Roland Smith
PO Box 1611
Wilsonville, Or 97070
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What the Critics Say...

Peak

In this story, though, he sticks with human adventure, told in the first person by Peak, a 14-year-old boy who gets busted for scaling a skyscraper in New York City.

The press goes wild over the story, and when a copycat thrill-seeker dies while trying to do the same thing, officials want to make an example of Peak and to punish him by locking him up until he turns 18.

The only alternative is to make the story go away fast -­ and that's what happens when Peak's lawyer stepdad pulls a few strings.

Peak gets sent away to spend time with his birth dad - far, far away. Josh Wood is one of the world's top mountaineers, and he lives in the Himalayas.

Peak doesn't know Josh too well. Until now, his dad has been only too happy to defer all parental responsibilities to Peak's mom and step-dad while he has single-mindedly pursued his passion for climbing mountains.

In fact, Peak's legal troubles have interrupted an expedition of paying clients that Josh had been leading up Mount Everest. But Josh, always a self-promoter, has figured out a way to make the best of the situation. If Peak joins the expedition and makes it to the summit, he will be the youngest person ever to bag Everest. The publicity surrounding that, coupled with the publicity his son has already gotten for his skyscraper-climbing stunt in New York, will ensure that Josh's expedition company becomes the prime choice for adventure travelers from around the world.

Peak is leery about being a pawn in Josh's scheme, but dazzled by the thought of trying or the summit.

And if that isn't a lofty enough goal, then a Buddhist monk comes along and insinuates that Peak might have an even higher calling.

From the first page, Roland Smith writes a fast-paced, thrill-filled story that combines adventure, travelogue, politics, cross-cultural dynamics and tough value judgments. There's the external trek, and the interior journey, and Smith makes both of them enthralling.

This tale is the tops!

The Bookmonger is Barbara Lloyd McMichael, who writes this weekly column focusing on the books, authors and publishers of the Northwest. Contact her at bkmonger@nwlink.com. The Olympian, WA.

more reviews

Zach's Lie 
Gr. 5-8. When 13-year-old Jack Osborne's father is arrested for drug trafficking, Jack, his older sister Joanne, and their mother are forced to flee their comfortable home and take on new identities through the Witness Relocation Program. In tiny Elko, Nevada, the teens try to get comfortable as Zach and Wanda Granger. Wanda settles in easily, but Zach doesn't quite get the hang of being someone else and has problems with the constant lying he must do to maintain their story. Life improves for Zach as he gains a girlfriend in beautiful Catalin and a father substitute in the unusual, wonderfully paternal school custodian. But when the school bully steals Zach's diary, the deception begins to fall apart. Although the fast-moving plot is almost too straightforward, Zach's well-depicted emotional turmoil about his once-beloved father lends depth. Short sentences and a fast-moving plot will make this title appealing to reluctant readers. 

Debbie Carton
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Captain's Dog
"Traveling with the Lewis and Clark expedition, Seaman recounts the incredible journey and describes fellow travelers in great detail. He is particularly fond of Sacagawea and other members the "tribe," although he was actually owned by Captain Lewis. Seaman, a large Newfoundland dog, spent many hours during the journey observing the unusual behavior of humans. He was so astounded by their pitiful noses and useless ear appendages that he took it upon himself to serve sentry duty and he delighted in watching the men stumble about when he signaled danger. Seaman guided the starving men to game and saved one of his friends from an attacking bear. He is protected by White Feather, his spirit guide, and tells about the various Native American tribes encountered along the way. Seaman's text is accompanied by "scratchings" done by Lewis in a diary he uses to record the progress and failings of the expedition. Roland displays his expertise as a wolf and canine biologist as he relates the historical information from the dog's point of view in a realistic manner that is often tinted with humor, adventure, and emotion. Children and dog lovers will delight in this refreshing perspective on such an important part of American history."

