Meet Author Roland Smith

Roland Smith's book Elephant Run is nominated for the 2010 Rebecca Caudill Young readers Book Award. This is an exciting adventure which takes place in Burma during World War II. Young Nick is sent to his father's planatation from England to escape the Blitz, the German air bombing. Unfortunately he is no safer with his father because the planatation is captured by Japanese soldiers. Nick and Mya, a native girl, are able to escape and want to rescue his father and her brother. With help from a very old, wise man and a rogue elephant they may have a chance to complete the rescue.

My first meeting with a Roland Smith book was a previous Caudill nominee called Zach's Lie. In this story Zach's father agrees to testify against his boss, a drug czar. The family is put into the Witness Protection Program, moved to the other side of the country, and given new names and identities to try to protect them from the revenge of the drug lord. But Zach has a problem remembering his new identity and makes a slip. If the drug lord finds out about his mistake his whole family is in terrible danger. This book is followed by Jack's Run, a thrilling sequel as the drug lord's trial draws near.

The IMC has a third Roland Smith book, Peak, a mountain climbing attempt on Mount Everest, but I haven't read this one yet. If you have, I would loved to hear what you think of it. I have been checking other books by Roland Smith and he seems to favor writing exciting adventures. If you have read any of his books, I would like to know if you think the IMC should get more. You can contact me by commenting on this blog.