A Biography of Irene Smalls...

Storyteller, Author Irene Smalls...

...says that she became an author in Kindergarten. Kindergarten was especially important because there were no books in her family home and no one read or told her stories. But, in Kindergarten 5 year old Smalls was taught the beauty of language through, song, games and dance. "Reading was a thing that you do that is loud and fun." When Smalls was told that she wasn’t a good writer in junior high, high school and college she always remembered the magic of Kindergarten. Years later when she lost her job and had to find a new job, a chance reading of a Boston Globe article about Little Brown lead Smalls to create her first story, that she was a fabulous writer and that Little Brown must publish her.

Well, Little Brown said "yes" and the rest is history. Irene Smalls is the author of 15 books and travels the country sharing her melee of fun and literacy. She recently performed at the White House Easter Egg Hunt in Washington, D.C.

Smalls writes very simple stories. Her goal is to have her works/stories to be clear and beautiful. Smalls says "I write stories from the tip of my nose." She writes about her life, her children, and the world she sees at the tip of her nose. Her first children’s book, Irene and the Big Fine Nickel, captures fond memories of her childhood in Harlem, New York circa 1955. Jonathan and his Mommy is a love song for her son, Jonathan. Dawn and the Round To-it, a story of her daughter. Kevin and His Dad is a love song for, Kevin Logan, her nephew. In Smalls’ books there a lots of Kevin’s, Dawn’s and Jonathan’s...

Irene Smalls graduated from Cornell University with a B.A. in Black Studies and from New York University with an M.B.A. She has three children. Ms. Smalls currently lives in Boston, MA

Smalls says, "...the hard part of writing children’s books is that you have to tell the truth and the easy part of writing children’s books is that you have to tell the truth. Writing for children is one of my passions." Smalls is currently working on a 12 month African-American History picture books series. To date, she has completed the following:

October

Jenny Reen and the Jack Muh Lantern

 

November

A Strawbeater’s Thanksgiving

 

December

Irene Jennie and the Christmas Masquerade: the Johnkankus

 

February

Ebony Sea

"My goal is to write classic books that will last for a lifetime."