Book Review: Out of My Mind

by Siheon Park, age 11

Out of My Mind is a realistic fiction novel that shows the struggles of the main character with cerebral palsy and how she overcame them, published by Sharon M. Draper in 2010. The story begins with the protagonist Melody Brooks. She is a ten-year-old girl with cerebral palsy, a condition that limits her ability to speak and move. She also has synesthesia, a condition that allows her to visualize flavors and see colors when music is played. In the book, she states, “Jazz to me sounds brown and tan, and smells like dirt,” and “Country is lemons—not sour, but sugar sweet and tangy.” The author’s personal experience of raising a child with developmental difficulties inspired Melody’s character.

Mrs. V, a family friend, has taken care of Melody since she was a toddler. Rose and Catherine are friends that Melody made at the beginning of the book. Penny is Melody’s little sister; and Molly and Claire are the antagonists of this story.

One day, Melody's friend, Rose, showed off her new computer in school. This gave Melody and her other friend, Catherine, the idea to get Melody a Medi-Talker – a talking board with big buttons that are easy to press and speak the words that are on the keys. Catherine printed out the information and tucked it in Melody’s bag after searching the internet. When Mrs. V, a family friend, took care of Melody and her little sister Penny, Melody showed her parents and Mrs. V her information about the Medi-Talker. Melody's new Medi-Talker came on the Wednesday before Christmas. Melody was excited because she had the ability to communicate, which gave her the opportunity to be on the quiz team to gain more knowledge.

During the winter, Melody completed a trivia test and got onto the quiz team. After Christmas, the school sent five kids from the quiz team to the Whiz Kids Competition, where teams all over the city and state compete. The first-place team would receive a trip to Washington, D.C. for the nationals. After many rounds of competition, the day finally came when the team was going to the nationals. Molly and Claire, the antagonists, convinced the team to leave Melody behind. When the quiz team went to Washington D.C. without Melody, they got ninth place. They regretted leaving Melody behind, so they gave the trophy to her and apologized. Melody laughed while forgiving them because of how small the trophy was.

I would recommend this book to someone who likes autobiography or realistic fiction novels. This book is a personal favorite of mine and a great read for summer because it is about Melody overcoming cerebral palsy and the process of finding a solution. The story emphasizes how people should treat individuals with disabilities and leaves readers with a powerful and impactful message.