Neversea (2021)
Harvest House (2023)
On a Wing and a Tear (2024)
thumbthumbthumbthumb
thumbthumb
Collections
Holler Loudly (2010)
thumb
Novellas and Short Stories
Indian Shoes (2002)
Cat Calls (2010)
Haunted Love (2011)
thumbthumbthumb
Anthologies edited
Ancestor Approved (2021)
Legendary Frybread Drive-In: Intertribal Stories (2025)
thumbthumb
Picture Books hide
Jingle Dancer (2000)
Santa Knows (2006) (with Greg Leitich Smith)
Firefly Season (2025)
Here Come the Aunties! (2026)
Cynthia Leitich Smith
Article
Talk
Read
Edit
View history
Tools
Appearance hide
Text
Small
Standard
Large
Width
Standard
Wide
Color (beta)
Automatic
Light
Dark
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Cynthia Leitich Smith
Born 1967 (age 57–58)
Nationality American
Education University of Kansas
University of Michigan (JD)
Period 2000–present
Genre Children's and young adult fiction, Native American literature, Gothic fantasy/horror, humor, realistic fiction
Website
cynthialeitichsmith.com
Cynthia Leitich Smith (born 1967) is a New York Times best-selling[1] author of fiction for children and young adults.
A citizen of the Muscogee Creek Nation, she writes fiction for children and teens centered on the lives of modern-day Native Americans.[2] These books are taught widely by teachers in elementary, middle school, high school, and college classrooms.[3][4][5]
In addition, Smith writes fanciful, humorous picture books and gothic fantasies for ages 14-up.[6] Regarded as an expert in children's-YA literature by the press, she also hosts a website for Children's Literature Resources.[7]
Life
Smith, a graduate of the University of Kansas and The University of Michigan Law School, lives in Austin, Texas.[8]
For over twenty years, Smith served on the faculty of the Vermont College of Fine Arts MFA program in Writing for Children and Young Adults, where she held the inaugural Katherine Paterson Endowed Chair.[9] Smith is also the author-curator of Heartdrum, a Native-focused imprint of HarperCollins. She is published by Heartdrum and by Candlewick Press.[10]
Awards
Smith was the winner of the 2021 NSK Neustadt Prize for Children’s Literature.[11] She is also the 2024 Southern Mississippi Medallion Winner.[12]
Selected texts
Jingle Dancer
Jingle Dancer,[13] illustrated by Cornelius Van Wright and Ying-Hwa Hu,[14] is a picture book for ages 4 and up. Published in 2000 by Morrow/HarperCollins, the book was a finalist for the Oklahoma Book Award,[15] a runner-up for the Western Writers of America Storyteller Award,[16] and is listed as a Notable Children's Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies,[17] on the 2002 Texas 2x2 list,[18] and on the 2002 Michigan Reader's Choice Award List.[18]
Rain Is Not My Indian Name
Rain Is Not My Indian Name[19] is a realistic novel for ages 10 and up. Upon its publication by HarperCollins, Smith was recognized as 2001 Writer of the Year by Wordcraft Circle of Native Writers and Storytellers.[20] Like Jingle Dancer, it was a finalist for the Oklahoma Book Award.[15] An audio book version of this title is available from Listening Library/Random House.[21]
Indian Shoes
Indian Shoes[22] is a chapter book for ages 7 and up. Published in 2002 by HarperCollins, it was selected for inclusion on the NEA Native American Book List. It is also listed as a Notable Children's Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies,[22] the 2003 Best Children's Books of the Year by Bank Street College of Education,[18] and Choices 2003 by the Cooperative Children's Book Center.[18]
Santa Knows
Santa Knows,[23] also by Greg Leitich Smith[24] and illustrated by Steve Bjorkman,[25] is a humorous holiday picture book, published in 2006 by Dutton, for ages 4 and up. In 2006, it was included among "Holiday High Notes" by the Horn Book,[26] "Worthy Stories for the Holidays" by the Miami Herald, and cheered as a "newly minted winner" by Kirkus Reviews.[27]
Tantalize
Tantalize[28] is a young adult gothic fantasy novel, published in 2007 and 2008 by Candlewick Press, for ages 14 and up. Fantasy elements include vampires and shapeshifters. The novel is a genre bender, employing elements of mystery, suspense, comedy, romance, and gothic fantasy. It was also published in 2008 by Listening Library/Random House,[29] Walker Books U.K.,[30] Walker Books Australia and New Zealand,[31] and Editions Intervista in France.[32] Tantalize was named to the 2011 list of Popular Paperbacks by the Young Adult Library Services Association[33] and featured at the 2007 National Book Festival in Washington, D.C.[34]
Eternal
