National Awards:
* Coretta Scott King Award (4 times):
* 1996 for "The Battle of Jericho"
* 2001 for "Tears of a Tiger"
* 2008 for "Out of My Mind"
* 2014 for "Stella by Starlight"
* Newbery Honor (1 time):
* 2008 for "Out of My Mind"
* National Book Award for Young People's Literature (1 time):
* 2001 for "Tears of a Tiger"
* American Library Association's Alex Award (1 time):
* 2002 for "Tears of a Tiger"
* Parents' Choice Gold Award (1 time):
* 2008 for "Out of My Mind"
* American Booksellers Association's Indies Choice Award (1 time):
* 2008 for "Out of My Mind"
* Golden Kite Award (1 time):
* 2016 for "Copper Sun"
* Parents' Choice Award (multiple times)
State and Regional Awards:
* North Carolina Award for Literature (1 time):
* 2011
Other Notable Honors:
* The Charlotte Observer's "20th Century Person of the Year" (1 time):
* 2000
* Inducted into the North Carolina Literary Hall of Fame (1 time):
* 2005
This list is not exhaustive, as Draper has received many other awards and accolades for her work. She is a highly respected author and her books continue to be praised by critics and readers alike.