Smadar Shir is among the most important authors in Israel. Her first book was published when she was 16, and in the three decades since she has published 400 children's books as well as seven novels. She has also written hundreds of children's' songs which were composed and recorded for CDs and DVDs.

Many of her stories are included in kindergarten and elementary school anthologies. Some of her other books are part of the annual curriculum in middle schools as well as high schools.

Along with her personal work in writing, Smadar Shir works as a senior journalist in YediotAhronot, the most popular daily newspaper in Israel.

Her 2011 book Shirat Miriam, The Song of Miriam, the story of Miriam Peretz, was a bestseller in Israel selling over 20,000 copies.