Module 7: Out of my Mind

Out of my Mind
by Sharon Draper

Book Summary:

Out of my Mind is the tale of Melody, a fifth grader with cerebral palsy, who cannot speak. She is very intelligent, but most people underestimate her mental capabilities because of her physical setbacks. Melody narrates the story of her life and allows the reader to experience her frustration and anger as she deals with everyday life, school, home, and trying to establish friendships and any sense of normalcy. Melody is able to communicate freely for the first time after her parents order a Medi-Talk machine for her. The new machine enables the rest of the world to see how intelligent Melody really is and she is able to interact with her family and classmates. Because of the Medi-Talker, Melody is able to try out for her school’s quiz team and she makes the team with the highest score on the qualifying quiz. It is obvious that Mr. Dimming, the quiz team teacher, is uncomfortable with this new development, but he allows her to be on the team. Melody helps her team win the regional championship and earn on spot at the national competition in Washington D.C. However, Melody faces a trauma many pre-teens deal with when she is not easily accepted by the other members of the quiz team. Their resulting actions break Melody’s heart and causes instant outrage by her parents. Things are put back into perspective when Melody’s younger sister faces a traumatic experience of her own, that Melody was helpless to prevent. In the end Melody realizes that the emotional turmoil of her life is pretty characteristic of a normal pre-teen girl and not being in control of her own life is a reality that she must face.

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

My impressions:

This was a very emotional book to read. I found myself mesmerized by the idea of a handicapped child being trapped in her own body with words trapped in her perfectly capable mind. I felt as though I truly understood the wide range of emotions and frustrations that Melody was feeling as she tried to communicate with those around her. The book also helped me to become more empathetic to those people I encounter on a daily basis who are facing struggles of their own. I also appreciated that the author included the reality of the way special education students are treated – even sometimes by their teachers, when she was left behind by the quiz team. The emotions displayed by the students, the teacher, and Melody felt raw and uncensored and I was able to understand both perspectives and clearly see the wrong and right of the situation, while being aware that the wrong is more often the common practice when dealing with inclusion students. I was grateful that the author didn’t sugarcoat things and allowed Melody to react in a way that is characteristic of a young girl her age and showed through the quiz team kids that some people are just not capable of befriending a handicapped child, because that is something that takes bravery and selflessness – which are not common traits among young children.  

Professional review:

Gr 4-6–Born with cerebral palsy, Melody, 10, has never spoken a word. She is a brilliant fifth grader trapped in an uncontrollable body. Her world is enhanced by insight and intellect, but gypped by physical limitations and misunderstandings. She will never sing or dance, talk on the phone, or whisper secrets to her friends. She’s not complaining, though; she’s planning and fighting the odds. In her court are family, good neighbors, and an attentive student teacher. Pitted against her is the "normal" world: schools with limited resources, cliquish girls, superficial assumptions, and her own disability. Melody’s life is tragically complicated. She is mainly placed in the special-ed classroom where education means being babysat in a room with replayed cartoons and nursery tunes. Her supportive family sets her up with a computer. She learns the strength of thumbs as she taps on a special keyboard that finally lets her "talk." When she is transitioned into the regular classroom, Melody’s undeniable contribution enables her class to make it to the national quiz team finals. Then something happens that causes her to miss the finals, and she is devastated by her classmates’ actions. Kids will benefit from being introduced to Melody and her gutsy, candid, and compelling story. It speaks volumes and reveals the quiet strength and fortitude it takes to overcome disabilities and the misconceptions that go with them.

Follos, A. (2010, March 17).  [Review of the book Out of my mind, by S. Draper]. School
           Library Journal, 56(3), 156. Retrieved from http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com

Narrator Melody is a fifth grader with cerebral palsy, but she is much more than that. Like her hero Stephen Hawking, Melody is damaged on the outside and brilliant within. It takes awhile for the adults in her life, especially her teachers, to see just how much life there is behind those stiff arms and hands, wobbling head, and "slightly out of whack" dark brown eyes. While her parents and babysitter know that Melody has a rich intellect, few people realize just how bright she is until she receives "Elvira," her Medi-Talker computer. Claire, a classmate in Melody's inclusion class, says what many of us think when we see a person with cerebral palsy, "I'm not trying to be mean--honest--but it just never occurred to me that Melody had thoughts in her head." Draper paints the picture of a real fifth grader, a girl with tantrums and attitude, problems with mean girls and oafish adults. Hearts will soar when Melody makes the quiz team and plummet when her classmates end up leaving her behind at the airport. When Melody sees danger and cannot get others to understand, we feel her frustration and terror. This is a powerfully eye-opening book with both an unforgettable protagonist and a rich cast of fully realized, complicated background characters.

Smith, R. (2010, March-April). [Review of the book Out of my mind, by S. Draper]. The Horn
          Book Magazine, 86(2), 53. Retrieved from http://www.hbook.com

Library Uses:

The librarian could highlight this book by doing a book trailer and showing it to the co-teach or inclusion classes on campus. Supplement activities that I would suggest and would help prepare for the teacher would be an activity revolving around how it feels to be misunderstood or not heard, something Melody experiences on a daily basis. Students could also compare Melody’s life to her fish Ollie’s life in his fish bowl after reading the novel and display their creations in the library around a display of the book or a "What's Everyone on Campus Reading?" display.