When it was first published in 2010, out of my mindit was a bit of a sensation. The story of Melody, an eleven-year-old girl with cerebral palsy determined to prove how smart she is, captured the hearts and minds of millions.
there are many books like out of my mind that tell a similar story, but melody’s voice was one of the first to resonate with children and parents around the world. Imagine having a lot to say, but not being able to communicate it in a way that the neurotypical can understand?
You are reading: Books like out of my mind
Out of My Mind is a wonderful look at what it might be like inside the mind of someone unable to connect in the same way as most. And if you have already read Melody’s story, we can recommend similar titles.
8 books like out of my mind
a step towards the fall, by cammie mcgovern
Would you be brave enough to step in and stop someone who can’t fight back? that is the premise for a step towards the fall.
as if out of my mind, this middle grade novel questions the attitudes and behaviors of non-disabled people towards disabled people.
The story follows Emily, a teenage girl who thinks she always does and says the right things. belinda is another student at emily’s school. she has developmental disabilities and is generally very popular.
When Emily witnesses Belinda being sexually assaulted by some soccer jocks at a soccer game, she tries to alert a teacher, but he fires her and tells her to just watch the game. Emily freezes. what happens next is a well framed story dealing with sexual assault and society’s preconceived ideas towards people with disabilities.
as emily, the reader is quickly challenged to think and ask: what would i do?
what happens to jellyfish, by ali benjamin
books like out of my mind love to strike a chord with your heart. What About Jellyfish was a 2015 National Book Award finalist and drew all the emotions.
When her best friend dies in a drowning accident, Suzy stops talking. retreating into her own imagination, she makes sure that a rare jellyfish sting was responsible for her. after all, bad things don’t happen for no reason. or them?
This is a really good book for any middle grade reader, especially since it talks a lot about grief and how different people deal with it. The story is peppered with scientific fact and Benjamin does a great job of framing Suzy’s pain in his quest to meet the world’s foremost expert on jellyfish. a harrowing read.
reboot, by gordon korman
See Also: Heather Webber – Book Series In Order
taking you to the bottom is a fun way to start a story, and books similar to out of my mind revel in the use of this device. restart is the story of chase, a soccer star at her local school. Chase’s memory literally went out the window along with his body.
He doesn’t remember the fall, nor the blow to the head. In fact, Chase doesn’t remember anything when he wakes up in the hospital. There are people ready to help him, along with others ready to remind Chase of things he doesn’t want to remember, like how much of a bully he was to the less popular kids.
restart is a great book for adults, young or old. not only plays with the question “what would you do if you had a clean slate?” but examines the insecurities we all feel in life.
number the stars, by lois lowry
historical fiction is a fascinating genre, and there are some books like out of my mind that use it well.
Number of Stars takes place in 1943 and follows Annemarie Johansen, a ten-year-old girl who lives in Copenhagen with her best friend Ellen Rosen. Ellen recently moved in with her family, pretending to be one of the Johansen while the Nazis forcibly relocated Jews to Denmark.
Together, the two friends face food shortages, school, and life under Nazi occupation. And then Annmarie is asked to embark on a dangerous mission to save Ellen’s life.
another great story for middle grade readers just beginning to learn more about history and if you’d be brave enough to help someone who can’t fight back.
are you a fan of lois lowry? check out our list of books as you number the stars!
fish in a tree, by lynda mullaly hunt
ally can’t read. but ally is very smart and has tricked all the schools into thinking that she is just another disruptive student. Ally thinks she has it all covered, until her new teacher, mr. daniels, detects her creativity and fear of her.
With your help, Ally begins to learn that dyslexia is nothing to fear or be ashamed of. Books similar to Out of My Mind are really good because they help readers of all ages learn more about how wonderfully different and smart we all can be.
ally feels stupid at the beginning of fish in a tree, and her experiences will resonate with any reader with dyslexia. hopefully, she will also resonate with you.
Have you already read this book? check out our list for more books like fish in a tree!
rules, by cynthia lord
books like out of my mind are a welcome necessity as we all continue to learn, grow and understand each other more. Anyone who knows what it’s like to live with someone on the autism spectrum and the challenges and strengths they bring will find something that resonates in the rules.
See Also: Ten of the Best Books for Writers – The Creative Life
catherine just wants a normal life. her entire family and home life revolves around her brother david de ella. for years she has tried to help her parents teach david the rules of life. anything from explaining why you need to keep your pants on in public, to the difference between a peach and an apple.
catherine just wants david’s embarrassing behavior to stop. But then she meets a paraplegic boy named Jason and Kristi, a friend she has always loved. Soon, she Catherine must question everything she thought she wanted and if normalcy is just a matter of perspective.
This is a great story and a wonderful book for people who want to learn more about the autism spectrum.
counting by 7s, by holly goldberg sloan
grieving is difficult for any child. for a twelve-year-old willow tree, it’s almost devastating.
It has never been easy for him to connect with anyone beyond his adoptive parents. An outdoorsman and diminutive genius, Willow begins to weave her way through the pain in completely unexpected and joyous ways.
Books like Out of My Mind really do make you reach for the tissue box, but that’s not always a bad thing and counting by 7s is no different.
When willow loses her sense of balance, direction, and meaning, she can’t even count to 7 again, a way she’s always used to maintain stability. You can’t help but cheer Willow on as she uses her intelligent mind to pick up the pieces and explore new ways of dealing with life.
wonder, by r.j. palace
I found a copy of wonder in a subway in 2013. I think it was the central line. Normally I’d turn in an abandoned book to the nearest lost and found office, but the label on the front stopped me. the book was deliberately left on the train for someone else to find and read. so I did.
there are titles similar to out of my mind that you think are just there to make you cry and not really think. Ten-year-old August Pullman, an Auggie to his family, was born with a severe facial disfigurement that required countless operations just to allow him to breathe properly.
now his parents want him to go to school with other kids and auggie is scared because of his appearance. What follows is a heartwarming story of Auggie and her family as she begins to come out of her shell.
This book has been criticized for its lack of nuance in the experience of a disabled person. For example, wouldn’t Auggie be upset that everyone was being too nice at school? Wouldn’t he like to be seen like all the other kids instead of constantly being made to feel different?
Despite this, it’s hard not to feel warm at the end of wonderful, and while I agree that more nuance could have elevated this story, I dare your heart not to jump for joy.
if life-affirming stories are what you want right now (and god knows we need some right now), then in my opinion, and the books we’ve recommended, are a good place to start . Are they perfect accounts of the many different experiences of different people? maybe not. but they are great stories that will make you think, laugh, and sometimes cry.
Are you looking for more books similar to Out Of My Mind? Do you have any recommendations that are not on the list? tell us in the comments!
See Also: Andrew Gross – Book Series In Order