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A ‘Peak’ into Roland Smith
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A ‘Peak’ into Roland Smith Award-winning author visits Deer Valley Unified School District By Jordan Houston
Scores of Anthem School students file into the brick-lined library on January 29, clutching copies of award-winning author Roland Smith’s most popular books.
The fifth- through eighth-grade students are eager to meet The New York Times bestselling author in person, armed with questions and ready to learn.
Smith is visiting the Deer Valley Unified school as part of his national Author Tour program, in which he travels to schools nationwide to discuss his works and writing process.
Each grade was given the opportunity to read at least one of three of his more recent young adult novels, including “Cryptic Hunters,” “Sasquatch” and “Peak.”
“I do a lot of school visits, and the reason I think it’s important is, when I was growing up a long time ago, I thought authors were special,” Smith explains. “But I never saw or met one.
“What I try to do in the schools is demystify the process. I think I might have become an author earlier on if I had met one—the first author I ever met was me.”
Smith’s work spans several decades and includes a collection of around 50 books.
His latest series, a set of nonfiction stories, were among many of the students’ favorites. Smith shared insight on his personal life, the books selected by the students and the ins and outs of becoming a published author. Toward the end of his hour-long presentation, he delved into a thoughtful questionand-answer style session, which he believes is a crucial part of the programming.
“It was fun,” he says of his Anthem experience. “The kids were great and the teachers were great. They were really well-prepared for the visit.”
He adds, “They’ve read a lot of my books. That always makes it great fun.”
Smith boasts more than 30 books to his name and has earned more than 100 awards in his over 20 years of writing.
Dabbling in everything from fiction, to Roland Smith visited Anthem School to discuss his books, including “Peak.” (Photos courtesy Deer Valley Unified School District)
nonfiction and picture books, the Oregon resident’s collection explores a wide horizon of genres, ranging from realistic, to historical, science fiction, survival and outdoor adventure, mystery and spy thrillers.
He also partakes in real-life research featuring elephants, otters, vultures and wolves. A majority of his works, though, cater toward the younger crowd, he reveals.
“When I was probably 30-something someone gave me a young adult book,” Smith recalls. “I said, ‘I like this book, and you know what, I might be able to do this.
“I did it and it got published by Disney,” he continues. “And then another book and another book.”
His 2008 novel, “Peak,” an adventure story chronicling a teenage boy’s attempt to climb Mount Everest, has gained notable traction among the younger generation. The fiction piece follows 14-year-old Peak Marcello as he flees New York City after getting arrested for scaling a skyscraper.
The teen retreats to his long-lost father in Thailand, when things quickly get complicated.
His father, who owns a climbing company, encourages Peak to climb Mount Everest as a publicity stunt for his business.
Smith says “Peak” explores themes of friendship, sacrifice, family and the drive to take on Everest, despite its incredible risk.
“It’s a climbing book, so they (the readers) are going to learn something about high-altitude climbing, which is different than rock climbing,” he discloses. “Hopefully, they’re going to take away something about not being selfish, and also parental relationships.”
The page-turning fiction is just one of the many novels Smith offers as free curriculum to schools across the country.
The writer’s website features downloadable guides for students and teachers to use in classrooms, aiding with quiz answers, page numbers, themes and writing examples.
Developing a passion for reading and writing at an early age is extremely beneficial for aspiring writers, he says.
“When I write a book, I try to create readers,” Smith says. “I want them to read a lot of books, and not just mine.
“I don’t believe writers are born, they are made,” he adds. “And anybody can write a book or a story. There is nothing special about me.”
Before he made a name for himself as a writer, Smith excelled as a zoo curator and research biologist for over 20 years.
He is one of two field biologists responsible
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Photos by: Lisa Hensley Photography
