Out of My Mind (Draper novel)

Out of My Mind (novel)

Book Cover for Out of My Mind
Author Sharon Draper
Cover artist Debra Sfetsios-Conover
Country United States
Language English
Genre Realistic fiction
Set in United States
Publisher Atheneum Books For Young Readers, Simon & Schuster
Publication date
 9 March 2010
Media type Print (Hardcover, Paperback), eBook, audiobook
Pages 295
ISBN 978-1-4169-7170-2

Out of My Mind is a novel by Sharon M. Draper, a New York Times bestselling author. The cover illustration of the fifth edition is by Daniel Chang, and the cover photography is by Cyril Bruneau/Jupiter Images. A reading group guide is enclosed. The book is recommended for ages 10 and up and for grades 5-8. The story was written in first person, featuring Melody Brooks, a girl with cerebral palsy.

Audiobook and eBook versions of Out of My Mind have been produced. The audiobook was read by Sisi Aisha Johnson, and is 7 hours long.

Plot

Melody Brooks is a disabled, eleven-year-old girl diagnosed with cerebral palsy. She can't talk, walk, or write. However, she has a photographic memory: She never forgets anything. No one knows her talent, because she can't communicate. The words are stuck in her head. She was tagged as "severely brain-damaged and profoundly retarded" when she was five years old. Melody lives with her little sister, Penny, her dog, Butterscotch, and her parents.[1]

Melody learns in a special program in room H-5 of Spaulding Street Elementary School with six other kids with disabilities. In her grade 5 year, she gets an electric wheelchair, and has inclusion classes, lessons with normal students, every Wednesday. There, she meets a regular girl called Rose, who is particularly nice to her.[2]

At the end of October that year, Melody is assigned a "mobility assistant" called Catherine.

One day, Melody goes into her inclusion classroom and sees everyone crowding around Rose's desk — Rose got a new lime-green laptop. This inspired Melody to buy a computer for the disabled that could talk. After searching on the Internet, Melody finds the Medi-Talker.[3]

After submitting and resubmitting several forms, on the Wednesday before Christmas, Melody's Medi-Talker arrives in the mail. She names the machine Elvira, after her favorite Country song. She finally is able to talk; she says the words she has never been able to say to her mom and dad: "I love you."[4]

After Christmas break, the inclusion class does the practice test for the Whiz Kids competition, a multiple choice, trivia competition. Melody participates, and gets a perfect score because of her photographic memory. However, she is insulted by the history teacher, Mr.Dimming, who states that his questions mustn't be hard enough. Some students, such as Claire, accuse Catherine of helping Melody.[5]

When the test to pick out the official quiz team comes, Mr.Dimming is reluctant to let Melody participate, stating that the test is "not a recreational activity just for fun". Melody participates despite Mr.Dimming's discouragement.[6]

On the following Tuesday, the results are announced. Melody has gotten a perfect score on the test, an achievement no one has accomplished in Mr.Dimming's 15 years of teaching. Melody has an earthquake going on in her mind. Although she tried hard to prevent it, she does a spastic dance, jerking her head and screeching. A few people giggle and imitate her, which makes her extremely embarrassed.[7]

Melody prepares vigorously for the competition. She goes to the practices in the afternoon and after school every day, and studies with Mrs.Violet Valencia, her neighbor, every evening.[8]

The day of the actual competition arrives. Melody's team wins against Woodland Elementary, then beats Perry Valley Elementary School by just one point. They get to represent their state at the finals in Washington, D.C. Melody can't stop herself from doing the dance of kicking, jerking and screeching.[9]

Cameras surrounded Melody's quiz team. They go to an all-you-can-eat spaghetti restaurant called Linguini's, where Melody was forced to reveal to her quiz team that she can't eat by herself, and has to be fed.[10]

The day before the finals in Washington, Melody and her mother cheerfully start to pack. They already bought thank-you cards to both Catherine and Mrs.Valencia, and the competition is 7 o' clock the next day.

In the morning of competition day, everything was fine and in order until Melody gets to the airport. The uniformed lady at the desk tells Melody's mother that the noon flight they are taking has been cancelled due to a snowstorm in the Northeast. The other members of the team arrived early and switched to the last flight an hour before. No one notified Melody. There is no way to get her to Washington on time.[11]

Melody refuses to eat lunch. She cries in her bed, questions popping into her head.[12]

The next day, rain is pouring, followed by thunder, lightning, and wind. Melody's mother has a migraine, Penny is sick, and Butterscotch threw up on the carpet. Melody is notified by her father that her team got ninth place last night—an useless achievement, and a tiny trophy. Despite the messy weather, Melody wants to go to school to talk to Catherine. Her mother lifts her into the car. Melody catches a glimpse of Penny running out of the house. She tries to get her mother's attention, but she can't communicate. She screamed and kicked, but her mother just gets angry at her, and even hit her. The car starts and rolls backwards. Penny is hit by the car with a soft thud.[13]

Melody and Mrs.V stayed after Melody's parents left with the ambulance. Melody thinks the accident is her fault, and feels like it should be her who is suffering from injuries, not Penny. Soon, she is notified that Penny survived the surgery, and is alive.[14]

Melody returns to school on Monday. She now looks at the disabled members of her special class differently. She goes into her inclusion class. Everyone is silent. Rose eventually stands up and explains what happened on competition day: The team went to eat breakfast together, but did not invite Melody, because she has to be fed and slows everyone down. They were informed that the noon flight has been cancelled, and took the 9 o' clock flight. Rose flipped open her phone to call Melody, then looked at the other team members, but everyone just shook their heads slightly. She never made the call.

