Out of My Heart by Sharon Draper is a powerful novel about Melody Brooks, a kid who refuses to be defined by disability. The book begins with Melody explaining about a firefly hovering over her hand. As she stares and focuses on the insect, her sister informs her about other fireflies. Immediately after sighting more bugs, Melody’s sister, Penny, goes to trap them inside a jar. Penny pleads for help from their neighbor, Mrs. V, to catch fireflies. Melody is confined in a wheelchair because she suffers from cerebral palsy and cannot join her sister in trapping insects. When Melody sees Penny and Mrs. V giggling while catching the bugs, she doesn’t feel isolated because a firefly has already found her.
Melody is raised by a loving and caring family, but she doesn’t want to be a burden to them. Just like any other child, Melody longs for summer camps where she can do horseback riding and zip-lining. Eventually, her dreams come true when she locates and goes to a camp designed for disabled kids. In the camp, she experiences some challenges but that does not stop her from making friends. Most kids in the camp are willing to try new things. Melody takes this opportunity to control her life and try things that are a bit technical to her.
Melody’s campmates share stories about how they have been mistreated and discriminated against based on their conditions. Although Melody has never been treated badly by her family members, her confinement to the wheelchair parallels the experiences faced by her friends. The story resonates well with the experiences felt by many children with disabilities. Melody’s spunk endears her to a new world full of adventures.
