The book “Out Of My Mind”, written by Sharon M. Draper, is about a girl named Melody Brooks with cerebral palsy. Cerebral palsy is a group of disorders affecting body movement, balance, and posture. The story’s overall plot is that Melody, born with cerebral palsy, can’t feed herself, take herself to the restroom, or even talk. Melody’s parents work very hard for her to be able to take care of Melody.
In the book it highlights how living with a disability, people’s attitudes towards people with disabilities, and tenacity impact everyday life. Melody is determined to be as independent as possible despite living with cerebral palsy. While she feels and thinks in ways that her able-bodied peers do, she is not always able to communicate effectively with her peers. Her peers’ lack of understanding leads to a significant internal conflict for Melody.
“Out of my Mind” teaches us hard lessons on how people with disabilities struggle with everyday life, and how if we are able-bodied, we should not take it for granted.
