Out of My Heart

A precocious and smart 12-year-old, Melody Brooks edges toward the threshold of self-discovery the summer after a challenging school year. Melody made her peace long ago that she is different. Managing her cerebral palsy has limited Melody’s interaction with her school friends, who are unwilling to accept Melody as anything but different. As she is fond of explaining, though her body does not obey her, her mind is quick, her emotions honest, and her compassion deep. “Lately,” Melody admits, “I started wondering—when do I get to do things for myself? Will I ever be a person who runs her own life?” (17).

Melody’s experience at her first sleepaway camp becomes a pivotal point in The Adventure of Self-Discovery she embarks upon as she decides it is time to define herself. In each of the camp activities she attempts, from zip-lining to dancing, she rises to the challenge and, in turn, discovers new skills. Her response to the physical world all around the camp and her love of music reveal her profound sensitivity. She possesses an artist’s sense of color and an awe for the beauty of nature. By the end of the week, she has discovered confidence in herself and understands that nothing can stop her from doing what she wants to do.