Fall 2021: Wild Readers Group 5 discussion

Out of My Mind

I was hooked on this book as soon as I started reading it. What enticed me to read this book was that it was something I could relate to in a way. Working with children that have special needs can be a bit confusing at times when they cannot speak for themselves and I always wonder, what is going through their mind, what do they want to say but can't, what do they know, the questions are infinite. The book starts off when the main character ( Melody) is two years old who has cerebral palsy and the book serves as her voice. Countless doctors told Melody's mother that she was “ severely brain damaged” and that “ it's only normal to have wishful thinking” but Melody's mother never took no for an answer and knew her daughter had some spark in her (16).Doctors also mentioned that Melody would never be able to speak a sentence or understand anything but boy were they wrong. What I liked the most about the book was how detailed the author was about Melodys feelings and her thoughts. She does an amazing job at showing Melodys frustration when she can't express herself and her happiness when she meets Rose (I'm not sure how I feel about her yet). What was truly a tear jerker was when Melody found her voice and she could finally speak her mind ( which Claire and Molly weren't too happy about). Most importantly, this book is a great example as to why inclusion education is fundamental. Nevertheless, make sure to have some tissues nearby because once you get to the middle of the book, you won't be able to stop reading!
Out of My Mind