Read this when
Out of My Mind
Imagine having a million words and no way to say them. Then imagine people thinking you have none. Melody's done being underestimated. 💬
Who it's for
Melody narrates from inside a mind full of words, memories and music that no one around her can hear, which gives readers a powerful experience of being underestimated.
Lonely→Understood
Feelings it meets
What it is
Sharon M. Draper's middle-grade novel is narrated by Melody Brooks, a ten-year-old with cerebral palsy who cannot speak or move independently and is far more capable than her special education classes assume.
Where to find it
In print (Atheneum/Simon & Schuster) and in libraries (Libby/Hoopla); audiobook available. Film adaptation (2024, Disney+).
Before you start
Heads up: A toddler hit by a car; bullying.
Age: Ages 9+
Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it.Helen Keller, Optimism: An Essay
