Sharon Draper is a teacher and writer with a philosophy that guides her in how she teaches and what she writes. That philosophy is evident in her remarks to Something About the Author (SATA) about being honored as the 1997 National Teacher of the Year: "It is a wonderful honor, but also an awesome responsibility--to be the spokesperson and advocate for education in America. I was ready for this challenge, however, because I had been preparing for this work my entire life." Reading, teaching, and writing are all connected for Draper, who wanted to be a teacher since childhood. In an interview with Jon Saari for Authors and Artists for Young Adults, Draper said, "I was an avid reader. I read every single book in the elementary school library, all of them. I did not plan to be a writer until much, much later. I tell kids all the...