Review: Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper

Summary: Eleven-year-old Melody has a photographic memory. Her head is like a video camera that is always recording. Always. And there's no delete button. She's the smartest kid in her whole school—but no one knows it. Most people—her teachers and doctors included—don't think she's capable of learning, and up until recently her school days consisted of listening to the same preschool-level alphabet lessons again and again and again. If only she could speak up, if only she could tell people what she thinks and knows . . . but she can't, because Melody can't talk. She can't walk. She can't write. 

Being stuck inside her head is making Melody go out of her mind—that is, until she discovers something that will allow her to speak for the first time ever. At last Melody has a voice . . . but not everyone around her is ready to hear it.

Kim's Review: I went to a rummage sale at a local church a couple weeks ago, and while checking out the book section, the girl working there recommended this book to me. It was only a quarter, so I bought it figuring I didn't have much to lose. Honestly, I'm so glad that she pointed out this book, because it never would have "popped out" to me among the hundreds of others. This was a really fascinating book - I thought it was so interesting to be able to see/read Melody's thought's and struggles first-hand. The author's writing really makes you feel for Melody and want to help her or make her feel better; my heart was breaking for her by the last few chapters.

The only thing I didn't like about this book was the ending, the very last page before the epilogue. It just didn't make sense to me and seemed like it could have been a lot better.

All in all, I really, really enjoyed this book, but it didn't really...stand out enough to earn a place on my bookshelf.