Out of My Mind

Draper, S. (2010). Out of my mind. NY: Atheneum. Melody is a young girl with an amazing heart and great potential. The only thing stopping her is her inability to speak, move, or even take herself to the bathroom. She is aware of her mental capabilities (even though others do not see her as an intelligent being) and is determined to show others that she is more than her cerebral palsy. Her teacher and  classmates are extremely surprised when Melody makes the team for a trivia competition and moves on to the national competition in Washington D.C. Unfortunately, the team leaves without her. They do come around and apologize to her. Sharon Draper exposes the reader to the challenges a young person with cerebral palsy may face. She changes the reader's opinion of people who have disabilities. They make look different on the outside, but in the inside we are all the same. Melody came to realize that she worries about the same things other girls her age worry about: how she looks, will a boy ever be attracted to her, etc. Draper may somewhat reshape the reader's believe that physical appearance matters. A person's true worth is in his heart and mind and not on the exterior. This would be an excellent book for third through fifth grade students to read as a class. It gives excellent opportunities for discussion and may positively influence a child to focus on the interior and welcoming diversity in their lives.