Reading Group Guide

Out of My Dreams

By Sharon M. Draper

About the Book

“Much of my life has been made up of dreams and wishes,” thinks twelve-year-old Melody Brooks. (Chapter thirty) She dreams one night of giving a speech to a crowd—a dream that seems impossible to her, just like any wish she has of traveling far from home. Melody needs a wheelchair to get around and an assistive device like a speaking computer to communicate at all. Yet sometimes dreams come true. Through an act of kindness and quick thinking, Melody helps rescue an elderly neighbor and finds herself hailed as a hero. Her heroism expands her world beyond her wildest dreams—leading her to London, new friendships, surprising adventures, and a wide-open future, in this touching, joyful novel.

Discussion Questions

1. Describe Melody in terms of her family, friends, everyday life, strengths, and challenges. How does she feel about school? What role did camp play in her life? What are some of her dreams and wishes?

2. In her dream in the first chapter, Melody is about to give a speech. In the next chapter, she explains that she can’t talk. She then adds, “But that doesn’t shut me up. So don’t be feeling sorry for me. Because I have a lot to say.” What does this foreshadow about the rest of the story? What does she have to say? How does this statement express her personality?

3. Recount the scene where Melody helps rescue Miss Gertie. What problems does Melody face in trying to be helpful? Why do people label her a hero? How does she feel about that? Why does she wonder if the publicity is “because I’m what they call ‘disabled’?” (Chapter nine)

4. Why do the television stations contact Melody? How does she feel about being on television? Describe the interview, including some of the ways the experience surprises her, and how she feels she did.

5. How does the incident of falling and being rescued change Miss Gertie’s interactions with her neighbors? How had they perceived her before? Why had she isolated herself? What suggests that her future interactions will be different in the neighborhood?

6. What makes Miss Gertie especially interesting to the press? Explain her background and some of the reactions from people who meet her at the television station and in London. How does the trip to London connect Miss Gertie to her past? Talk about what happens to her at the Globe Theatre.

7. One of the big consequences of the television show is that Melody and Miss Gertie received a trip to London. What are Melody’s first reactions when she hears about the trip? How do her parents react? How does the television station help the family overcome their worries?

8. Who is Mrs. V and how does she make the trip to London possible for Melody? Why do Melody’s parents trust Mrs. V to take care of their daughter? Discuss some of the ways that Mrs. V is helpful on the trip and ways that show how she enjoys herself, too.

9. Who is Sky? What’s her background? Why does Sky feel intimidated when she hears from Miss Gertie about Melody? Describe how they interact when they first meet. What aspects of Sky’s behavior when they meet make Melody hopeful about a friendship?

10. Discuss Melody’s comment when she sees Sky: “I knew better than to assume stuff just by looking at someone. People have always looked at me and assumed all kinds of crazy stuff—like that I’m slow or dumb. And it hurts.” (Chapter thirteen)

11. Why do you think Melody and Sky become good friends? What do they have in common? Contrast the way Sky treats Melody with how other kids often react to Melody, including the boy on the London Eye. How do you think Sky’s upbringing and background affect their friendship?

12. How do Sky, Melody, and Oliver end up with tickets to a Double Trouble concert? Why are the girls so excited about it? Describe the painful moments when Melody realizes she won’t be able to attend the concert. What prevents her from attending? What are some of her emotions around that?

13. Discuss the scene in the elevator when Melody, Sky, and Oliver meet a member of Double Trouble. What are his emotions when he hears that Melody was turned away? What solution does he offer? How do the girls react?

14. In London, Melody finds herself wondering why she was invited to the I.D.E.A. Conference and asks Mrs. V about it. What is Mrs. V’s answer, and what advice does she give Melody? Discuss what Mrs. V means when she says to Melody, “‘They don’t just want you, they need you.’” (Chapter thirty-nine)

15. Sky also has thoughts about Melody’s “Why me?” doubts. Talk about Sky’s reference to impostor syndrome, which she explains as “‘when you feel like you don’t deserve to be where you belong!’” (Chapter forty) Why do you think Melody feels like she doesn’t belong? Why does Sky herself sometimes feel that way?

16. What are some aspects of the I.D.E.A. Conference that impress Melody? What aspects of the conference make her feel like she belongs there? Describe some people she meets and how they treat her. What are some of the good ideas generated by the conference in the past and the present?

17. What is it like for Melody to give a speech? How does she do it physically and psychologically? Discuss the content of her speech and how it relates to the rest of the novel. Why do you think she had the audience repeat phrases after her?

Extension Activities

1. Melody the Writer: Melody says, “Words are my superpower.” (Chapter three) Her mother tells her, “‘You have such a gift with words. You should write a book, maybe poetry.’” (Chapter four) What do you think Melody might write about in fiction, nonfiction, or poetry? How might she bring “a unique lens” to her work? Address this in an essay, and discuss what you think makes someone a good writer. Explain what you think her writing style would be, based on her voice as the book’s narrator.

2. Let’s Go to London: Review different places that Melody and the others visit as tourists in London. Working in pairs or teams, choose one of the places and prepare a multimedia presentation to share with the class, conveying what makes the attraction or destination interesting and unusual.

3. Making a Difference: Melody and the other attendees at the conference want to make a difference in the world. Melody mentions a few real young people known as leaders, such as Greta Thunberg and Malala Yousafzai. Do some preliminary research and choose a young person from the past or present who stands out as an advocate or activist. Create a poster about that person, who they are, what they did or are doing, and why you chose them. Hold a poster session with your classmates in which you are ready to answer questions from other students.

4. Reader Face-Off: As a class, watch this Author-Reader Face-Off between Sharon M. Draper and a fourth grader about the first book in the series, Out of My Mind: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6RsoAkH73o). After watching the video, work in teams to create your own set of questions and answers from Out of My Dreams. The teams should challenge each other to the face-off in front of the class.

5. Wheelchair Travel: Melody is happily surprised to learn that all London black cabs have built-in wheelchair ramps. Meet in small groups and review the many references in the novel to accessibility issues, both positive and problematic, including at the television studio, the Globe Theatre, the concert hall, the hotel, and more. How does London compare to what Melody is used to? Discuss what you have noticed about accessibility in your school and daily life, and ways it could be improved.

6. Wanted, Needed! Seeing the other kids in wheelchairs at the conference, Melody says it “made me wonder what school would have been like, if it were more like this—where you felt the opposite of excluded: wanted, needed!” (Chapter forty-two) As a class, discuss what changes could make different aspects of your school more welcoming and could convey to everyone that they are wanted and needed. Come up with a list of steps, big and small, that might help accomplish this.

Guide written by Kathleen Odean, a long-time youth librarian and children’s literature instructor, who chaired the 2002 Newbery Award Committee.

This guide has been provided by Simon & Schuster for classroom, library, and reading group use. It may be reproduced in its entirety or excerpted for these purposes.