# data[].attributes.body
There are many doorways for different readers to enter into into Cynthia Leitich Smith’s authorship as she offers such a wide and interesting range of literature to engage readers. Her works include picture books like Jingle Dancer, and the humorous tall tale: Holler Loudly. She is well respected for her stories set in the modern day, featuring Native American protagonists where she draws on her own Muscogee Creek Nation heritage. In fact Smith was recognized as 2001 as Writer of the Year by Wordcraft Circle of Native Writers and Storytellers for her middle school novel Rain Is Not My Indian Name, and her chapter book Indian Shoes was selected for inclusion on the NEA Native American Book List. Also on offer from this author are two series of books which dip into the vampire, werewolf, shapeshifter fantasy genre. The online reviews for these series range wildly and would perhaps be a great place for young readers to put their own opinions into the discussion. Also partnered with her Tantalize series are two graphic novels, Tantalize: Kieren’s Story and Eternal: Zachary’s Story, both illustrated by Ming Doyle. Yet another genre of Smith’s writing are her short stories, where her work has been included alongside other well respected YA authors. This would be a great place for a reader to connect into Smith’s writing through the collaboration with an author they already know and like.

Smith is a graduate of the University of Kansas, and the University of Michigan. She currently lives in Austin, Texas. She is a member of the Muscogee Creek Native American Nation, and this is an important part of her voice as a writer.

Amongst her works are two young adult, gothic, fantasy novels series. She shows range as a writer reaching across different genre.

One of the most powerful reoccuring themes of her stand alone novels is where she pulls from her own Native American heritage, and centers on the modern-day, young Native American’s journey. These stories offer a place in literature to a marginalized minority of American society.

She has a new book coming out Oct 2018; realistic fiction, with a thoughtful story of a Native American teen navigating the complicated, confusing waters of high school — and first love.

Smith seeks to support young writers and serves on the core faculty of the Vermont College of Fine Arts MFA program in Writing for Children and Young Adults. She is also a member of the Honorary Advisory Board of We Need Diverse Books. In 2013, the Austin chapter of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators instituted the Cynthia Leitich Smith Mentor Award in her honor. She also was named a Writer of the Year by Wordcraft Circle of Native Writers and Storytellers, Her website at www.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 blog a cynthialeitichsmith.blogspot.com was listed as among the top two read by the children’s/YA publishing community in the SCBWI “To Market” column.

# data[].attributes.body
Smith, C. (2015). “All’s well,” In Hutchinson, S. (2015), Violent ends. New York: Simon Pulse.

Violent Ends is a wonderful collaboration of some of YA most respected authors. Each writer contributed a short story (chapter or two) which in itself is complete, but each story also contributes to the whole text which presents the nature and fallout of a high-school shooting seen through the eyes 17 different characters and their various perspectives.

Smith, C. (2010). Holler Loudly. New York: Dutton Children's Books.

In this contemporary tall tale 'Holler Loudly' has a voice as big as the Southwestern sky, and everywhere he goes, people tell him to "Hush!" From math class to the movies and even the state fair, Holler's LOUD voice just keeps getting him into trouble. But when a huge tornado comes twisting into town, Holler (with that voice of his!) saves the day.

Smith, C. (2001). Rain is not my Indian name (1st ed.). New York: HarperCollins.

Cassidy's best friend Galen dies. She completely shuts herself off from the world not going out, talking to people or taking pictures. Then summer comes and her brother wants her to go to her Aunt’s Indian camp, but Cassidy doesn't want to go. Instead, she gets a job taking pictures for the local paper about the Indian camp. Cassidy deals with Galen's death and learns about her Native heritage.

Smith, C. (2000). Jingle dancer. New York: Morrow Junior Books.

Jingle Dancer tells the story of Jenna, a modern Native American girl whose dream is to jingle dance in the powwow like her Grandma Wolfe. Jenna practices often but there is not enough time to order the four rows of jingles to make the dress "sing." When Jenna visits some of the older women in her family, they give her some of their jingles and ask her to dance for them at the powwow.

Smith, C. (2007) Tantalize. New York: Candlewick Press

If a reader enjoyed the Twilight series and is looking for more…Smith's Tantalize begins as Quincie Morris, placed into her uncle's care after her parents' death, is helping prepare the family's restaurant for its grand re-opening. Quincie helps runs the restaurant, which is undergoing a renovation to become Sanguini's, a vampire-themed dining experience. When the head chef is murdered, Quincie must decide whether to trust her best friend and crush, Kieran, a half-werewolf hybrid, to not be the culprit.  This book has very mixed online reviews...give it a read and join in the discussion.

Smith, C.(2013) Feral nights. New York: Candlewick Press

The first book in a spin-off series from Tantalize; vampires/shapeshifters/angels and demons. It takes place during the event of the final Tantalize book, Diabolical. This companion novel to the Tantalize quartet reintroduces supporting characters from the earlier novels but they are now in leading roles.

