More About Sadé Smith (She/Her)

Born in Toronto, Ontario, Sadé Smith is the Canadian children's book author of Granny's Kitchen which was nominated for the Blue Spruce Award for the Forest of Reading 2023 and shortlisted for the 2023 Crystal Kite Award. She is of Jamaican descent and her books often involve food and recipes with colorful illustrations to capture the vibrancy and beauty of the Caribbean islands.

In addition to writing, Sadé is also a design technologist who practices the skilled trades and home renovations. She holds a Bachelor of Interior Design (Hons.) Degree and an Advance Diploma in Architectural Technology, as well as a certificate in Creative Book Publishing and a diploma in Business Marketing. She loves the beach and enjoys fruits and when she is not writing, she is off adventuring with her two boys and their dog Ziggy. She is very passionate about literature and she writes books of representation for young readers.

Granny’s Kitchen is her debut children’s picture book illustrated by Ken Daley. Her second book Julie and the Mango Tree illustrated by Sayada Ramdial has been selected for the CBC Books list of 40 Canadian kids books to read in spring 2023 and the Barnes & Noble’s list of Most Anticipated Kids’ Books for August 2023. Sadé is represented by Naomi Davis at Bookends Literary Agency.

Twirling a pen and swinging a hammer are what she does best!

You can find Sadé online at:

www.sadetsmith.com

Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

Sadé’s strengths include…

Developing a rhythm for rhyming books, creating and finding the heart of the story, constructing engaging character voices, shaping authentic stories through dialogue and cultural experiences and query letters. Sadé's strengths also include leveraging social media audiences, content creation, and marketing/publicity.

What Sadé is looking for…

Sadé is looking for a mentee who is proactively working on their writing craft and is serious about being a traditionally published children's picture book author. Sadé is looking for a mentee who is willing to put in the hard work of developing a good quality manuscript and someone who is open to honest criticism while having fun at the same time. She hopes to connect with someone who brings awesome ideas and thinks outside of the box. She hopes to connect with someone who is ready to take on their writing career in full force.

A Note from Sadé:

“Hey there! I know that writing can sometimes be stressful, but it doesn't have to be, it can be so much fun. I would love to join you in creating a great manuscript so you can share your stories with young readers like I do. As writers, we all need help with creating a good quality story (because we're all human) and I would like to be apart of your creative journey to craft stories with meaning and valuable lessons. Let's ride the wave of imagination together!”

Sadé’s Picture Books

GRANNY’S KITCHEN, written by Sadé Smith and illustrated by Ken Daley (Feiwel and Friends/Macmillan, 2022)

JULIE AND THE MANGO TREE, written by Sadé Smith and illustrated by Sayada Ramdial (Feiwel and Friends/Macmillan, 2023)

If Sadé created a Visual Wish List, it would be made up of…

*Unless otherwise stated, the below serves as a wish list only. Each mentor is excited about the opportunity to find a manuscript they can’t stop thinking about. Please apply if you think you’d be a good fit.

Books that get Sadé's attention like...