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Updated 10/24/2016

Tamara Ellis Smith

  • V

    VT

Institution/Business Type: Artist / Creative (Individual)

Tamara Ellis Smith is a children's book writer, focusing on middle grade fiction and picture books.  

Tamara has a BA in theater from Brown University,  an MFA in Playwriting from NYU, and an MFA  in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts (VCFA). She currently works with the VCFA Young Writers Network as a teaching artist and the co-Liaison for Northern New England.

Tamara's debut middle grade novel, Another Kind of Hurricane (Schwartz & Wade/Random House) was a Summer 2015 Kids Indies Next List pick, a 2015 Indies Introduces Top Ten pick, one of Bank Street's best Books of the Year, an SCBWI Crystal Kite Award finalist, and a Vermont Book Award finalist. Tamara helps found an arts-in-education organization in New York City that brought writers and artists into public school sin the East Village and the Bronx to teach creative writing, visual and dramatic arts. As a teaching arts and as a public speaker she is passionate about inspiring kids to find their own voices and stories. She lives in Vermont with her four kids and husband and loves to run on the river trails with her dog.

Tamara is currently working on picture books and another middle grade novel. 

 

Find Me

Tamara Ellis Smith
Job Title: Children's Book Writer
Phone: 802 355 9179
Address:
112 Esplanade
Richmond, VT 05477

Social Media:

Additional Content:

About

Overview

Institution/Business Type:

Artist / Creative (Individual)

Legal Status:

Commercial / For profit - Sole proprietorship

Overview

Institution/Business Type:

Artist / Creative (Individual)

Legal Status:

Commercial / For profit - Sole proprietorship

Disciplines

Primary Discipline:

Literary Arts - Fiction

Activities and Services

Activities and Services:

  • Arts for Social Change / Creative Activism
  • Community Arts
  • Performance / Concert / Reading
  • Residency - Community
  • Residency - In School
  • Writing Services
  • Workshops / Demonstrations / Master Class
Seasons Active: spring, summer, fall, winter
Events Per Year: 20

Communities

Populations Engaged:

  • Families
  • Immigrant Populations
  • School Groups
  • Teens
  • Youth-At-Risk

Geographic Reach:

  • Multi-State Region

Media Gallery

I Have Worked With

Affiliations and Accomplishments

Professional Associations

Professional Associations:

  • Vermont College of Fine Arts Young Writers Network
  • Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators

Professional Associations

Professional Associations:

  • Vermont College of Fine Arts Young Writers Network
  • Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators

Awards

Awards:

  • PEN New England Susan Bloom Children's Book Discovery Award
  • Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators Work-in-Progess Grant
  • Vermont College of Fine Arts Best Critical Thesis Award

Education

Education:

  • BA in Theatre Arts, Brown University
  • MFA in Playwriting, New York University
  • MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults, Vermont College of Fine Arts

Artist Info

Teaching Artist

Teaching Settings:

  • Afterschool Program
  • Arts and Cultural Center / Venue
  • Community Site / Center
  • School / University

Ages Served:

  • Pre-Kindergarten-age
  • Elementary School-age
  • Middle School-age

Subject Areas:

  • Arts Integration - English Language / Literacy
  • Literature

Fee range:

$500 - $2,000

Teaching Artist

Teaching Settings:

  • Afterschool Program
  • Arts and Cultural Center / Venue
  • Community Site / Center
  • School / University

Ages Served:

  • Pre-Kindergarten-age
  • Elementary School-age
  • Middle School-age

Subject Areas:

  • Arts Integration - English Language / Literacy
  • Literature

Fee range:

$500 - $2,000

Touring Artist

NEST Eligible Artist

Technical Requirements:

  • Projector and screen to do Powerpoint

Fee Range:

$500 - $2,000

State of Residence:

Vermont

Minimum Number of Performers:

1

Maximum Number of Performers:

4