By Shannon Maughan |
In her 2010 novel
Out of My Mind (S&S/Atheneum/Dlouhy), author Sharon Draper introduced readers to Melody Brooks, an 11-year-old girl with cerebral palsy frustrated by the limitations people have placed on her and desperate to communicate her intelligence and wit as she navigates fifth grade. The book has sold more than four million copies and has been on the
New York Times bestseller list for nearly four years.
Out of My Mind was widely embraced by students, educators, and parents; Melody’s narrative especially rang true for young readers with cerebral palsy, or who may have other disabilities, and their families. Draper notes that she has a family member who is the inspiration for this book, but that Melody’s story is not a literal interpretation.