# data[].attributes.body
Oklahoma Center for the Book, Oklahoma Book award The event is sponsored each year by the Oklahoma Center for the Book in the Oklahoma Department of Libraries, a state affiliate of the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress, and the Friends of the Oklahoma Center for the Book. The award recognize books written the previous year by Oklahomans or about Oklahoma. Smith’s was a finalist for this award in 2001 for Rain Is Not My Indian Name.

#5 on The New York Times Bestseller List The New York Times Best Seller list is widely considered the preeminent list of best-selling books in the United States. Published weekly in The New York Times Book Review, the best-seller list has been published in the Times since October 12, 1931. In recent years it has evolved into multiple lists in different categories, broken down by fiction and non-fiction, hardcover, paperback, and electronic, and different genres. Smith’s Book Eternal made number 5 on the top 10 list in 2010

Publishers Weekly top 10 best seller list  Publishers Weekly (PW) is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers and literary agents. Jingle Dancer was on the 2001 top 10 best sellers list.

Texas Library Association Reading List The Texas Library Association was established in 1902 to promote, support, and improve library services in Texas. Jingle Dancer was recommended on their 2000 reading list. Smith was also 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 to be honored with the Illumine Award by the Austin Public Library Friends Foundation in 2013.

# data[].attributes.body
The target age range for Smith’s YA literature is from middle school to beginning high school, and her website suggests grades 5-9 for the lexile levels and thematic content.

Boardman, Roberts, Vaughn, Wexler, Murray, & Kosanovich (2008), outline that adolescent readers, especially struggling ones as needing ‘increasing social interactions among students related to reading’ (p.28) and Smith’s very active online presence through her website and blog offers additional opportunities for her YA readers to connect with her. (www.cynthialeitichsmith.com cynthialeitichsmith.blogspot.com)

Boardman et al (2008), also point out that for adolescent readers ‘text’s relevance and interest is often an individual matter.’ (p.31) Here Smith’s wide range of genre has a lot to offer different reader’s tastes. Smith’s range of writing also supports the International Reading Association (2012), position that adolescents should ‘Read a variety of texts including all fiction genres: horror stories, fantasy, science fiction, or romance.’ (p.2)

Christenbury, Bomer & Smagorinsky (2009), bring up an important point about minority and marginalized children in our schools who face ‘stories, uses of language, worldview, and ways of knowing that differ vastly from those in their home setting. The ways of home and community are often ignored, marginalized, or actively devalued in the school setting.’ (p.115-116). Smith’s Native American protagonists offer an opportunity for Native American students to see themselves reflected in text, and for  YA readers to reflect on how culture, and family values play out in their lives.

References:

Boardman, A. G., Roberts, G., Vaughn, S., Wexler, J., Murray, C. S., & Kosanovich, M. (2008). Effective instruction for adolescent struggling readers: A practice brief. Portsmouth, NH: RMC Research Corporation, Center on Instruction.

Christenbury, L., Bomer, R. & Smagorinsky, P. (2009). Handbook of adolescent literacy research. New York: Guilford Press

International Reading Association. (2012). Adolescent literacy (Position statement, Rev. 2012 ed.). Newark, DE: Author. https://www.literacyworldwide.org

# data[].attributes.body
I see Smith’s books finding a role in the classroom in a number of possible ways and those applications impact the Odds Split. For example the picture book Jingle Dancer could be read 100% in class, as a read aloud, becoming an anchor text for analyzing how the author reveals Native American values and beliefs through language and story. Gambrell (2011), presents Seven Rules Of Engagement:What’s most important to know about motivation to read where the number 1 rule states that ‘students are more motivated to read when the reading activities are relevant to their lives’ (p.173). This generational family-story analysis could be used as a springboard for students to write their own generational family stories to reveal their cultural values in some way.

Smith’s Native American protagonist collection could be used by the whole class; with smaller groups each taking a novel. The work here could be similar to the analysis suggestion for Jingle Dancer, but with an opportunity to compare and contrast Native American experiences across texts, and through male and female lead characters. The Odds Split for this work could be anywhere from 100% in class reading, to a high percentage outside class reading (with class time focusing on discussion and sharing). What is important here is to match the Odds Split with the school’s homework policy and an awareness of what student can successfully do at home. As Padak & Rasinski (2007), remind us, in their article about independent reading at home, teachers must have realistic expectations for work completed at home and consider ‘What time range do you want to encourage? How long should children read each day? For how many days each week? Be realistic here, and keep families' busy schedules in mind’ (p.352).

The gothic fantasy series would be a great option for a Literacy Circle of students who would like to opt into this genre. As Gambrell (2011), points out students are motivated to read when they can ‘make choices about what they read’ and ‘have opportunities to socially interact with others about the text they are reading’ (p.175). As a team they could figure out an Odds Split that works for them to complete the text and text-talks in a given time frame.

References:

Gambrell, L. (2011). Seven rules of engagement: What’s most important to know about motivation to read. The Reading Teacher, Vol. 65 (3), 172-178. https://doi.org/10.1002/TRTR.01024

Padak, N. & Rasinski, T. (2007). Is being wild about Harry enough? Encouraging independent reading at home. Reading Teacher, 61(4), 350-353. https://doi.org/10.1598/RT.61.4.9