Out of my mind book review by Esther Ardern

Out of my mind is a book about an eleven year old girl named melody. Melody lives with a disability named cerebral palsy. She faces an infinite amount of challenges but still manages to get the question, ‘what is wrong with you?’. She still goes to school but has to stay in a room with several other disabled kids. At lunch time she has no-one to sit and talk to, no-one to promise to call after school and no-one to share secrets with. When she finds out she has the chance to go and visit a ‘normal’ class with ‘normal’ students, she is buzzing with joy.
But will her other class mates be excited as she is? After this class where will it take her?

Sharon Draper (the author) weaves many themes into her writing. By the end of this book you realise that friendship plays a big role in melody’s life. Melody manages to find a friend in her inclusion classes, but where’s will their bond take them? What will they do together together to bond more?

In out of my mind melody uses many different PLA’s to overcome her difficulties and just in general. She uses imagination to Imagine the colours in all her favourite songs. She also imagines music tastes and have symbols. She uses mostly resilience because most people don’t think she knows anything, let alone her name.

Melody has many good and bad relation ships with the people around her.she makes a good relation ship to Rose, the girl who wanted to be melody’s friend when no-one else wanted to, Mrs. Shannon, who got melody an aide to help her every day. But sadly there are two people who made bad relationships with Melody. Molly and Claire, the inclusion class bullies.

Out of my mind is a heart-waring read that will help you get to know children with cerebral palsy. It is for ages 11+ and is a must read.

By Esther Ardern