out of my dreams (The Out of My Mind Series)

Out of My Dreams was a delightful return to Melody Brooks's life. Through her eyes, we get insight into the life of a girl with cerebral palsy who is unable to speak, but that doesn’t stop her from having an impact on those around her.
Melody is rewarded by the local news station with a trip to London after saving her neighbor from a fall when she alerted 911. She is there to attend a symposium with kids from around the world to develop ideas to improve the world. This premise allows Melody to open the boundaries of what she thought was possible regarding being able to travel and how important her viewpoint could be in making a positive difference.
In Out of My Heart we went with Melody to summer camp and experienced a very detailed account of the entire week centered on her being at camp. I assumed this book would be about her attending the symposium and every minute detail of that experience. However, the book centered heavily on Melody's sightseeing around London. We experienced the highs and lows that come from Melody trying to navigate the city as a wheelchair-bound person.
It was eye-opening to see how much more accessible London is for the most part to people needing accommodations than America. One poignant passage, was when Melody wanted to cry from relief because it was no big deal for her to see a play and everything was all set up and easy for her to participate without any added barriers to accessibility. It demonstrated the heavy weight that comes with navigating every situation big or small just to exist. The other stand-out event was scoring tickets to see her favorite band, being excited through the whole line, only to be turned away when the venue couldn’t accommodate a wheelchair. Her embarrassment and guilt at the impact it had on her friends, plus her anger made the heartbreak of the event deeply felt.
The symposium was a neat idea and I hope something like it exists. That part of the book felt a bit rushed and Melody’s idea was ok but also felt like an invention not much different from an existing technology. I was so wrapped up in Melody’s experiences that I would have appreciated more time spent at the event for which the book is premised. The book ended before Melody returned home making it not feel complete or at least feeling like I wasn’t ready to leave her world yet.
I don’t know if there are other books planned for the future to showcase Melody’s life, but this fits well into the progression of her evolving coming-of-age story arc. This book helps us see that her future is full of possibilities and does not need to be limited by her handicaps. Overall, this book is inspiring and does a wonderful job raising awareness about accessibility.

What worked:
The story is told in first-person from Melody’s point of view. Cerebral palsy has confined her to a wheelchair and it’s difficult for her to control her muscles. She utilizes a computer-like machine called a Medi-Talker that she’s named Elvira. Elvira allows her to “speak” by converting typed words to sound. Despite her challenges, Melody is a highly intelligent twelve-year-old as she’s in advanced math classes and has a talent for languages. She’s curious about anything she doesn’t know and she’ll quickly jump on the internet to learn more. Melody uses her wits to save an elderly neighbor named Miss Gertie which leads to a trip to England. Melody is a remarkable character and will be an inspiration to young readers.
The author keeps Melody’s disability real as her family and a neighbor chip in to help her. She needs her mother’s help simply getting out of bed in the morning and she gets embarrassed at times about needing assistance to use the restroom. Her food needs special preparation and she can’t manipulate silverware to feed herself. However, her parents and little sister are very supportive and help her without complaint. A neighbor, Mrs. V., has been helping the family since Melody was born and she’s the one who accompanies Melody to London.
Each book has Melody traveling to someplace special where she faces new challenges. The first book saw her competing in a team competition, she goes to camp in the second book, and this time she travels to London for an international conference. Actually, the middle part of the book is almost like a travel documentary of a London vacation. Melody and her friends do a good bit of sightseeing and Miss Gertie’s connections open up unexpected doors. Melody may have saved Miss Gertie in ways she never expected.
What didn’t work as well:
As mentioned, the middle part of the book is spent visiting the sights of London with a lot of factual information shared. These chapters allow her mind to obsess with Imposter Syndrome as she doesn’t understand what her plain self can contribute to an International Symposium for I.D.E.A. Much of the book describes her journey through this time in her life but there’s not a large conflict that needs to be resolved. Speaking at the conference seems to be the problem but it’s not a dramatic one.
The final verdict:
This book is an emotional roller coaster as Melody laughs, cries, and gets excited during her adventure to London. I recommend you give this book a shot but I suggest you read Out of My Mind first to fully appreciate Melody’s life journey.