Eternal[35] is a young adult gothic fantasy novel, published in 2009 and 2010 by Candlewick Press, for ages 14 and up. Fantasy elements include angels, vampires and shapeshifters. The novel is a genre bender, employing elements of mystery, suspense, comedy, romance, and Gothic fantasy. It also was published by Listening Library/Random House,[36] Walker Books U.K.,[37] Walker Books Australia and New Zealand,[38] and Amber in Poland. The U.S. paperback edition debuted at #5 on the New York Times best-seller list (children's paperbacks) and #13 on the Publishers Weekly best-seller list.[1]
Holler Loudly
Holler Loudly,[39] illustrated by Barry Gott,[40] is a humorous tall tale picture book, published in 2010 by Dutton, for ages 4 and up. Holler Loudly was featured at the 2010 Texas Book Festival[41] and was a Dolly Parton's Imagination Library selection.[42]
Blessed
Blessed[43] is a young adult gothic fantasy novel, published in 2011 by Candlewick Press, for ages 14 and up. Fantasy elements include angels, vampires, and shapeshifters. The novel is a genre bender, employing elements of mystery, suspense, comedy, romance, and gothic fantasy. It also was published by Walker Books Australia and New Zealand[44] and Walker U.K.[45] Blessed was a YALSA Teens Top 10 nominee.[46]
Tantalize: Kieren's Story
Tantalize: Kieren's Story,[47] illustrated by Ming Doyle,[48] is a fully illustrated young adult gothic fantasy graphic novel, published in 2011 by Candlewick Press, for ages 14 and up. Fantasy elements include vampires and shapeshifters. The novel is a genre bender, employing elements of mystery, suspense, comedy, romance, and gothic fantasy. It also was published by Walker Books Australia and New Zealand[49] and Walker U.K.[50]
Diabolical
Diabolical[51] is a young adult gothic fantasy novel, published in 2011 by Candlewick Press, for ages 14 and up. Fantasy elements include angels, ghosts, demons, hell hounds, vampires, and shapeshifters. The novel is a genre bender, employing elements of mystery, suspense, comedy, romance, and gothic fantasy. It also was published by Walker Books Australia and New Zealand[52] and Walker U.K.[53]
Hearts Unbroken
Hearts Unbroken[51] is a realistic young adult novel, published in 2018 by Candlewick Press, for ages 14 and up. It also was published by Walker Books Australia and New Zealand.[54] Hearts Unbroken was named a Silver Medal Winner for Young Adult Fiction by Foreword Reviews.[55] In addition, it was named winner of the American Indian Youth Literature Award (Best Young Adult Book) by the American Indian Library Association.[56]
Ancestor Approved: Intertribal Stories for Kids
Ancestor Approved: Intertribal Stories for Kids is a collection of 18 intersecting short stories and poems set at a powwow, published in 2021 by Heartdrum in partnership with We Need Diverse Books. Cynthia Leitich Smith edited the collection, and also authored the story, Between the Lines, which features characters from her earlier book, Indian Shoes. Featured contributors include: Joseph Bruchac, Art Coulson, Christine Day, Eric Gansworth, Dawn Quigley, Carole Lindstrom, Rebecca Roanhorse, David A. Robertson, Andrea L. Rogers, Kim Rogers, Cynthia Leitich Smith, Monique Gray Smith, Traci Sorell, Tim Tingle, and Brian Young.[57]
Sisters of the Neversea
Sisters of the Neversea is a middle grade novel, a modern-day re-imagining of Peter Pan, published in 2021 by Heartdrum in partnership with We Need Diverse Books for readers 8 and up. It was also published by HarperCollins Canada and paperback edition published by Harper360 (June 2022), an imprint of HarperCollins UK. Sisters of the Neversea received starred reviews from Kirkus Reviews, Publishers Weekly, School Library Journal, Shelf Awareness and Booklist.[58]
Harvest House
Harvest House is a young adult novel at the literary crossroads of contemporary realism and haunting mystery, published in 2023 by Candlewick Press, for ages 12 and up. It revisits the world of American Indian Youth Literature Award winner Hearts Unbroken. It was also published by Thorndike Press (large-print edition) and Listening Library (audiobook). It received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, School Library Connection and Shelf Awareness.[59]
Blue Stars: Mission One: The Vice Principal Problem
Blue Stars: Mission One: The Vice Principal Problem, co-written with Kekla Magoon and illustrated by Molly Murakami is a middle grade graphic novel featuring cousins who team up to save the world - starting with their school. It will be published in 2024 by Candlewick Press. The book is a Junior Library Guild selection and received starred reviews from Kirkus Reviews, Shelf Awareness, and Publishers Weekly.
