does penny die in out of my mind
Melody Brooks is an eleven-year-old girl who was born with Cerebral Palsy. Her parents have done everything they can to help her live a normal life, but life is often frustrating for Melody since she cannot speak, move, or communicate her wishes. As a result, Melody has to fight to get her wishes. At age five, Melody is even diagnosed as profoundly retarded. Despite this, Melody's mom enrolls her in Spaulding Street Elementary school to get the education she needs. However, the class she is put in is like a baby class, learning the same things every day. Melody is frustrated by this. Her neighbor, Mrs. V., is a kind, but tough woman. She pushes Melody to do the best she can. When Melody was three, Mrs. V. wasn't impressed for Melody to rely on her parents for everything. Because of this, Mrs. V. forced her to learn how to crawl and roll on the ground. She even taught Melody how to catch herself whenever she fell from her wheelchair. These things helped Melody become self-sufficient, but she continues to be reliant on her parents to help feed her and help her go to the bathroom. When Melody turns eight, her mother becomes pregnant. During this time, Melody overhears them talking about the new baby and their fears that it will suffer the same disabilities. Melody feels ashamed when she hears this. However, Melody is happy when the baby, Penny, is born perfectly healthy. Melody feels jealous as Penny grows and matures since she'll never be able to do the things Penny can do. However, Melody loves her little sister, and the pleasures Melody brings to her parents. When Melody enters fifth grade, she gets a communication device that allows her to talk with other people. At school, her new teacher starts an inclusion program that allows the special needs students to participate in the standard classes. Melody also gets an aide, Catherine, to help her. Melody befriends Rose Spencer, but is bullied by Molly and Claire, who believe that Melody's disability makes her dumber than them. Even her teacher, Mr. Dimming, believes that Melody cannot participate, but is surprised that not only does Melody join, but passes a test exam of a trivia competition with a perfect score. When he tells his class that if Melody can ace it, he is giving way too easy questions, Melody works with Ms. V in order to win the real tryouts, which she does so with a perfect score. Melody then helps the team win the qualifying competition to earn a trip to Washington D.C. for the national competition. However, on the day the group is to fly to Washington, Melody learns that her flight has been canceled due to weather, but that the rest of the team has made an earlier flight without her. Melody insists the day after the fiasco on going to school, but her mom's dismal attitude causes her to accidentally run over Penny despite Melody's attempts to warn her mother. Melody blames herself for not being able to inform her mom, even though everyone, especially Mrs. V., tells her it's not her fault. Although Melody is terrified that Penny will have a brain injury like her and be like her, she learns that Penny is going to be okay, and just has a cast on her leg. On Monday, Melody's class also apologizes for their lack of being considerate towards her by giving her their ninth place trophy, hoping to reconcile with her. However, Melody just's laughs at them and destroys the trophy by accident and says ``no you take it'' and heads out of the room. The next day, she and Catherine begin work on Melody's autobiography, which begins with the first few lines of the book.
Out of My Mind (Draper novel)