Out of My Mind

Despite cerebral palsy preventing her from speaking, Melody Brooks, the main character of this novel, loves language and aptly describes the teachers who have taught her in both her special needs and general education classrooms – the good, the bad, and ugly.

But the character who really spoke to me was her educational aide. So I’m bending the rules of my list a bit to give a shout out for the aide, Catherine, who quietly advocated for respect and inclusion for all students through her example.

As a parent of a child with special needs I’m grateful for all the… show more.

Tough girls are my love, and Melody Brooks is one of the toughest. Life throws us all curves, but Melody has some of the toughest I’ve read about. She knows absolutely everything because she has a photographic memory. Yet no one knows how smart she is because Melody can’t walk or talk or write. Why? She has cerebral palsy. Now, that might break most people, but not Melody Brooks! She is determined to let everyone know that a bright light is hiding inside her, one that wants to be known and recognized. Her journey toward acceptance by her peers and… show more.

As an educator, I cannot recommend this book enough. It’s a powerful story defying stereotypes, and it’s a great read for parents, teachers, and children. I think of this book every time I have a challenging student because this book shows a child can show their understanding in so many ways. Teaching is an art and a skill difficult to master, and it’s important for educators to remember how kids feel when they’re in school. 

This book was an inspirational and eye-opening read on both personal and professional levels for me. Melody is an 11-year-old girl with severe cerebral palsy who is non-verbal and wheelchair-bound. We learn from her narration that she is clever, funny, and completely unable to express herself so is constantly misjudged. She describes agonizingly frustrating experiences with the medical community which hit close to home and have changed me for good. When Melody is literally given a voice, she learns to use it to its fullest and to show up as she truly is. This is a heartwarming, funny, and inspiring… show more.