Works
Books
Jingle Dancer (2000)
Rain is Not My Indian Name (2001)
Indian Shoes (2002)
Santa Knows (2006)
Tantalize (2007)
Eternal (2009)
Holler Loudly (2010)
Blessed (2011)
Tantalize: Kieren's Story (2011)
Diabolical (2012)
Feral Nights (2013)
Eternal: Zachary's Story (2013)
Feral Curse (2014)
Feral Pride (2015)
Hearts Unbroken (2018)
Ancestor Approved: Intertribal Stories for Kids (2021)
Sisters of the Neversea (2021)
Harvest House (2023)
Blue Stars: Mission One: The Vice Principal Problem (2024)
On a Wing and a Tear (2024)
Firefly Season (2025)
Legendary Frybread Drive-in (2025)
Short stories, essays and poetry
"The Gentleman Cowboy" in Period Pieces: Stories for Girls, published by HarperCollins in 2003 for ages 8 and up.
"The Naked Truth" in In My Grandmother's House: Award-Winning Authors tell Stories about their Grandmothers, published by HarperCollins in 2003 for ages 8 and up.
"A Real-Live Blonde Cherokee and His Equally Annoyed Soul Mate" in Moccasin Thunder,[17] published by HarperCollins in 2005 for ages 12 and up.
"Riding With Rosa" in Cicada literary magazine (Vol. 7, No. 4, March/April 2005) for ages 12 and up.
"Haunted Love" in Immortal: Love Stories with Bite, published by BenBella in 2008 for ages 12 and up.
"Cat Calls" in Sideshow: Ten Original Tales of Freaks, Illusionists, and Other Matters Odd and Magical,[60] published by Candlewick Press in 2009 for ages 12 and up.
"The Wrath of Dawn," co-authored by Greg Leitich Smith in Geektastic: Stories from the Nerd Herd, published by Little, Brown in 2009 for ages 12 and up.
"Isolation" in Dear Bully: Seventy Authors Tell Their Stories, published by HarperCollins in 2011 for ages 13 and up.
"Mooning Over Broken Stars" in Girl Meets Boy, published by Chronicle in 2012 for ages 12 and up.
"Friends in Dark Places" in Dear Teen Me, published by Zest in 2012 for ages 12 and up.
"Cupid's Beaux" in Things I'll Never Say: Stories About Our Secret Selves, published by Candlewick in 2015 for ages 12 and up.
"All's Well" in Violent Ends, published by Simon Pulse in 2015 for ages 12 and up.
"Dreams to Write" in Our Story Begins: Your Favorite Authors and Illustrators Share Fun, Inspiring, and Occasionally Ridiculous Things They Wrote and Drew as Kids, published by Atheneum in 2017 for ages 7 and up.
"Girl's Best Friend" in The Hero Next Door, published by Random House in 2019 for ages 8 and up.
"Stories for Dinner" in Thanku: Poems of Gratitude, published by Millbrook in 2019 for ages 4 and up.
"Amazing Auntie Ann" in I Remember: Poems and Pictures of Heritage, published by Lee & Low in 2019 for ages 4 and up.
"Superhero" in Hop to It: Poems to Get You Moving, published by Pomelo Books in 2020 for ages 4 and up.
author guest post · heartdrum · indigenous books for kids · middle grade · native american · native books for kids · on a wing and a tear · shake up your shelves · Sep 04, 2024
On a Wing and a Tear: Author Interview with Cynthia Leitich Smith
Cynthia Leitich Smith’s latest novel, On a Wing and a Tear, goes on sale September 17. Here, Cynthia and her editor, Rosemary Brosnan, talk about the novel and the imprint they co-founded, Heartdrum.
RB: Cynthia, please tell our readers about your new middle grade novel, On a Wing and a Tear. Briefly, what is it about, and what inspired you to write it?
