Out of My Mind

So I’m a sucker for stories with kids who have disabilities. Sue me. I couldn’t resist Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper, a middle grade novel about a girl named Melody with cerebral palsy.

Man, Draper is good at getting inside peoples’ heads! I felt everything Melody felt, from jealousy to wanting to be normal to feeling as if she didn’t have a voice anyone wanted to hear. At the end of the day, doesn’t everyone feel like that? Her character is so well fleshed out, which is great for a first person narrator. I especially love the addition of Rose and all the emotion it enacts out of Melody.

Sometimes these types of stories feel as if they go on and on without anything happening in the plot. Out of My Mind refuses to do this. The pacing keeps the reader interested. The twists and turns kept me on my toes. I did not, in any way, shape, or form, see that ending coming! It keeps the reader engaged while keeping the story from being anything but cliche.

Most authors in middle grade feel as though they need to end the story happy. Without getting into too many details, Out of My Mind doesn’t fit into that category. The resolution works in such a unique and thrilling way.

I also loved the goldfish scene. The fact that all he wanted was to be free, and it ultimately led to his downfall. I think it says a lot about Melody and about the world as a whole.

Recommended for anyone who needs a sneaky middle grade.

--Grace Nask