I was surprised to read a few disappointed reviewers, who wanted to connect with her hurt and pain, as they did in Out of My Mind.

Yet she is smart, strong-willed, and determined. Melody can’t walk, talk, and use her hands and fingers like most people. Melody gives them each a friendship bracelet. Towards the end of the week the four girls ask for their own space - without counselors - where they can chat, giggle and really become friends. Melody likes her counselor, Trinity, and the three other memorable girls: Karyn (spina bifida), Athena (Down syndrome), and Jocelyn (maybe autism spectrum). Just one young counselor assigned to each camper to help ease her needs. And has a first crush.Īnother bonus to camp, there are no helicopter parents hovering over her every move. She sees some really cool wheelchairs and devices. She courageously learns to fly on a zip line, swim, ride in a boat, paint a mural, participate in races, break some camp rules ( her best day ever), and attends the best campfires every night.

She has set on the sidelines of life watching others, now it’s time for Melody to fly. When Melody decides she wants to go to a summer camp for girls and boys who are differently abled, she is catapulted into some exciting new adventures that challenge her to find out more of who she is and what she can do. Topping her list - she wants to be with others who understand her, feel like she’s part of a group and develop some friendships. Now she wants some independence to see what she can do. Melody Brooks has found her voice, expresses her feelings, shows her humorous side and has outwitted some serious bullies in the past year. Sharon Draper has hit a sweet spot in her sequel, Out of My Heart. A place where she can trek through a forest, fly on a zip line, and even ride on a horse! A place where she can make her own decisions, do things herself, and maybe maybe maybe, finally make a true friend.īy the light of flickering campfires and the power of thunderstorms, through the terror of unexpected creatures in cabins and the first sparkle of a crush, Melody’s about to discover how brave and strong she really is. There have to be camps for differently-abled kids like her, and she’s going to sleuth one out.

And now with her Medi-talker, she feels nothing’s out of her reach, not even summer camp. Melody, the huge-hearted heroine of Out of My Mind, is a year older, and a year braver. Themes: Cerebral palsy, Summer camp, Differently abled kids, Self-confidence, Emotions, Social themes, Friendships Atheneum/A Caitlyn Diouhy Book, Fiction, Nov.

Out of my heart sharon draper