Sharon Mills Draper (born August 21, 1948)[1][2] is an American children's writer, professional educator, and the 1997 National Teacher of the Year.

She is a two-time winner of the Coretta Scott King Award for books about the young and adolescent African-American experience.

She is known for her Hazelwood and Jericho series, Copper Sun, Double Dutch, Out of My Mind and Romiette and Julio.

"[8][5][9] She entered a short story entitled "One Small Torch" to a writing contest through Ebony magazine.

Forged by Fire, the sequel to Tears of a Tiger, was the 1997 Coretta Scott King Award[19] winner, and was also honored as a 1998 ALA Best Book for Young Adults.

[20] Darkness Before Dawn, the third book in the trilogy, is an ALA Top Ten Quick Pick, and has received the Children's Choice Award from the International Reading Association and received the Buckeye Book Award for 2005, and was named an IRA Young Adult Choice for 2003.

[36] Many of Draper's books for children and young adults contain mature and serious themes, such as death, grief, and abuse.

In Romiette and Julio, an African American girl and Hispanic boy begin dating, despite familial disapproval and threats from a local gang.

Zonnenberg states that the story's focus on complex issues such as gang violence and interracial relationships encourages deep discussion by all readers.

[39] While Romiette and Julio puts the main characters' races at the forefront of the plot, Price notes that Draper takes the opposite approach in Forged by Fire.

Because Draper centers more on narrative and character development, readers come away with a sense that race and ethnicity make up only one part of an individual's identity.

[40] Other novels by Draper that focus on race include Fire from the Rock, Stella by Starlight, and Blended.