She taught high school English for twenty-five years and was named National Teacher of the Year. Her novel Out of My Mind has won multiple awards and was a New York Times bestseller for over three years, and Blended has also been a New York Times bestseller. She has received the Coretta Scott King Award for both Copper Sun and Forged by Fire and was awarded the Charlotte Huck Award for Stella by Starlight. Edwards Award honoring her significant and lasting contribution to writing for teens. Draper is a three-time New York Times bestselling author and a recipient of the Margaret A. But will hiding behind shoulder pads really help? And will his gridiron obsession prevent him from being there for his cousin’s girlfriend when she needs him most? At the same time, he begins playing football, where he hopes the physical pain will suppress the emotional agony.

He finds the only way he can escape the emptiness he feels is to quit doing the things that made him happy when his cousin was alive, such as playing his beloved trumpet. His world becomes divided into “before” and “after” Josh’s death. Jericho Prescott lost his best friend when he lost his cousin, Josh, and the pain is almost more than he can bear. How in the world will she tell her mom? And how will Josh’s parents take the news? She’s never needed a friend more. She’s pregnant and now she’s faced with the biggest decision of her life. But Josh left something behind that will change November’s life forever.

When November Nelson loses her boyfriend, Josh, to a pledge stunt gone horribly wrong, she thinks her life can’t possibly get any worse. November Blues tells the story of November Nelson and Jericho Prescott after a horrible accident at their school. Draper’s Jericho Trilogy and Coretta Scott King Honor Book, Jericho and November are locked together in pain from the past and fear for the future, and it feels as though there’s no way to escape either. Draper captures the life of an average teen through the realest form of unreality exceptionally well.

Sharon m draper november blues