Sharon M. Draper’s biography includes details as extraordinary as the characters she’s created. She’s been named the National Teacher of the Year, traveled the world, and written several award-winning, bestselling children’s books. Her newest novel, Out of My Dreams (Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books, 2024), is the third title in the series she kicked off with the middle-grade favorite, Out of My Mind (Atheneum, 2010). Draper also hit another writing milestone with the publication of her first picture book, Bella Ballerina (Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books, 2024).
Here, Draper talks about these recent writing highlights, how she crafted a fitting conclusion to the story of a beloved character, and her best advice for young dreamers.
What was it like to revisit your character Melody—who readers first met in Out of My Mind—with your new novel Out of My Dreams?
I must admit that writing a third book about an established character is really challenging. What new obstacles will she confront? How can she be successful with new difficulties? How can I keep my readers engrossed?
I realized those were difficult questions, with significant responses I’d have to create.
So, I decided I needed to expand Melody’s environment, to give her a wider view of the world that she faced in her future. She saves the life of the lady next door (which was significant because she realized her abilities more than her challenges at that crisis moment). So, to answer the zillions of queries from young readers, I tried to give Melody a significant end. I sent her to London and let her see that her future had possibilities and hope.
To answer the zillions of queries from young readers, I tried to give Melody a significant end. I sent her to London and let her see that her future had possibilities and hope.”
How else did feedback from those young readers help inspire this new story?
Over the years, I’ve received hundreds of student responses (and I’ve tried to answer them all!). The young people react strongly to Melody’s strength and resilience, and they really cheer her on as she figures out her complicated life. So, I knew any new story about Melody must be more powerful, and more captivating for the readers. That’s a very high bar for me and my girl to leap, and neither of us are very good jumpers! LOL. This was why, this time, I sent her on a journey, away from home and family. She travels by plane, which is an ordeal for one who needs a wheelchair and an assistant for daily needs. She meets with others who face similar and even more daunting life challenges, and she learns that she has a strong and meaningful future in front of her.
Could you share a favorite response from one of your readers?
The best response, ever, was from a young lady who used a wheelchair. She said simply, “If Melody can make it, then so can I!”
Out of My Mind also debuted as a movie in 2024. What was it like for you to see your story tuned into a film?
The movie experience was truly awesome. I was allowed on set for a few days, and I saw the detail and specificity that goes into the process. The repetitions of lines. The attention to every little detail. The machines that created rain outside. The real school and real house that were used for those scenes. The professionalism of the very young actors. Sitting under a tree and having a conversation with Judith Light! I was awed, impressed, and humbled. Since I had no pre-conceived notions as to what to expect, it was all a simply magical experience to see my words transferred to someone else’s mind and allowed to bloom on the screen.
Students often ask me what I thought of the film. I tell them, “I know how to write a story, but I don’t know how to make a movie. So, I trusted the experts who have that knowledge and skill, and they did a wonderful job of turning Melody’s story into a film.”
Students often ask me what I thought of the film. I tell them, “I know how to write a story, but I don’t know how to make a movie. So, I trusted the experts who have that knowledge and skill, and they did a wonderful job.”
Last year also saw the publication of your first picture book, Bella Ballerina. What inspired you to take on this whole new kind of story?
Bella Ballerina began when my granddaughter was three years old and started taking dance classes. Her mother owns a dance studio, and I delighted in watching my granddaughter and the other very young dancers as they learned the steps and began the process of figuring out how to move with the music. So, the book is dedicated to Ailey Rose (named in honor of Alvin Ailey) and her mother, Crystal Joy, both of whom discovered the joy of dancing at three years old.
How did writing a picture book compare to writing a middle grade novel?
Writing a picture book was much trickier than I had expected! I’m used to long, wordy paragraphs through which the reader can imagine the scene in their mind. But a picture book contains just a few words to evoke the magic, so each word had to be perfectly placed and beautifully imagined. It took a long time to make sure it was just right. I agonized over every single word so that young readers and the grownups who read it to them can feel the joy a young dancer feels as she gets stronger and braver.
I’m very thankful to illustrator Ebony Glenn, whose art captured perfectly the hopefulness of a young child learning the joy of dance.
Spreads from Bella Ballerina
The language of Bella Ballerina is full of rhythm and movement and music. For the sake of student writers, can you share a bit about how you accomplished that?
I always tell student writers to incorporate all the senses. For example, describe the feeling of snow on bare feet. Why does it feel hot instead of cold? What do underarms smell like after a basketball game? Specifically describe the tastes of their favorite food. What are the differences between vanilla and chocolate and strawberry and why? These questions make them think beyond the page and help them to realize that sensory description is actually very hard. I challenge them to make their readers see and smell and feel and even taste what is on the page.
I always tell student writers to incorporate all the senses. … I challenge them to make their readers see and smell and feel and even taste what is on the page.”
What’s your best advice for young people who have a dream that they want to pursue?
The best advice I can offer to a young person is to believe in yourself and never give up on your dreams. Lean on your family and friends for support, but know that the journey is yours alone. The decisions you make are important and the paths you take are yet untraveled. But the road is there for you to travel. Believe in yourself and enjoy the journey!
The best advice I can offer to a young person is to believe in yourself and never give up on your dreams.”
What would you like to share with young readers about your own childhood and journey?
My childhood was stuffed with words and books. We lived walking distance from the local library, so my mother and I went every single Saturday to check out books. The staff of the library knew me VERY well, and by the time I was ten or eleven, I had read every single book in the children’s section. They slowly opened the stacks of the adult section for me by letting me check out books that they had carefully checked for appropriate content. But soon they learned to trust my judgement, and I swallowed dozens and dozens of books, and according to me, the thicker the better! So, I read Moby Dick and Gone with the Wind and Atlas Shrugged and yes, I tackled War and Peace! I didn’t know that I would become a writer, I just knew that I loved books and words and stories. I became a teacher, sharing books with hundreds of students, and encouraging them to discover the joy of words.
Can you share any details about your forthcoming books?
Several years ago, I traveled to Egypt and I loved every moment. The history, the traditions, the hot sands, the camels, the pyramids, the Nile, the people—all have stayed with me for years. I have an idea about a character who lived in a certain dynasty who discovers something that can change the world. I have the stack of books, I have done the research, but I have not yet started that story. It is still swirling in my mind, waiting to be written. Stay tuned.
What are the best ways for educators and librarians to connect with you or to follow you on social media?
The best ways for folks to contact me is email: drapersharon@mac.com or, for my social media person, contact: catdenton@gmail.com.