CLS: Two Native kids—Melanie and Ray—respond to a call for help from Great-Grandfather Bat, who’s been nursing a torn wing in their backyard. While Bat finishes healing, he needs a ride to the big ballgame between the Animals and Birds at the traditional playing field in Georgia.
Joined by their spunky neighbor Gray Squirrel, they enlist Grampa Halfmoon and his pickup for the long road trip. Along the way, our heroes encounter villainy, adventure, Indigenous land and relations, plus a mysterious creature that proves itself not only hair-raising but heroic.
More personally, I’m a Muscogee Nation citizen and Cherokee Nation descendant. Readers have often asked me if I’ll ever write a Trail of Tears novel. There’s a need for such important narratives, but I’m not a historical fiction author. Of late, it occurred to me that rather than writing a story about removal, I could tell a humorous, healing one about kids of today coming home to ancestral land.
RB: Where did you get the idea for the title? Was this always the title of the book?
CLS: It sprang from my subconscious, nudged by the story’s inciting incident, and was On a Wing and a Prayer for a while, but Tear worked better—as it could reference both the tear in Bat’s wing, the Trail of Tears. I’ve been asked about which is the correct pronunciation, and my answer is yes to both.
Rosemary Brosnan and Cynthia Leitich Smith
RB: When I read Louise Edrich’s novels, I am often thrilled to be reunited with characters I have met in previous novels. In your latest book, a number of characters who have appeared in previous books reappear. It feels as though you have created fictional families and a world that readers can revisit. What’s your thinking about bringing characters back into your novels?
CLS: Interconnected storytelling clicks with Indigenous sensibilities in terms of characters and content as well as how narratives are framed. This approach rings true to Native readers whose lifeways are steeped in extended communities while, hopefully, non-Native readers gain a deeper understanding of our values and worldviews.
Beyond that, the tiered age-markets of my books offer what educator Dr. Teri Lesesne called “reading ladders.” Kids are, in a sense, rewarded as they advance from, say, chapter books to middle-grade novels when they’re reunited with characters they already love.
RB: Moving on to Heartdrum, I think we both feel so gratified by the imprint’s success and the way readers, booksellers, educators, and, most important, the Native community, have embraced it. I’m proud of our authors and illustrators and the books we have published. To what do you attribute the great success of Heartdrum?
CLS: I’m likewise honored and grateful for the support from readers and reading champions as well as by the trust and enthusiasm of Native writers, illustrators, and community members for our authentic, page-turning stories.
Whether they’re realistic or fantastical, I love how our books center relatable, young Native heroes who everybody wants to cheer. From the delightfully humorous Jo Jo Makoons chapter book series to the eerie YA thriller The Unfinished, these are titles with huge appeal.
CLS: What do you think is Heartdrum’s special sauce, so to speak?
RB: I think the special sauce is you! Seriously, I feel so blessed to work with you on the imprint. I have learned so much from you, and it’s been such fun to collaborate on honing our vision for Heartdrum.
The books are authentic and joyous, even if they sometimes deal with difficult topics. And they are contemporary, rather than focusing on the past, as so many books about Indigenous kids used to. And, of course, there is a huge wealth of talent out there, with authors and illustrators who are just getting started on their important, groundbreaking work!
RB: What has been your most significant or happiest moment with the imprint?
CLS: It’s so hard to pick just one! Honestly, I cried while watching a video of Byron Graves at a Rez Ball event in his tribal community. Remember how we first met him online through the annual We Need Diverse Books Native Writing Intensive that Harper sponsors? It was our first year of the intensive and during the pandemic. His successful literary journey feels symbolic of what we set out to do.
CLS: How about you? What’s been your most significant or happiest moment?
RB: There have been so many, but I would have to say the retreat this past June, where we had almost all the Heartdrum authors together in Texas, was one of the best and most rewarding moments of my career.
Heartdrum Author Retreat
RB: Have you had any surprises as the author-curator? Have any of your prior opinions or impressions of book publishing changed?
I try to be a sturdy bridge between the Native children’s-YA literary community and the industry, both as Heartdrum author-curator and as a writing teacher more broadly. I’ve always had faith that there were goodhearted people in the industry who were also striving for proactive, positive change—maybe because you were such a tremendous early example. For authors, publishers can seem like a monolith, but our imprint efforts are supported by devoted, enthusiastic professionals. The results have blown away my most optimistic expectations.
Brosnan: What are you looking forward to in the future with Heartdrum? And with your own career?
