Sharon M. Draper is a three-time New York Times bestselling author for Out of My Mind, Blended, and Out of My Heart. She’s also won Coretta Scott King Awards for Copper Sun and Forged by Fire and multiple honors. She’s also the recipient of the Margaret A. Edwards Award honoring her significant and lasting contribution to writing for teens. Sharon taught high school English for twenty-five years and was named National Teacher of the Year. She now lives in Florida. Visit her at SharonDraper.com.
*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."
-School Library Journal "STARRED REVIEW
*Fifth-grader Melody has cerebral palsy, a condition that affects
her body but not her mind. Although she is unable to walk, talk, or
feed or care for herself, she can read, think, and feel. A
brilliant person is trapped inside her body, determined to make her
mark in the world in spite of her physical limitations. Draper
knows of what she writes; her daughter, Wendy, has cerebral palsy,
too. And although Melody is not Wendy, the authenticity of the
story is obvious. Told in Melody's voice, this highly readable,
compelling novel quickly establishes her determination and
intelligence and the almost insurmountable challenges she faces. It
also reveals her parents' and caretakers' courage in insisting that
Melody be treated as the smart, perceptive child she is, and their
perceptiveness in understanding how to help her, encourage her, and
discourage self-pity from others. Thoughtless teachers, cruel
classmates, Melody's unattractive clothes ("Mom seemed to be
choosing them by how easy they'd be to get on me"), and bathroom
issues threaten her spirit, yet the brave Melody shines through.
Uplifting and upsetting, this is a book that defies age
categorization, an easy enough read for upper-elementary students
yet also a story that will enlighten and resonate with teens and
adults. Similar to yet the antithesis of Terry Trueman's Stuck in
Neutral (2000), this moving novel will make activists of us all.
-"Booklist "STARRED REVIEW
Eleven-year-old Melody Brooks has a photographic memory,
synesthesia, and cerebral palsy. She can't speak or feed herself,
and her motor skills are limited to whatever her thumbs can manage.
The neighbor woman who takes care of Melody while her parents work
is determined that Melody will learn as much as possible, and she
works tirelessly to expand the girl's vocabulary. Eventually, with
the help of a communication device, Melody manages to show her
teachers and classmates just how much she knows. The premise of
Melody's cognitive skills being trapped in a minimally functioning
body recalls Trueman's "Stuck in Neutral "(BCCB 6/00), and the
theme retains its fascination; Draper's smooth style enhances the
story, and there's a romantic element to the notion that Melody
isn't simply capable but actually gifted. The drama is overplayed,
though, with Melody's abilities implausibly superlative. Melody's
school experiences are somewhat anachronistic, and her classmates
are little more than a collection of cliches, from the special
needs kids who are unfailingly kind and noble to the normal kids
who are outspokenly rude. Draper is a master of melodrama, though,
and Melody's story certainly doesn't lack that; she may not be a
particularly believable character, but she's an interesting one,
and her plight will do its work of making students think twice
about their classmates, acquaintances, and siblings with special
needs. -- "BULLETIN, "March 1, 2010
Melody Brooks, in a wheelchair and unable to speak, narrates this
story about finding her voice. The first half of the book
catalogues Melody's struggles--from her frustration with learning
the same preschool lessons year after year to her inability to
express a craving for a Big Mac. Draper, whose daughter has
cerebral palsy, writes with authority, and the rage behind Melody's
narrative is perfectly illustrated in scenes demonstrating the
startling ignorance of many professionals (a doctor diagnoses
Melody as "profoundly retarded"), teachers, and classmates. The
lack of tension in the plot is resolved halfway through when
Melody, at age 10, receives a talking computer, allowing her to
"speak." Only those with hearts of stone won't blubber when Melody
tells her parents "I love you" for the first time. Melody's
off-the-charts smarts are revealed when she tests onto her school's
quiz bowl team, and the story shifts to something closer to The
View from Saturday than Stuck in Neutral. A horrific event at the
end nearly plunges the story into melodrama and steers the
spotlight away from Melody's determination, which otherwise drives
the story. Ages 10-up. (Mar.) -"Publishers Weekly"
"Like Stephen Hawking, who becomes her hero, Melody discovers that
her inner strength and intelligence are more reliable than most of
the humans around her. She becomes an activist for herself, even as
Draper challenges those who read her story to become activists for
those who are different." -The Columbus Dispatch
This powerful story by a two-time Coretta Scott King winner offers
a wrenching insight into so many vital lives that the able-bodied
overlook. If there's only one book teens and parents (and everyone
else) can read this year, "Out of My Mind" should be it. --The
Denver Post
Unflinching and realistic...Rich in details of both the essential
normalcy and the difficulties of a young person with cerebral
palsy. -Kirkus STARRED REVIEW
Fifth-grader Melody Brooks has cerebral palsy, is wheelchair-bound, and attends school with other kids with special needs. Although she's never spoken a single word and is hampered by her physical limitations, Melody is brilliant. When she receives a computer with a special keyboard, she finally gains a voice. Sharon M. Draper has populated her compelling novel (Atheneum, 2010) with vibrant characters, and narrator Sisi Aisha Johnson brings themto their full potential, giving Melody the sass she deserves. (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
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