by Sharon M. Draper
Melody Brooks is eleven years old and has a photographic memory, but she has never uttered a single word herself. She has cerebral palsy which prevents her from walking, talking, feeding herself, and even going to the bathroom unassisted. Melody attends public school and is in a self-contained special education class until fifth grade when she begins an inclusion program. Although she enjoys the classes, the children and, sadly, many of the teachers assume she is an imbecile. With the aid of a special computer, she is finally able to communicate to others what was formerly only in her mind.
Out of My Mind provides a vicarious experience for readers, allowing them to step into the shoes of Melody. In addition, it is a fantastic resource for preteens and teens to build empathy for those who are different than themselves. In my opinion, Draper's description of the life of Melody's goldfish, Ollie, is a great analogy for Melody's situation. When Ollie jumped out of his bowl, I envisioned that he was tired of being trapped inside his limited life. Similarly, Melody is going out of her mind because she is trapped inside her head. Devastatingly, Ollie does not survive. Thankfully, Melody has Catherine, Mrs. V, and her parents to help her jump and survive. They help Melody get a Medi-Talker which changes the course of Melody's life. There is a thought-provoking Reading Group Guide included at the end of this chapter book which provides discussion topics, as well as activities and research. (ages 10 and up)
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Author, Sharon M. Draper's website: http://sharondraper.com/
Meet the author and hear her speak about Out of My Mind:
Book trailer:
Information about cerebral palsy: http://kidshealth.org/en/parents/cerebral-palsy.html
