Welcome friends,

I learned to dream through reading, learned to create dreams through writing, and learned to develop dreamers through teaching. I shall always be a dreamer.
**Come dream with me.**
Sharon M. Draper

Sharon M. Draper

Award-Winning Author, Educator, Speaker, Poet & National Teacher of the Year

Quotes

“Yet it’s not single acts of heroism but the solidarity of the community, people’s ability to come together both in times of need and to celebrate occasions for joy, that is most moving and inspiring [about Stella by Starlight]. In honoring those like Stella and her family who went before us, Draper has written a novel that soars.”

– Holly Goldberg Sloan, The New York Times

★ “Timely and genuine... Draper doesn’t shy away from challenging or uncomfortable topics”

－ Publishers Weekly

“Draper writes with grace, compassion, and respect for the intelligence and emotional lives of young readers. [Blended] is Draper at her best, penning a current and ultimately uplifting story. It deserves a place on library shelves along with her other outstanding works.”

– Carol Connor, School Library Journal

“[Out of My Mind] is more than a book about a girl with special needs. It holds up a mirror for all of us to see how we react to people with disabilities that make us uncomfortable. I encourage everyone to read this.”

– Susan Aikens, Book Buyer for Borders Head Office

“Uplifting and upsetting, [Out of My Mind] is a book that defies age categorization, an easy enough read for upper-elementary students yet also a story that will enlighten and resonate with teens and adults…this moving novel will make activists of us all.”

– Frances Bradburn, Booklist Starred Review

“Stella by Starlight is an appealing, thought-provoking read for kids and adults - and a standout for introducing kids to a difficult chapter in U.S. history with compelling courage and relatable characters rather than graphic violence. Expect interesting conversations.”

– The Fresno Bee

“[Just Another Hero’sI] dialogue-driven prose will propel even reluctant readers to the final shocking scenes, and teens will easily connect with Draper's intelligent, spirited, and unflaggingly supportive young people.”

– Gillian Engberg

“Although the subjects Draper writes about [in Darkness Before Dawn] could be sensationalized, what stands out in all of her work is the depth of the characters, the sincere intensity of their voices, the intellectual and moral wrestling that drive their narratives.”

– OHIOANA

Books

Mrs. Draper has written dozens of books for the young reader. Out of My Mind is a New York Times bestseller, still hitting the list 10 years later along with Blended, and was named one of TIME Magazine's 100 Most Influential Books of All Time.