Meet the author

Jim Smith.

Writer & illustrator · United Kingdom · b. 1971

Jim Smith: British author-illustrator of Barry Loser and Future Ratboy — doodled-diary, UK-flavoured chapter books in the Wimpy Kid / Tom Gates tradition, with strong reluctant-reader pull for ages 7–10.

Jim Smith is a British author-illustrator born in 1971, best known for the Barry Loser series of doodled-diary chapter books and the Future Ratboy graphic-novel-comic-hybrid series. The Barry Loser books, narrated by world-class loser-in-his-own-mind Barry, with hand-lettered, wonky text and constant in-jokes, are a UK-flavoured cousin of Wimpy Kid and Tom Gates, with the same reluctant-reader pull. Smith's voice is gleeful, unpretentious and quietly observant about playground social rules. Strong appeal for ages 7–10, particularly for British children who recognise the school-lunch, breaktime, brother-pestering register. Not to be confused with Jeff Smith (Bone) or with comics writer Jim Smith.