I’m enjoying watching Heartdrum authors like Christine Day and Brian Young, who’ve been with us since the beginning, building their audience while continuing to stretch themselves creatively. I’m thrilled by the excellence of Heartdrum authors and illustrators and their books. If anything, I look forward to a day when the books are in every classroom, school and public library, and bookstore. I look forward to a time when Native kids can take for granted that representative characters who reflect that aspect of their identities are both celebrated and more commonplace in the world of books.
As for me, I love writing across age markets, genres, and formats. Currently, I’m leaning into picture books and young adult fiction, both categories for readers who are navigating huge transformations. I’m thinking joyful, celebratory picture books and chunky, thoughtful, but escapist YA novels. I also love the intertribal creative community and our wider circle of young readers, advocates, and allies. We’ve already accomplished so much progress together. I can hardly wait to see what happens next.
About the Author
Cynthia Leitich Smith is the bestselling, acclaimed author of books for all ages, including Rain Is Not My Indian Name, Indian Shoes, Jingle Dancer, On a Wing and a Tear, Sisters of the Neversea, the Blue Stars series, Harvest House, and Hearts Unbroken, which won the American Indian Youth Literature Award. Cynthia is also the anthologist of Ancestor Approved: Intertribal Stories for Kids and was named the NSK Neustadt Laureate. She is the author-curator of Heartdrum, a Native-focused imprint at HarperCollins Children's Books, and served as the Katherine Paterson Inaugural Endowed Chair on the faculty of the MFA program in writing for children and young adults at Vermont College of Fine Arts. Cynthia is a citizen of the Muscogee Nation and lives in Denton and Austin, Texas.
* Mission One: The Vice Principal Problem (The Blue Stars #1)
Kekla Magoon and Cynthia Leitich Smith, illus. by Molly Murakami. Candlewick, $22.99 (176p) ISBN 978-1-5362-0499-5; $12.99 paper ISBN 978-1-5362-2866-3
Estranged cousins--Riley Halfmoon, who is of Muscogee heritage, and bespectacled Maya Dawn, who is Black--reunite in Urbanopolis to live with their community-centered activist grandmother as they prepare to enter sixth grade. While adjusting, they both experience a few hiccups along the way. Extroverted Riley is eager to befriend her cousin, whom she hasn't seen since early childhood. Reserved Maya, on the other hand, wants to maintain her privacy and focus on her inventions.
When they learn that a lack of funding is jeopardizing beloved school activities, the cousins each run for class president. But nefarious vice principal Mr. Balderdash seems intent on stemming their efforts and landing them in detention. As it becomes clear that the cousins won't accomplish anything on their own, Maya and Riley team up, Holmes and Watson style, to win the presidency, take down Mr. Balderdash, and save their school. Bustling slice-of-life plot beats by Magoon (Chester Keene Cracks the Code) and Smith (Harvest House), paired with animated art by debut illustrator Murakami, culminates in a realistically rendered and impeccably paced graphic novel series opener that accessibly highlights the importance of youth involvement in local politics. Ages 8-12. (Mar.)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"Mission One: The Vice Principal Problem (The Blue Stars #1)." Publishers Weekly, vol. 271, no. 1, 8 Jan. 2024, p. 48. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A781166333/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=4dfffb57. Accessed 19 June 2025.
MAGOON, Kekla & Cynthia Leitich Smith. Blue Stars: Mission One: The Vice Principal Problem. illus. by Molly Murakami. 176p. (The Blue Stars). Candlewick. Mar. 2024. Tr $22.99. ISBN 9781536204995.
Gr 4 Up--Riley Halfmoon and Maya Dawn are cousins who have very different personalities. This never made a difference until they both moved to Urbanopolis to live with their grandmother, and their personalities began to clash. Riley is used to being part of a big Muscogee family in Oklahoma and makes lots of friends on the gymnastics team. Maya is used to living with her parents on an Air Force base and doesn't mind being one of the only members of the robotics club. Riley and Maya soon find themselves united by two things: The first is that they each have different sentimental reasons for loving blue stars; the second is their dislike of Vice Principal Balderdash, an over-the-top bad guy who wants to cut everything they love, such as after-school programs and the school library, out of the budget. This story has layers that will appeal to many different kinds of readers. It's a sweet and thoughtful story about military families, friendship, and girls learning to trust each other. At the same time, it evolves into a weird and funny adventure as the girls scheme to combine their strengths and reveal their vice principal's diabolical plans to the world. Murakami's cute and cartoony artwork pops with color and will hook readers into the excitement of the story. VERDICT A thoughtful, funny, and memorable story about family, friendship, and cooperation. Purchase for all middle grade collections.--Andrea Lipinski
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
Lipinski, Andrea. "MAGOON, Kekla & Cynthia Leitich Smith. Blue Stars: Mission One: The Vice Principal Problem." School Library Journal, vol. 70, no. 3, Mar. 2024, p. 88. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A786340689/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=d1e32619. Accessed 19 June 2025.
