zoom_in Click to enlarge

Lane Smith

▲ ▼

language

description Lane Smith Overview

Lane Smith is an American children's book author and illustrator known for his textured, mixed-media artwork and surreal visual style. He received a 2012 Caldecott Honor for Grandpa Green, a picture book exploring memory and aging through topiary art. Smith also collaborated with Jon Scieszka on several titles, including The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales (1992).

help Lane Smith FAQ

Which Lane Smith book received a Caldecott Honor?

Grandpa Green received a Caldecott Honor after its 2011 publication. The story uses an elaborate topiary garden to explore an older man's memories and his relationship with his great-grandson.

Did Lane Smith illustrate The Stinky Cheese Man?

Yes. Smith illustrated The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales, written by Jon Scieszka, and the book received a Caldecott Honor.

What materials give Lane Smith's illustrations their textured look?

Smith is known for mixed-media methods that combine painted surfaces, collage-like textures and digital processes. The exact technique varies by book, which is why The Stinky Cheese Man looks different from the greener, sculptural world of Grandpa Green.

Which other books did Lane Smith create with Jon Scieszka?

Their collaborations include The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs!, Math Curse and Science Verse. The pair became known for picture books that play with narration, typography and familiar classroom subjects.