Out of My Mind

Draper, S.  (2010).  Out of my mind.  NY: Atheneum.

Melody Brooks is an eleven year old girl trapped in a paraplegic body and treated as a severely special needs child until her 5th grade year, when inclusion classes begin at her school and she receives her Medi-Talker Machine to help her communicate.  Eventually Melody's intelligence level is discovered by her teachers and classmates and she goes on to complete her own autobiography, which is the entire Out of My Mind story, as part of the 5th grade year-long project.  Draper does an outstanding job of creating realistic characters and a believable plot that readers are easily able to relate to.  Readers will find themselves relating to Melody in various ways.  The conversational style of writing is engaging for the target audience of this realistic fiction story.  Here is the link for a book trailer- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCG6e2DifxY