Out of my Mind SHARON M. DRAPER A Book Trailer ©2014HappyEdugator

HAS THERE BEEN A TIME YOU JUST WENT OUT OF YOUR MIND? ©2014HappyEdugator

...OR YOU FELT LEFT OUT? ©2014HappyEdugator

Melody Has! Melody is smart, but no one knows it. She can’t talk, she can’t walk, she can’ t write, but she has a photographic memory. She feels trapped…and she feels left out. You are sure to connect with Melody if you have ever experienced that feeling of rejection and loneliness when you think your friends have abandoned you. ©2014HappyEdugator

Who is Melody? Melody is a young girl with spastic bilateral quadriplegia, also known as cerebral palsy. A device finally allows Melody to communicate for the first time in her life, and people are surprised by her intelligence; but some are not ready to accept it. ©2014HappyEdugator

How old is Melody during the story? Melody is eleven years old. What makes Melody special? She was born unable to communicate like most kids, but she has an amazing memory. ©2014HappyEdugator

What was her "medical diagnosis"? Melody was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. When Melody was 5 years old and it was time for her to enter school, the expert doctor told her mother she would never be able to do anything: dress or feed herself, talk, walk, ...anything. What did her mother do? Enrolled her in regular school like all of the other children. ©2014HappyEdugator

Melody… Melody has a lot people who love her, but she feels like all her friends are pretending when her team leaves for a competition without her. Did cerebral palsy stop Melody from competing with her team??? ©2014HappyEdugator

Let’s See Who We’ve Got Melody a.k.a. Mello Yello. . . . . . The main character Claire. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . Melody’s classmate Connor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Melody’s classmate Rose. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . Melody’s friend Mrs. V. . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . Melody’s babysitter Penny . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Melody’s sister Mr. Dimming. . . . . . . . . Melody’s History teacher Catherine. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Melody’s aide ©2014HappyEdugator

Who Is Mrs. V? Melody's neighbor, a woman who has always believed in her. When Melody was a baby, Mrs. V. taught Melody to roll over, crawl, and helped Melody realize she could do SOME things. When Melody was 6, Mrs. V. changed up Melody's wheelchair tray. It only had a few words on it, like yes, no, hungry, and bathroom. However, Melody needed more. She was smart and had a lot to say. ©2014HappyEdugator

Some Words To Know… banished: to drive away; expel battlements: A parapet or cresting, originally defensive but later usually decorative billowed: fluttered or waved blossomed: produced flowers distinctive: serving to distinguish; characteristic; distinguishing interrogating: to ask questions ©2014HappyEdugator

iridescent: displaying a play of colors like those of the rainbow lagged: fall behind in progress, movement, or development; not kept pace with another lash: to dash, fling, or switch suddenly lustrous: gleaming, dazzling, glowing, shimmering luxurious: Extremely comfortable, elegant, or enjoyable especially in a way that involves a great expense mar: To impair the appearance of; disfigure. ©2014HappyEdugator

SHARON M. DRAPER Sharon M. Draper is the author of Out of my Mind. She was born August 21, 1948, in Cleveland, OH. She is a public speaker, poet, educator, and award-winning author. She was honored as National Teacher of the Year in 1997. Her books have won 5 Coretta Scott King Awards. She began writing as a challenge by her students to enter a contest. ©2014HappyEdugator

Other Books… Sharon M. Draper is also the author of Tears of a Tiger , Sassy, Just Another Hero, and Ziggy and the Black Dinosaurs, Copper Sun, and many more. ©2014HappyEdugator

What Happens to Melody? Does Melody overcome? Do her friends support her? Is there a happy ending? ©2014HappyEdugator

FIND OUT WHEN YOU READ "OUT OF MY MIND" ©2014HappyEdugator