Module 7: Out of My Mind

Image retrieved from Amazon.com

Book Summary: The book begins with Melody, the main character, explaining that she knows thousands of words but has never spoken. Much of the beginning of the book is Melody explaining her first few years of life and describing her day to day life and how she adapts to her world. For example, her neighbor, Mrs. V, teaches her to recognize hundred of written words and creates a tray she can use to point to common words and names she uses. Melody is in a special education classroom at a local elementary school, and when she is in fifth grade, the school starts an inclusion program where the special ed students take a few classes with the regular program students. Because Melody is not cognitively impaired, she attends most academic classes with the rest of the fifth grade. She makes a friend, Rose, and most of the students are nice to her and accepting, but there are a couple of mean girls. On a trip to the aquarium, it is revealed that Rose is a little conflicted, maybe even embarrassed, about her friendship with Melody. Over the holidays, Melody gets a Medi-Talker, which allows her to type what she wants to say with her thumbs, and the machine will say it out loud. This is a huge breakthrough, but it still doesn't solve all of Melody's problems. As one of the smartest kids in fifth grade, she tries out for a quiz team, and gets the highest score, much to the surprise of the other students and even the teacher. After a lot of practice and the local competition, the team makes the national competition. When Melody and her family arrive at the airport, they discover her flight is canceled, and the team has left her behind without telling her they made an earlier flight. The next day, Melody's little sister has a close call when their mother hits her with the car accidentally, and by the time the team returns from D.C., Melody has found her voice and is able to confront them, accept herself, and stop seeking their approval.

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

Impressions: I was initially intrigued by the marketing of this book; the description on the cover focuses on Melody being an older child who has never spoken, so I had to know why. Was it some kind of trauma? Then, of course we learn early that it is severe cerebral palsy, and while I was fascinated by the background information and learning how Melody lives, I still wasn't sure the book was going to grip me; would there be any actual plot or was it just a lot of information about living with a debilitating disability? I was pleasantly surprised to find that I could not put the book down. Draper's ability to make the reader empathize with someone in Melody's situation in a completely new way is remarkable. I particularly enjoyed how even when Melody made strides, it was still so evident how hard her life was. She made a friend, but there were limitations. She accomplished being part of the quiz team, and even the teacher left her behind. The story was overall positive and hopeful, but it didn't shy away from the complications and heartache, which I think is what made it so powerful.

Professional Review (from Kirkus Reviews):
"Melody, diagnosed with cerebral palsy, cannot walk or talk. Despite her parents' best efforts, the outside world has defined her by her condition. Melody's life changes when inclusion classrooms are introduced in her school, and she interacts with children other than those in her special-needs unit. To these children, Melody is 'other,' and they are mostly uncomfortable with her sounds and jerky movements. Normal problems of school friendships are magnified. Preparation for a trivia competition and acquisition of a computer that lets her communicate her thoughts reveal Melody's intelligence to the world. Melody is an entirely complete character, who gives a compelling view from inside her mind. Draper never shies away from the difficulties Melody and her family face. Descriptions of both Melody's challenges--'Going to the bathroom at school just plain sucks'--and the insensitivities of some are unflinching and realistic. Realistically, Melody's resilient spirit cannot keep her from experiencing heartbreak and disappointment even after she has demonstrated her intellect. This book is rich in detail of both the essential normalcy and the difficulties of a young person with cerebral palsy."

Out of my mind [Review of the book, Out of my mind by S. Draper]. (2010). Kirkus Reviews, 78(4), 142.

Library Uses: This book could be used as part of a unit in which children learn about people who live differently. If possible, a guest with a disability could visit the library and talk to students about their challenges and how they navigate the world. Students could prepare questions ahead of time. Also, because the book begins and ends with the opening to Melody's autobiography assignment, the book could be used as a gateway to students writing their own autobiographies, or reading nonfiction autobiographies by real people. Another idea might be to introduce having some sort of inclusion program in the library where regular program students could help special education students choose and check out library books, allowing the regular program students to get to know and gain perspective on students with disabilities, hopefully breaking down stereotypes.