Sharon Dennis Wyeth

Sharon Dennis Wyeth is an American poet and author of numerous children's books. Evette: The River and Me was derived from Wyeth's childhood in Washington, D.C., where she grew up swimming in the Anacostia River, in part, because Black Washingtonians were harassed when they attempted to access desegregated community pools.

Early life Wyeth was raised in Washington, D.C. and graduated from Anacostia High School in 1966. Later, Wyeth worked as a family counselor in New York City. During the 1990s, she wrote several books to include Once on This River, The World of Daughter McGuire, Always My Dad, and The Winning Stroke.

Orphea Proud is one of the many books written by authors who are LGBTQ, women, or people of color to be challenged by local school districts as being inappropriate and considered for banning.

In 2022, Wyeth published Juneteenth: Our Day of Freedom, non-fiction for children about Emancipation Day, 1865.

Wyeth is a visiting associate professor at Hollins University in Roanoke, Virginia.

Recognition Wyeth is a member of the Cave Canem fellowship of African American poets. Her picture book, Something Beautiful, was named a Children's Book Council Notable Book and a Parents Magazine Best Book of the Year.

In 2005, Wyeth was a Lambda Literary Award for Children's and Young Adult Literature finalist for her book, Orphea Proud.

Her book, Evette: The River and Me, won a 2021 Good Housekeeping Best Toy Award along with the accompanying American Girl doll, Evette Peeters.