Out of My Heart

Starred review from October 11, 2021
Melody Brooks, a smart, determined 12-year-old diagnosed with cerebral palsy, returns in this sequel to 2010’s Out of My Mind. Melody, whose ethnicity is never specified, uses a wheelchair to get around and a device called a Medi-Talker to speak. Longing for independence from her family and daily routines, she persuades her parents to let her attend Camp Green Glades, a summer camp for kids with disabilities in her home state of Ohio. With the help of her Jamaican American counselor Trinity and three cabinmates, Melody navigates new experiences—including zip-lining, horseback riding, and a first crush. Melody’s voice is as wryly funny as ever, and the supporting cast, which features kids and adults of various ethnicities and disabilities, treat her with respect and empathy. If the narrative sometimes lacks tension, Melody’s experience is presented compellingly—it’s impossible not to be charmed by the witty protagonist’s affirming, frequently ecstatic discovery of what it means to be part of a community that truly understands her. Ages 10–up. Agent: Tanya McKinnon, McKinnon Literary.

November 1, 2021
Grades 5-8 Melody, whose story began in Out of My Mind (2010), is now a middle-grader. She lives with the effects of cerebral palsy, communicates via a Medi-Talker, and is at the stage in life when she's driven to try new things. With summer on the horizon, she searches out and applies for admission to a camp designed to give kids with disabilities the sleepaway experience and the opportunity to participate in activities such as horseback riding, swimming, and zip-lining. Over her week away, her personal growth is evident through campfire confidences, unexpected adventures, and the joy of new friendships, plus a bit of first love. Draper authentically captures her determination, fears, and blossoming abilities with such sweet accuracy that readers will feel the anxieties and triumphs themselves. The pace of this coming-of-age story is more emotionally subdued than the first book's, but it's appropriate to the subject matter. Full of fun and the brightness of the future, Melody's summertime adventure will delight readers old and new and leave them hoping for another installment. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: The best-selling Out of My Mind won countless hearts, which will eagerly seek out Melody's latest outing.

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Starred review from September 15, 2021
A tween with cerebral palsy expands her horizons when she attends her first summer camp. Twelve-year-old Melody Brooks, from Draper's bestselling award winner Out of My Mind (2010), returns. As the school year ends, her classmates are full of their plans for summer camp, and Melody wonders if there could be a camp that is accessible for her; she uses a wheelchair and an assistive communication device. After getting brochures from the library, Melody convinces her parents to overcome their concerns and enroll her in Camp Green Glades, a camp for kids with disabilities. Melody feels some nerves, but the staff are welcoming, and she bonds with Trinity, her Jamaican American camp counselor who has a leg brace, and meets the three other girls who will share her cabin. Over the course of the week, the campers go swimming, hiking, horseback riding, and zip lining as they make new friends and have new adventures. Melody also has her first crush on and dance with a boy. Melody's character continues to be irresistible, and a strength of the novel is how completely readers experience the world through her eyes. The supporting characters, who have a variety of ethnic backgrounds and types of disabilities, add richness; Melody's race is ambiguous. The book includes careful, detailed descriptions of physical logistics, but it's Melody emotions, thoughts, and perspectives that propel the narrative. A deeply satisfying and worthy continuation of a beloved story. (Fiction. 9-13)

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