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    Out of My Mind
    Out of My Mind
    Out of My Mind
    Audiobook6 hours

    Out of My Mind

    Written by Sharon M. Draper

    Narrated by Sisi Aisha Johnson

    4.5/5

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    About this audiobook

    A New York Times bestseller for three years and counting!

    “A gutsy, candid, and compelling story. It speaks volumes.” —School Library Journal (starred review)
    “Unflinching and realistic.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

    From award-winning author Sharon Draper comes a story that will forever change how we all look at anyone with a disability, perfect for fans of RJ Palacio’s Wonder.

    Eleven-year-old Melody is not like most people. She can’t walk. She can’t talk. She can’t write. All because she has cerebral palsy. But she also has a photographic memory; she can remember every detail of everything she has ever experienced. She’s the smartest kid in her whole school, but NO ONE knows it. Most people—her teachers, her doctors, her classmates—dismiss her as mentally challenged because she can’t tell them otherwise. But Melody refuses to be defined by her disability. And she’s determined to let everyone know it…somehow.

    Editor's Note

    A brave voice…

    A brave book celebrating children with disabilities, “Out of My Mind” tells the tale of brilliant 11-year-old Melody, whose cerebral palsy has left her voiceless — but not without a voice.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherSimon & Schuster Audio
    Release dateMar 29, 2016
    ISBN9781508222460
    Author

    Sharon M. Draper

    Sharon M. Draper is a three-time New York Times bestselling author for Out of My Mind, Blended, and Out of My Heart. She’s also won Coretta Scott King Awards for Copper Sun and Forged by Fire and multiple honors. She’s also the recipient of the Margaret A. Edwards Award honoring her significant and lasting contribution to writing for teens. Sharon taught high school English for twenty-five years and was named National Teacher of the Year. She now lives in Florida. Visit her at SharonDraper.com.

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    Reviews for Out of My Mind

    4.5/5

    1,460 ratings173 reviews

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    • 5/5
      Everyone who raved about R.J. Palacio's Wonder should read this book. Melody has cerebral palsy, which means she can't walk, can't even move her limbs much at all, and can't speak. But her limitations are purely physical. Melody has enjoyed reading and learning since she was read to as a baby, and now, at eleven, she is very intelligent. She knows the definitions of countless words, and knows a lot of trivia - she just can't prove it to anyone. The communication board her parents made is very limited, so Melody has to try and communicate through blinks, nods, and the occasional tantrum. When she starts fifth grade, her special class starts attending inclusion classes, which opens Melody's world up and leads to new opportunities. You'd think a book about a fifth grader would be low stakes, but there was some excellent suspense in this story! Melody was so well-written that I wanted to be her friend. I work with adults with disabilities, and this book really opened my eyes to what the individuals with CP are going through every day. It's an amazing book for everyone to read, and I'm going to be recommending it to everyone I meet.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      Soooo good
      I love this book soooo much it is the best book ever
    • 5/5
      One of the best books I've ever read or in this case, listened to.
    • 4/5
      Great story about a girl with cerebral palsey who one day gets a technological device that allows her to communicate.
    • 5/5
      This book is my new favorite it is so inspirational.It keeps you on the edge of your seat .It is happy and sad and motivating ?
    • 5/5
      A fictional tale of the experiences of a young girl with with severe CP. She is bright as a button but many people assume she is ineducable due to her communication difficulties. As she overcomes these she begins to write her life story. It's a brilliant story. The reader experiences her highs and lows, delights and frustrations, and ultimate coming of age. The author uses her family experience to convey the reality of growing up with a significant disability. As a Deaf Studies graduate I am acutely aware of the arguments against mainstream education for culturo-linguistic minorities, however this book makes a powerful argument for mainstreaming disabled students, but more importantly, doing it well. I loved this book so much I stayed up most of the night to finish it in 24 hours.
    • 5/5
      16. Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper (2010, 296 pages, Read Mar 8-11)Surprising good juvenile fiction. Not sure why I was surprised. It has a great setting, a good enough plot and just came across as really thoughtfully done. The premise is Melody Brooks, a tween in middle school who suffers from cerebral palsy, meaning she can't really move and can't talk. She narrates the book as an intelligent observer unable to communicate with the world around her, which is both sad and fascinating. Many juvenile books don't seem to take themselves very seriously. They have enough to get a young readers pulled in, with lots of silly humor, and few emotional punches and then a happy ending. This was nothing like that. It's a serious work exceptionally well done and gives the reader a lot to think about. And I appreciated a juvenile book with an uncomfortable ending.
    • 5/5
      I like this book ? it’s more different than the other books that I’ve read but I really like this book ?
    • 5/5
      The book was amazing, I smiled and cried while listening. This book so good I’m going insane!!! I need to know more, more MORE about melody’s life. 1000/10
    • 5/5
      Why did I wait so long to read this? Such a great heartwarming story with a fantastic reminder that much more can be going on in the heads of nonverbal kids than we can even dream. The narrator brings Melody to life with pizzazz and spunk.
    • 5/5
      This is one of the best books I have ever read I could not even put it down until I finished it was so good.
    • 5/5
      I really liked the book and thought it was very interesting. It gives you a great idea of what it would it would be like to have CP... I recommend this book
    • 5/5
      I might be sounding like a dork but i loved this so much because she is only eleven years old and she is really smart, sometimes what me to let people know about what she is saying like when they were at the store and she saw a toy that was making people sick i just wanted to go tell her mom what she meant.
    • 5/5
      Just got done reading the book it's the most touching and inspiring book ever, it changed my perspective on things I don't understand.
      Life isn't meant to be fair but we can be happy the way we are, without trying to fit in, embrance our strength.
    • 5/5
      I love this book. I recommend this book . I love it
    • 3/5
      Melody has cerebral palsy, cannot speak and is confined to a wheelchair. But what no one knows is that she's smart, obervant and has a photographic memory. Those skills may help take the school to a national championship of the Whiz Kids. But will her classmates and teacher accept her as part of the team? This introduces kids to the challenges faced by the severely disabled and perhaps help generate discussion about their humanity. Other novels on disability have greater depth (Accidents by Nature, Marcelo and the Real World, among others), but this is suitable.
    • 5/5
      OUT OF MY MIND by Sharon M DraperMelody, eleven years old, is brilliant. She also has spastic bilateral quadriplegia (cerebral palsy), is confined to a wheelchair and cannot speak. When she gets a Medi-Talker that allows her to communicate, her life changes. OUT OF MY MIND tells Melody’s story of being confined in so many ways until her Medi-Talker arrives and the changes it makes in her life and the lives of those around her. Told sensitively and with compassion, it also tells of the story of a “normal” pre-teen confined in a disability. Draper writes with clarity. Melody is a well-rounded character as are her mother and father, neighbor and mentor, personal assistant and, most importantly, the other fifth graders and teachers in both her “special” classes and her “inclusive” classes.Book groups (adult, teen, mother-daughter) will all find many topics for discussion including disabilities, friendship, jealousy, cliques, “special” education and others. Many of the topics will resonate with all teens and pre-teens who struggle with image, self-confidence and differences.5 of 5 stars
    • 5/5
      I found this story to be engaging and uplifting. I enjoyed the audio version because the narrator’s voice sounds like it could be Melody’s
    • 5/5
      Hi, My name is akadanahong, and I think this was the best book EVER! It has a lot of emotions, feelings, actions, and lots more. I think this book teaches us about how we look, hear and see differently, but no matter what, we can accomplish a lot of things. I think this Melody learned that she can do lots of things even though she is brain-damaged. I got angry when the Whiz Quiz Team had left Melody and went to Washington D.C without her. I got mad. Even so, I love this story.