Smith, Cynthia Leitich ON A WING AND A TEAR Heartdrum (Children's None) $18.99 9, 17 ISBN: 9780062870001
Humans and animals join forces, becoming an unexpected group of heroes working together to save the day.
Smith (Muscogee) opens with a Muscogee greeting and reintroduces characters many readers will know from her other books. Great-Grandfather Bat, a well-known ballplayer and revered elder, ponders his injured wing and its impact on the Great Ball Game. Bat catches a ride with Grampa Halfmoon from Chicago to Georgia, heading to a rematch between the Birds and Animals. Young Ray Halfmoon, family friend Melanie, and Gray Squirrel join them. A fascinating circular structure connects the storylines, which contain expertly crafted humorous snippets, and the connection between humans and animal relatives will be evident to readers. Ray, Grampa, and Mel reunite with relatives. Grampa rekindles his connection with a former love interest. Mel faces inner turmoil as she finishes a school assignment while riding along a similar route her ancestors took on the Trail of Tears. When Grampa's rez truck breaks down, pursuing stalkers add a mysterious twist. The novel also addresses important modern-day issues: Habitat loss, protection of the Earth and its animals, historical truths, and references to Native children's literature are cleverly embedded in the story, and secondary characters with admirable careers support Indigenous readers in envisioning their own goals.
A unique and noteworthy tale that weaves together past and present with humor through stellar, multilayered writing. (map, glossary, author's note)(Modern folklore. 10-14)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"Smith, Cynthia Leitich: ON A WING AND A TEAR." Kirkus Reviews, 15 July 2024. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A801499547/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=225a94ed. Accessed 19 June 2025.
* On a Wing and a Tear.
By Cynthia Leitich Smith.
Sept. 2024. 240p. HarperCollins/Heartdrum, $18.99
(9780062870001). Gr. 4-6.
Mel and her mom have moved to Chicago to live with Grampa Halfmoon, who has also taken in his orphaned grandson, Ray. Delightfully, among Mel's new acquaintances are a bat and a gray squirrel, both of whom possess the ability to converse with humans. Exciting times are afoot for Great-Grandfather Bat, who is eager to participate in the Great Ball Game, which will see a rematch for the ages: Animals versus Birds! Unfortunately, he has a wing injury that might prevent him from getting to Georgia in time for the game. Cue a spring-break road trip like no other, on which Grampa, Mel, and Ray help Bat journey south, making meaningful connections along the way with others and their Indigenous heritage. Of course, there are many bumps in the road, including an attempted capture of Bat for viral YouTube fame, but the light narrative tone and charming characters ensure an upbeat adventure. Incorporating exceptional Native American representation throughout--Mel is Muscogee-Odawa and Ray is Cherokee-Seminole --Leitich Smith (Muscogee) also provides a glossary and a meaningful author's note that speaks to certain Indigenous beliefs, storytelling traditions, and history. Similar in spirit to Nic Stone's Clean Getaway (2020), this book will appeal to fans of road-trip novels and character-driven stories.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
Shoemaker, Joel. "On a Wing and a Tear." Booklist, vol. 121, no. 1, Sept. 2024, p. 82. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A829860879/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=027374e2. Accessed 19 June 2025.
