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A review by backpackingbookworm
Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
3.5 stars
I read this book as part of my reading challenge, where January's theme was 'characters with a disability.' It certainly puts you in Melody's shoes as she tries to navigate all the issues of pre-teenage life along with the frustrations of being unable to voice her thoughts. It opens your eyes to how children who don't conform to ideas of 'normal' are treated like they're babies/stupid/non-existent. Melody had a perfectly functioning brain and was incredibly smart, but many overlooked her intelligence because she had cerebral palsy, was wheelchair-bound, and non-verbal. I loved how the author gave Melody a voice and felt so much pride when the mainstream children accepted her in their classes. I also felt anger, humiliation, and despair when she was teased and purposefully left out.
I wasn't a huge fan of the writing in this one which is where my rating dropped the most points. Much of the language is now dated and could have easily been avoided by staying generic to give the book a longer shelf-life. I also felt that the author was trying to hard to speak 'kid' (maybe I'm just the wrong audience but it felt a little overdone to me).
The plot was basic but for a younger audience, the main points were definitely addressed and the morals were clear - accept people for who they are, never judge someone just because they aren't what you deem 'normal,' and always, always be kind.
I read this book as part of my reading challenge, where January's theme was 'characters with a disability.' It certainly puts you in Melody's shoes as she tries to navigate all the issues of pre-teenage life along with the frustrations of being unable to voice her thoughts. It opens your eyes to how children who don't conform to ideas of 'normal' are treated like they're babies/stupid/non-existent. Melody had a perfectly functioning brain and was incredibly smart, but many overlooked her intelligence because she had cerebral palsy, was wheelchair-bound, and non-verbal. I loved how the author gave Melody a voice and felt so much pride when the mainstream children accepted her in their classes. I also felt anger, humiliation, and despair when she was teased and purposefully left out.
I wasn't a huge fan of the writing in this one which is where my rating dropped the most points. Much of the language is now dated and could have easily been avoided by staying generic to give the book a longer shelf-life. I also felt that the author was trying to hard to speak 'kid' (maybe I'm just the wrong audience but it felt a little overdone to me).
The plot was basic but for a younger audience, the main points were definitely addressed and the morals were clear - accept people for who they are, never judge someone just because they aren't what you deem 'normal,' and always, always be kind.
Content Warnings
Minor: Vomit