School is hard enough for most of us…imagine what it would be like if you couldn’t talk, or walk, or even feed yourself.  In Out of My Mind, Melody has this very problem. She has cerebral palsy, which makes it hard for her to even hold things. But she has an amazing mind and the capacity to remember almost everything she hears. She’d like to share her thoughts with her family, the kids at school, and be able to participate like everyone else, but most people just look right past her.
But things start to look up for Melody. She gets a communication device that talks for her and an aide who begins taking her to regular classes. Before you know it, she is taking a test to be on the school’s trivia team, and gets every question right! Will the other students finally start seeing the person she is and not just the disability? This book made me laugh, made me angry and sad at some of the things that happened to Melody, but also really happy to see the positive changes that happen for Melody. Give it a chance and this book will surprise you.

Book reviewed by Claire B., Youth Outreach Coordinator