The team wants Melody to have the ninth place trophy, small and made of cheap, painted plastic. Melody laughs, then smacks the trophy to the ground, breaking it into pieces. After a while, everyone starts to laugh as well. Melody rolls out of the classroom.[15]

The story ends with a repetition of the prologue.[16]

Awards and Achievements

Reception

Critical reception has been positive. Out of My Mind has received reviews from The Denver Post, The Columbus Dispatch, Publishers Weekly, Children's Literature, Washington Post, The Horn Book, and The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books. The novel received starred reviews from School Library Journal, Booklist, and Kirkus Reviews. Kirkus Reviews praised the book was "rich in detail of both the essential normalcy and the difficulties of a young person with cerebral palsy", and "descriptions of both Melody’s challenges—“Going to the bathroom at school just plain sucks”—and the insensitivities of some are unflinching and realistic".[18] Publishers Weekly criticized that there was a "lack of tension in the plot", although it was "resolved halfway through".[19] Booklist stated that Out of My Mind is "a book that defies age categorization, an easy enough read for upper-elementary students yet also a story that will enlighten and resonate with teens and adults".[20] The Bulletin said the novel "[Will make] students think twice about their classmates, acquaintances, and siblings with special needs".[17] The Columbus Dispatch (Ohio) and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Pennsylvania) stated "Draper challenges those who read her story to become activists for those who are different".[17] The Denver Post powerfully concluded: "if there's only one book teens and parents (and everyone else) can read this year, Out of My Mind should be it."[21] VOYA Magazine praised "Melody's triumphs and setbacks as she strives to become a socially accepted classmate and team member are vividly described in this inspirational novel, which will appeal not only to middle school readers but also to anyone who wonders what might be going on in the minds of individuals with severe physical handicaps".[22] The Horn Book exclaimed that the novel is "a powerfully eye-opening book with both an unforgettable protagonist and a rich cast of fully realized, complicated background characters".[23] Children's Literature said "this is a truly moving novel".[22] The Washington Post commented "author Sharon Draper creates an authentic character who insists, through her lively voice and indomitable will, that the reader become fully involved with the girl in the pink wheelchair".[17]

References

  1. ↑ Draper, Sharon. Out of My Mind. Atheneum Books For Young Readers. pp. 1–26. ISBN 978-1-4169-7170-2.
  2. ↑ Draper, Sharon. Out of My Mind. Atheneum Books For Young Readers. pp. 27–101. ISBN 978-1-4169-7170-2.
  3. ↑ Draper, Sharon. Out of My Mind. Atheneum Books For Young Readers. pp. 104–129. ISBN 978-1-4169-7170-2.
  4. ↑ Draper, Sharon. Out of My Mind. Atheneum Books For Young Readers. pp. 130–138. ISBN 978-1-4169-7170-2.
  5. ↑ Draper, Sharon. "17". Out of My Mind. Atheneum Books For Young Readers. pp. 145–155. ISBN 978-1-4169-7170-2.
  6. ↑ Draper, Sharon. Out of My Mind. Atheneum Books For Young Readers. pp. 167–184. ISBN 978-1-4169-7170-2.
  7. ↑ Draper, Sharon. "21". Out of My Mind. Atheneum Books For Young Readers. pp. 168–191. ISBN 978-1-4169-7170-2.
  8. ↑ Draper, Sharon. "22". Out of My Mind. Atheneum Books For Young Readers. pp. 192–196. ISBN 978-1-4169-7170-2.
  9. ↑ Draper, Sharon. Out of My Mind. Atheneum Books For Young Readers. pp. 197–227. ISBN 978-1-4169-7170-2.
  10. ↑ Draper, Sharon. Out of My Mind. Atheneum Books For Young Readers. pp. 229–238. ISBN 978-1-4169-7170-2.
  11. ↑ Draper, Sharon. Out of My Mind. Atheneum Books For Young Readers. pp. 248–261. ISBN 978-1-4169-7170-2.
  12. ↑ Draper, Sharon. "29". Out of My Mind. Atheneum Books For Young Readers. pp. 262–265. ISBN 978-1-4169-7170-2.
  13. ↑ Draper, Sharon. "30". Out of My Mind. Atheneum Books For Young Readers. pp. 266–276. ISBN 978-1-4169-7170-2.
  14. ↑ Draper, Sharon. "31". Out of My Mind. Atheneum Books For Young Readers. pp. 277–282. ISBN 978-1-4169-7170-2.
  15. ↑ Draper, Sharon. "32". Out of My Mind. Atheneum Books For Young Readers. pp. 283–292. ISBN 978-1-4169-7170-2.
  16. ↑ Draper, Sharon. "33". Out of My Mind. Atheneum Books For Young Readers. pp. 293–295. ISBN 978-1-4169-7170-2.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 "Sharon Draper Author Page: Out of My Mind Reviews". 2014 Sharon Draper. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
  18. ↑ "Kirkus Starred Review:OUT OF MY MIND". 22 December 2010. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
  19. ↑ "Publishers Weekly: Out of My Mind". PWxyz, LLC. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
  20. ↑ Frances Bradburn. "Booklist Review: Out of My Mind". 2014 Booklist Publications. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
  21. ↑ Claire Martin (7 March 2010). "The Denver Post: Children's Books". 2014 The Denver Post. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 "Barnes & Noble: Out of My Mind". 1997-2014 Barnesandnoble.com llc. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
  23. ↑ "The Horn Book (Bookverdict): Out of My Mind". Media Source Book Verdict 2012. 1 March 2010. Retrieved 20 December 2014.

External links