Out of My Mind

Draper, S. (2010). Out of my mind. New York: Atheneum.

Melody is an eleven-year-old girl who has severe Cerebral Palsy and is unable to talk, walk or feed herself. The novel is written in her voice detailing what she is thinking inside, but unable to communicate with those around her. By fifth grade she has worked out a system of communication of pointing to words on a board, but she longs for more. With help, Melody and her family discover a communication device that speaks what is in her mind. That piece of technology changes Melody’s whole world. She studies (with the help of her neighbor, Mrs. V.) and makes the Whiz Kid team and helps the team win at the local championship. When the team departs for the national competition, they leave Melody behind. She is completely devastated, but is even more traumatized when her baby sister is accidently run over by her mother. All turns out well, and Melody finds so much strength she did not even know she had.

This outstanding novel is a moving book for children third grade and older. There are so many concepts for discussion: people with differences, how you treat people with differences, and how appearances are deceiving. Not only is Melody struggling with her handicap, she is also dealing with feelings and emotions every fifth grader faces. Her voice in this novel is very powerful. This would also be a great novel to read as a teacher and as a class read aloud, to remember that every child in the classroom is special and deserves the upmost respect.