Out of my Mind

Out of my Mind

Draper, S. M. (2010). Out of my mind. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

Melody is a smart young girl with a photographic memory, but she also has cerebral palsy.  She is eleven years old and has never spoken a word.  She cannot do anything on her own, so people don't know that she is one of the smartest girls in school, until one day her life changes.  She is given a tool to communicate, and it is then that she starts feeling a bit normal.  

Evaluation Criteria: Character and Plot

Melody like other girls her age many times go unheard.  In her case, things are different but not unique.  Melody’s voice and struggle make her character one that children can easily root for and hopefully find some understanding of other’s that are different than themselves.  This book's language is believable and reflect the way children really think and talk at that age.  The plot of this story is also something that children can identify and relate to.  Melody has to cope with the problem that she cannot express herself.  With the help of tool that she was given to communicate, she is finally able to express herself.   Even with this amazing tool Melody’s struggle is not over and just when you think her problem is solved she still has to deal with social inequalities that happen to people with Cerebral Palsy.

Book Details:

http://sharondraper.com/bookdetail.asp?id=35

Sharon Draper speaking about the book:

http://bcove.me/j2s0gepx