Firefly Season
Cynthia Leitich Smith, illus. by Kate
Gardiner. Heartdrum, $18.99 (40p)
ISBN 978-0-06327-444-0
* | "As Sun rises/ on misty mornings" in Cherokee Nation and "moon rises/ on steamy evenings" across the tribal border in Muscogee Nation, seven-year-old Piper, an only child, enjoys visiting extended family--fishing, dancing with fireflies, learning from older cousins, eating grape dumplings, and listening to elders' stories. Piper also misses her cousins terribly when she and Mama return to their Kansas City home. But "a new day brings/ a new neighbor": four-year-old Sumi, with whom she becomes fast friends. When Piper's parents announce a family move to Topeka, Piper and Sumi keep in touch, and a letter from Sumi prompts Piper's thanking the Creator "for the blessings of family" As time passes, the two deepen their bond, experiencing each one's favorite traditions on shared trips to Oklahoma and Mumbai. Declarative language from Leitich Smith (Holler Loudly), a citizen of the Muscogee Nation, traces a familial narrative filled with longing, love, and the blessing of found sisterhood. Colorblock-like gouache and colored pencil illustrations from Gardiner (Sometimes We Fall), a member of the Chaubunagungamaug band of Nipmuck Indians, lean into scenes of community and play in this work about two friends creating their own familial bonds. Background characters are portrayed with various skin tones. An author's note concludes. Ages 4-8. (May)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2025 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"Firefly Season." Publishers Weekly, vol. 271, no. 8, 24 Feb. 2025, pp. 91+. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A829937681/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=00c8e509. Accessed 19 June 2025.
Smith, Cynthia Leitich FIREFLY SEASON Heartdrum (Children's None) $18.99 5, 13 ISBN: 9780063274440
A Native child navigates familial joys and heartaches.
Each year, 7-year-old Piper and her cousins spend a month on the border of the Cherokee and Muscogee nations, visiting family on both tribal lands. As they revel in summer fun, they deepen their connection to their Indigenous heritage by fishing, eating grape dumplings, listening to the stories of their elders, and learning to speak Mvskoke. On hot nights, older cousins teach younger ones the word forfirefly: koleppa. Back home in Kansas City, Piper finds herself missing her cousins, but she becomes fast friends with a new neighbor, 4-year-old Sumi, who is brown-skinned and of Indian descent. The two bond over the course of a year, and when Piper learns that she and her family are moving to Topeka, she protests, "I want to stay here, next door to Sumi. She's my family, too." Grief eventually gives way to joy as Sumi accompanies Piper on her summer visit; Piper, in turn, travels with Sumi and her family to India. Focusing on seemingly small yet meaningful moments, Gardiner's (Nipmuck) tender, earth-toned gouache and colored pencil images evoke the poignance of interconnection, both its delights and sorrows. The visuals complement Smith's (Muscogee) quiet narrative, combining for a lovely tale that honors Native heritage and the beauty of both blood and chosen families.
A glowing tribute to family across distance and lineage. (author's note)(Picture book. 4-8)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2025 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"Smith, Cynthia Leitich: FIREFLY SEASON." Kirkus Reviews, 1 May 2025. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A837325506/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=46fe5a29. Accessed 19 June 2025.
Smith, Cynthia Leitich LEGENDARY FRYBREAD DRIVE-IN Heartdrum (Teen None) $19.99 8, 26 ISBN: 9780063314269
The titular food truck's imagined travels link the entries in this anthology by celebrated and up-and-coming Native authors.
Sandy June's Legendary Frybread Drive-In feels both familiar and original--a mystical community space that can appear anywhere, serving as the perfect liminal meeting space for Indigenous people across North America. From Oklahoma to Alaska, Hawai'i to Manitoba, the stories cross our borders. In the 18 entries, which encompass both poetry and prose as well as different genres, readers meet a variety of Native people--gamer, athlete, musician--from a diverse range of communities, including Black Natives. The emotional core of the book feels deftly balanced, ranging from touching moments of magical connection with loved ones to emotional explorations of feelings like grief, and regular teenage awkwardness and crushes. A date goes awry, there's a tornado to deal with alone, and a cousin to reconnect with. Across the board, the authors write lifelike characters; even when the setting is fantastical, the well-wrought characterizations are rooted in realism. A major strength of this collection is that it offers the perfect gateway to discovering the writing of noted authors, including Eric Gansworth, Darcie Little Badger, Andrea L. Rogers, Cheryl Isaacs, Brian Young, Jen Ferguson, Byron Graves, Angeline Boulley, David A. Robertson, and editor Smith, among others. Obvious thought and care went into the crafting and arranging of the stories, with expertly executed callbacks to previous entries.
Superlative. (glossary, contributor bios)(Anthology. 13-18)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2025 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"Smith, Cynthia Leitich: LEGENDARY FRYBREAD DRIVE-IN." Kirkus Reviews, 15 June 2025. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A843449907/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=931c0746. Accessed 19 June 2025.