Out Of My Mind

"Out Of My Mind"

      Blame it on my mother and grandmother for reading to me for endless hours.  Books entertain me more than movies or sitcoms.  I love movies, most of which started out as a book, but, really does the movie ever compare to the book?- all most never.  As one of my posts which was written from a very sarcastic view point will tell you I love books, libraries and coffee scented book stores.  I'll wonder for hours at a time in a bookstore if you let me.

    Today, I read "Out Of My Mind" by Sharon M. Draper.  My mom gave this to me about a month ago and because I had so many library books coming in I've just gotten to read it.  I think originally my sister ordered it by mistake, so it's written for a young adult reader.  It only took about an hour and half of my time to finish, but, this was one of those books that once you start you finish.  Period.  It begins with a young girl with cerebral palsy narrating the story about how she has a photographic memory but can't utter a syllable of a word to let anyone know how smart she is.  Finally she is given a computer which talks for her and she starts earning real grades in school.

    It's well written and gives you the view point of someone living with a handicap.  That these handicapped kids are still kids.  Aching to be played with, talked to and just basically treated like their normal.peers.  It also gives the insight to that golden rule, do not judge a book by its cover.  You never know what people are going through and what they are capable of.  Something I know every person on this planet is guilty of.

   This book is relatable.  Everyone wants to feel excepted, everyone wants to know they have a friend outside of the people that have to love you- like your family.  I'll admit it, I got so into this book I cried when feeling the frustration of the narrator.  We should all be thankful that we're normal and not have live with such a challenging disability.

  For those of you that read to your kids, keep it up.  Nothing is better than opening a book and getting this into a story or to be transported to a new world, time or way of thinking.  I love hearing the stories of me as child begging my Nana to read.  Always the same stories and while the other grand-kids would run away and play I would sit still and listen to the story.  Now that I'm an adult we all share good books that we can't put down and I look forward to reading to my kids.

Love and written words,

Stephanie