Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper

Quick Synopsis: Melody Brooks is trapped in her own body, unable to communicate or move freely due to her diagnosis of Cerebral Palsy. Narrated by Melody, Out of My Mind allows Melody to tell her own story as she navigates many normal situations: her parents expecting another child, her peers leaving her out of social interactions at school, a tough mentor who forces her to expect more from herself, feeling distant from her parents, and even a health scare with her baby sister. In a self-aware, coming-of-age, Melody is able to open us all to a world much that is surprisingly not much different than our own.

Why Students Like It: Naturally, students love the chance to look into the mind of someone who can’t speak or interact normally with the rest of the world. Melody’s predicament is uncharted waters for them, and they are fascinated at the opportunity to imagine what it is like to not be able to do basic, everyday functions. They also really enjoy the fact that in many, many ways, Melody is just as normal as them. She has a flair for biting humor and sarcasm, but she also shares their fears of being left out, alone, and forgotten.

Why I Like It: Use this book if you need to talk to students about empathy. Out of My Mind asks students to examine a life unlike their own and then asks them to feel Melody’s pain, joys, and fears. It’s also a fascinating trip to imagine the mind of people who are “trapped” in their own heads, unable to communicate normally. So often we relate the ability to speak with intelligence, discrediting people with stutters or communication disorders. This book asks us to look beyond communication abilities and to think about what the person is actually thinking or feeling. Sharon Draper did an excellent job giving a voiceless narrator a chance to speak, and it certainly left me more open-minded and aware of people with communication difficulties.