Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper is the story of Melody, a fifth-grade girl with cerebral palsy, and how her life changed (and didn't) when she found a better way to communicate her thoughts to the outside world.
Conclusion: This
book is very profound in its simplicity, and I think this would be a
good book for kids as an introduction to cerebral palsy. It's true that
Melody's situation is not typical. In my own limited interaction with
kids and adults with cerebral palsy, they had a much lower ability to
communicate their thoughts than she does. That being said, I think it's
important that her situation be somewhat special in order to get the
point across of what she is capable of with the right help and
technology, and to give this story its chance to sink in with the
reader. I hope this can shed some light on the intelligence and mental
capacity of people with cerebral palsy. Draper's treatment of Melody's
peer interaction is what I really appreciate about this book. There are
moments of connection and humor, but the kids never fully accept Melody
as one of them, and I think that's accurate. I also like the way she
builds the characters through the story. When the climax hits, each
character's role makes perfect sense.
Recommendation: I would probably recommend this
primarily to kids and teachers, but I thought it was well done and worth
the read.
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