Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper

Draper, Sharon Out of My Mind, 295 p. Atheneum (Simon), 2010. $16.99.  Content: G.  Meoldy, 11 was born with cerebral palsy – whatever may be inside of her is stuck inside a body that will not cooperate and a mouth that cannot form words.  Through the love of her family and a blessed neighbor – Melody will one day find her words, but first she must survive a roller coaster of special education classes and isolation from her “normal” classmates.  Watch out world – Melody is about to find a way to speak her mind – and when she does, she will have the extra challenge of exploding stereotypes – and not everyone wants Melody to escape her assigned box.  You’d better go buy this RIGHT NOW!  I mean it!  You will cheer, you will cry and you will never regret a minute you spent on this book.  EL, MS – ESSENTIAL.  Cindy, Library Teacher