Imagine not being able to walk, talk, get dressed, and eat all by yourself. This is the world that twelve-year-old Melody lives in Out of My Heart by Sharon M. Draper. Melody was born with cerebral palsy, but she doesn’t let that limit her. Her heart is yearning for something crazy, so she goes to a summer camp for kids like her, and she experiences so many adventures and tries so many new things. The book is solid because it delivers a relatable character story that is beautifully written, but I wouldn’t recommend it because it gets repetitive and predictable.
First, the characters in Out of My Heart are well-developed, with strong personalities. For example, Melody’s counselor Trinity, is exceptionally patient and caring. She stays true to this throughout the entire novel, even when her forbearance and kindness are tested through a runaway horse, a midnight excursion, and a cabin full of tweenage girls. Also, Melody is defined by her perseverance. Despite her disability, Melody tries many activities at summer camp such as swimming, horseback riding, arts and crafts, and zip lining. She makes accommodations physically, yet she is determined to do the activities, which exhibit her mental toughness and perseverance.
Additionally, this novel is written beautifully. There is a lot of figurative language used that captivates the reader and makes the story easy to follow. Sharon M. Draper is talented in using words to create a vivid picture that sparks the reader’s imagination. For example, phrases like “its black wings, so shiny, opened and closed like scissors” and “dark lines that looked like they’d been painted on its back with a fine-tipped pen” describe what exactly the firefly looked like (Draper, p. 1).
Unfortunately, the plot of Out of My Heart is repetitive. A lot of the novel is spent describing Melody’s experience trying new things over and over again. Melody tried painting twice, swimming thrice, and many other activities repeatedly. Melody’s experience and reaction were the same with each activity, making it repetitive and predictable.
Overall, Out of My Heart is a beautiful realistic fiction novel that doesn’t excel in hooking the reader in with action. The reader roots for Melody and wants to see her thrive. However, the lack of action makes the reader lose interest. More conflict or Melody experiencing different types of challenges would make this already solid book significantly better.
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