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Out of My Heart by Sharon M. Draper – Book Review

 

Title: Out of My Heart
Author: Sharon M. Draper
Publisher: Caitlyn Dlouhy Books
Release Date: November 9, 2021

Melody’s story continues in Out of My Heart, the sequel to Sharon M. Draper’s wildly popular Out of My Mind. As Melody continues navigating life with cerebral palsy, she takes a bold, brave step to have a new adventure – go to a sleep away camp for a week. After successfully convincing her parents to let her go, Melody enjoys experiences of a lifetime. Draper’s narrative is heartwarming and tender. Melody’s story is relatively without drama, keeping the spotlight on the diverse characters that share in Melody’s experiences. Overall, the positive themes and thrilling camp adventures make Out of My Heart a wonderful, compassionate read for all.

Thank you to Edelweiss+ and publisher, Caitlyn Dlouhy Books, for an eARC of this book.

Classroom Applications

  • Book Club or Book Exchange – Share the novel with students that enjoy reading realistic fiction.

Nonfiction Connections

The list below outlines topics that will enrich your students’ understanding of the novel.

  • Cerebral Palsy
  • Speech-Generating Technology

Book Companions

The following are great books to pair with Out of My Heart. In parenthesis are the specific aspects students could explore when synthesizing across the texts.

  • Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper (Nonfiction Connections, Character Connections, Themes)

*LIT Lessons participates in the Amazon Associate Program and earns a fee from qualifying purchases made on the Amazon.com site.