Last Lobo
"This is the third book Smith has written about Jake Lansa, a teenager with a most unusual life. Jake's father is a research biologist, just as Smith is. So Jake has been here and there in the world, learning how to track animals and shoot them with tranquilizer drugs for research and conservation purposes in the effort to preserve endangered species. In this story, Jake returns to the US to see his grandfather, a Hopi who has returned to the Hopi lands in Arizona. The two become engrossed in the reports of a lobo (wolf) in the area, and they, with friends, hope to track the animal and remove it from the area before hunters kill it. Their main adversary is the angry ex-husband of a young woman in their family circle, a man determined to get the reward offered for killing the wolf. Most of the plot contains detailed action of Jake's days of tracking the wolf in the desert wilderness, using techniques he learns from his grandfather's elderly friends, which are combined with the skills his father has taught him. The wolf, the desert, the contemporary life of the Hopi people are all illuminated by Smith, as he tells this action-packed story. His own expertise in dealing with wildlife is a wonderful asset because the reader can trust that the details are accurate."

Jaguar
"...While Smith's ecological message--the jungle must be preserved undisturbed--comes through loud and clear, the book's strength lies in strong characterization (particularly the relationship between father and son), vivid local color, and high adventure..."
Booklist, May 15, 1997

"The rainforest in the background brings the plight of this endangered environment into focus for young readers: Smith's portrayal of the decimated forests, the filthy strip-mining towns, and the desolate native tribes is haunting. The mystery aboard ship unravels at a suspenseful pace, and while everyone must work together to insure their survival, Jake emerges a hero. A first-rate adventure about greed, mutual dependence, and family."
Kirkus Reviews, May 1997

"The details of Jacob Lansa's trip upriver with his father, who plans to establish a jaguar preserve, are very vivid."
New York Times Book Review, June 8, 1997

"...Exciting, realistic, mysterious, honest, and informative, JAGUAR is a "must read" for the summer."
Salem Statesman Journal

Amy's Missing
"AMY'S MISSING is a good solid book --- full of relatively interesting plot twists and comfortable, rhythmic prose. But it's Smith's delicate handling of Theodore's day-to-day life that really makes this book shine. It's his presentation of Theodore's handi-capabilities that makes this a truly distinctive and worthwhile children's read. It's that sensitivity that also says Roland Smith may have more and better tales to tell.
THE BOOK REPORT, May 5, 1997

Kids Reads: Chapter Books

Journey of the Red Wolf
". . .Long actively involved in the breeding and re-introduction of red wolves into the wild, Smith delivers behind-the-scenes details about the species-saving effort, generously illustrating his fascinating account with intimate color photographs of newborn pups and views of the facilities designed to safely handle and house the wolves."
Booklist, May 1996

". . . His engaging narration, which carefully explains the red wolf's journey from the brink of extinction to its reintroduction to the wild, will hook readers from the start. . ."
The Oregonian

". . .This book is easy and quick to read, holds your attention and challenges you to think. Highly recommended.
Lisa Olsen, Juab-Sevier-Wayne County Bookmobile 1096 Youth Books Reviewed by Utah Librarians 

Thunder Cave
"...the action never flags, and Smith's focus on local color and vivid attention to detail will make readers feel they are participants in Jacob's experiences. Reminiscent of Gary Paulsen's survival novels, this will appeal to adventure buffs."
Booklist, May 1, 1995

"It's rare-and kind of refreshing--to see a children's novel in which parental death is not subject but springboard. . .While it sits squarely in the old-fashioned adventure genre, the story is cognizant of contemporary issues of prejudice and power: Jacob's outwitting of a band of evil poachers is both environmentally and dramatically correct. But action is paramount-this is precisely the kind of book people are thinking of when they ask for a 'boy's book.'"
The Bulletin of the Center for Children, June 1995

"He obviously knows his stuff and has written a fast-paced, exciting children's book..."
The Oregonian, September 3, 1995

"The novel, with its likable hero and fast-paced excitement is a very good survival story, with interesting information about Kenya's recent problems, Masai culture and elephant behavior skillfully interwoven into the plot."
Children's Literature, May 1996 Vol.4 #5

"survival story with a strong conservation message."
Tucson Citizen, June 10, 1997

Myriad works on friendship teach important social skills
By Marilou Sorensen, Deseret News Professor Emirate of Education at the University of Utah Daily Almanac

Sea Otter Rescue
"Smith describes [the rescue and rehabilitation] procedures in vivid detail."
Horn Book

"Focusing on a single species, Smith illustrates the damage the Exxon Valdez oil spill caused to all species...Almost every page has an excellent photograph."
School Library Journal

Click here for a list of awards for Roland Smith's books.