Nikki Shannon Smith

Nikki Shannon Smith is an educator, presenter, and the award-winning author of nearly 30 published and forthcoming books, ranging from board books to young adult novels. Her most recent titles include PRINCE: A Little Golden Book Biography (Random House Children’s Books), and her middle grade novel, STRANDED (Scholastic). STRANDED is a nominee for both the 2026 Georgia Children’s Book Award and the Tennessee Volunteer State Book Award. She also wrote the Azaleah Lane chapter book series and the board book series Brown Baby Parade. Her Girls Survive title LENA AND THE BURNING OF GREENWOOD was the recipient of the 2023 Oklahoma Book Award in the Young Adult Category. Her middle grade historical fiction novel, DEEP SECRETS: A TITANIC NOVEL will make its way onto shelves in April 2026. Nikki’s writing is informed not only by her research, but by her childlike curiosity, a love of words, and thirty years of elementary school teaching. She is from Oakland, California, and travels whenever she can. The first thing she packs in her suitcase is always a book.