Lane Smith has written and illustrated a bunch of stuff including Grandpa Green which was a 2012 Caldecott Honor book and It’s a Book that has been translated into over twenty-five languages. Other works include the national bestsellers Madam President and John, Paul, George & Ben.

His titles with Jon Scieszka include the Caldecott Honor winner The Stinky Cheese Man, The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs, Math Curse, and Science Verse among others. He has also illustrated Hooray for Diffendoofer Day! by Dr. Seuss and Jack Prelutsky; The Very Persistent Gappers of Frip by George Saunders; Kid Sheriff and the Terrible Toads by Bob Shea; and James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl. In 1996 Lane served as Conceptual Designer on the Disney film version of James and the Giant Peach as well.

His books have been New York Times Best Illustrated Books on four occasions. In 2012 The Eric Carle Museum named him an Honor Artist for “lifelong innovation in the field of children's books.” In 2014 he received the Society of Illustrators Lifetime Achievement award.

Lane and book designer Molly Leach live in rural Connecticut.