Out of My Mind
by Sharon M. Draper

 From the publisher:
Melody is not like most people. She cannot walk or talk, but she has a photographic memory; she can remember every detail of everything she has ever experienced. She is smarter than most of the adults who try to diagnose her and smarter than her classmates in her integrated classroom - the very same classmates who dismiss her as mentally challenged because she cannot tell them otherwise. But Melody refuses to be defined by cerebral palsy. And she's determined to let everyone know it - somehow.

I really liked this book and it gave me all the feels, however there were some things that really bothered me. I didn't appreciate the portrayal of most of the teachers. Maybe it is just that our school is special and inclusive, but we love our special needs kids here - staff and students, alike. I have an elementary age special needs granddaughter in another city who has had amazing SpEd teachers and GenEd teachers who have loved her and taught her. So I really hated that even the "nice" teachers were a little clueless. I also didn't like the ending and thought it was unnecessary. I would rather have had the kids at school be more accepting and gone on with that storyline. That being said, I really did like the book and loved Melody. I can't imagine what it would be like to have so much intelligence and be trapped in a body you can't control. And our middle school students LOVE this book and they won't notice the things that bothered me. I think they will probably just learn from it and expand their minds on how people with disabilities should be loved, respected, and treated with kindness. I will highly recommend this to my students, as they have recommended it to me.

Suggested Ages:  
Booklist - Grades 5-8
Publisher's Weekly - Ages 10+