      Love,
      akadanahong
      (P.S, Check out my Youtube Channel! akadanahong is the name. Please Subscribe!)
    • 5/5
      I received this book from @literaryloverlin when she did a flat lay giveaway. I chose this book based solely on the title and I’m so glad I did. I don’t typically read middle grade books, but I highly recommend this one!

      This is a heartfelt and vey story! Melody is born with cerebral palsy and is nonverbal, however she is brilliant, funny, and a go getter. She does not let her diagnosis and being nonverbal define her. The other children in Melody’s class can be very cruel, but Melody has an inner strength that doesn’t allow their meanness to touch her.

      This book is so powerful and has the potential to influence every person that reads it, no matter their age. I highly recommend reading this book for yourself, and if you have kids beginning around the fourth grade level, it’s definitely worth reading with them too!
    • 5/5
      I loved this boo it was amazing if u haven't read this yet do it's very good
    • 5/5
      The book was a very good book because it had lots of detail and the book had some emotions some up emotion and some down emotions I think this book was outstanding.
    • 3/5
      Questionable. Although I believe that representation is needed and this is an accessable way for yound adults to come into contact with disability, I do not love the fact that it is yet another extremely gifted child that is assumed to be stupid because of her disability. The only argument the main characters use against the ableism of the school and classmates is her special talent, rather than the idea that everyone should be treated with respects regardless of their capabilities. But I'm probably knit picking a little
    • 5/5
      I love how artistic this book is. I love it! It’s so beautifully written!
    • 5/5
      Outstanding book! To "hear" from a brilliant girl who cannot speak to really hearing from her through her talker was so enlightening. I was so proud of the way Melody handled her fellow Whiz Kid team members when they left her behind - so incredibly mature. This is such a good reminder that people who look different can still have a lot to offer. This book was also very well written. Lots of very descriptive words and phrases.
    • 5/5
      Beautifully written. So much insight and great message. A delightful read.
    • 5/5
      Melody is trapped in her body by cerebral palsy. However, her mind is always working, intrigued by the words and world around her. Blessed with parents who want a normal life for her, they play music and talk to Melody unceasingly. Mrs. V, the neighbor, sees in Melody, the gifted person she truly is. In her fifth grade year, Melody tries out for the "Whiz Kids", a yearly contest of facts and other interesting information. Together, Melody's parents and Mrs. V, work together to help Melody prepare for this wondrous event.
    • 4/5
      Draper expertly captures what it is like to be unable to communicate in a tale that is relatable to all middle-graders.
    • 3/5
      This book was recommended to me by my 12 year old granddaughter. It was obviously written for the 12 year old mind, but I enjoyed it also. It had some useful lessons, assumptions about someone are usually wrong, everyone needs friends and a few more that a young mind can appreciate. There were some moments that were page turners and I couldn't wait to find out what happened. Whether the depiction of a child with cerebral palsy is completely accurate, I don't know, the author does have a daughter with the condition so would I think it is (we have a relative with CP and I could relate to the situations), so I'm ignoring all the critics regarding the inaccuracy of CP traits. My granddaughter told me there is a sequel and if I read it to please let her know if I liked it..so I guess I'll be reading the sequel. LOL
    • 4/5
      This tackles some pretty heavy stuff for kids.You follow the main character who has cerebral palsy and although she is physically disbaled she is intelligent but cannot communicate with others. The book is written from her perspective. She also appears to have Synesthesia and a photographic memory.It was easy to read and a glimpse into the life of someone who faces many challenges.