Alex was born in 1985 and has drawn and written stories since he could hold a pencil.

After considering several career options (space traveler, cake maker, professional rabbit) and working as a production assistant for an outdoor theatre events company, Alex decided to train to do the job he'd wanted to do since he was five - an illustrator specialising in the world of children's publishing.

Alex graduated with a 1st Class Hons degree in Illustration in 2006 and having won second place in the Macmillan Prize for Children's Picture Book Illustration in his final year, Alex begin working on his first commission as he put his degree show up!
Since then Alex has gone on to work for a wide variety of clients not just in the publishing industry, as well as writing and illustrating his own picture books, many of which have won prizes and have been read on TV during the Bedtime Hour on the CBeebies channel.

Alex is also the creator of the CLAUDE fiction series for early readers. The first title, CLAUDE in the City was selected for the Richard and Judy Children's Book Club 2011 and was shortlisted for the Waterstones Children's Book Prize in 2012. The first three books in the series are now published in fourteen languages across the world and a further three books will be hitting the shelves from October 2012.

When not working Alex enjoys doodling in his sketchbook, reading, people watching and eavesdropping. He is also a big fan of cake and a nice cup of tea. He lives with and under the constant 'supervision' of his canine companions - two very tiny, very naughty chihuahuas (Coco and Mr. Bongo) and an ancient and very bossy Yorkshire Terrier - Lucy Locket.

He is represented in the UK and USA by Arena Illustration
www.arenaillustration.com

You can also follow Alex on Twitter
@Alex_T_Smith

Selection of Awards and Nominatons:

Highly Commended - Macmillan Prize for Children's Picture Book Illustration 2005
2nd Prize -Macmillan Prize for Children's Picture Book Illustration 2006
Shortlisted, Best Emerging Illustrator - The Book Trust 2008
Longlisted - The Greenaway Medal, 2009
Nominated - Blue Spruce Award (Canada)
Winner, Picture Book Category - Coventry Inspiration Book Awards
Winner - Dundee Children's Book Award 2011
Winner - Stockport Children's Book Award 2011
Shortlisted- Sheffield Children's Book Award 2011
Longlisted - The Greenaway Medal, 20013 (Two Books)
Shortlisted: AOI Illustration Awards 2013 (Children's Book category)

Publishing Clients Include:
Faber Children's Books
Harcourt Schools (US)
Hodder Children's Books
Macmillan Children's Books
Meadowside Children's Books
NordSud Books (Europe)
Scholastic Children's Books
Simon and Schuster Children's Books (UK)

Other Clients Include:
Bookstart
Penny Black
Scholastic Education
The Guardian Guide
Woman's Weekly
Waitrose


3 comments:

  1. Hi Alex,

    I'm trying to locate a copy of your book Gorgeous Georgia's Gardens for a friend who just had a little girl named Georgia. Do you know where I could get hold of one?

    Many thanks,
    Fiona

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi I love Clude Books Love Zara

    ReplyDelete