Cynthia Leitich Smith

Cynthia Leitich Smith (born 1967) is an American author of fiction for children and young adults, a citizen of the Muscogee Nation, whose works center on modern-day Native American lives, including picture books like Jingle Dancer and young adult novels like Rain Is Not My Indian Name.[1][2][4] She is a New York Times bestselling author, award-winning writer recognized with the 2021 NSK Neustadt Prize, Michael L. Printz Award for Legendary Frybread Drive-In, and author-curator of the Heartdrum imprint at HarperChildren’s.[1][4] After earning a J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School, she transitioned from law to focus on children's literature.[2]