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Melody Brooks
Melody is the narrator and protagonist. She is almost eleven years old and in the fifth grade at Spaulding Street Elementary School. She was born with cerebral palsy, which means that she cannot control…
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Diane Brooks
Melody’s mother. A nurse who knows deep down how special and intelligent Melody is, she will not give up her fight to get Melody the education and resources she deserves. Many opportunities Melody receives…
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Mrs. Violet Valencia (Mrs. V)
Mrs. V is Melody’s next-door neighbor, and a former nurse who worked with Melody’s mother, Diane, at the hospital. She watches Melody after school and while her parents are at work. Mrs. V…
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Penny Brooks
Melody’s little sister who is eight years younger. Penny is a sweet and healthy child, and everyone in Melody’s family loves her a lot. Watching Penny develop normally (she can talk, hold her own…
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Rose Spencer
Rose is a fifth-grade general education student at Melody’s elementary school. She is a good student and very organized. Rose is one of the first students in Melody’s integrated classes to accept Melody, and…
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Get the entire Out of My Mind LitChart as a printable PDF.
Mr. Dimming
Also known as Mr. D, he teachers history and is the coach for the Whiz Kids team. He is an enthusiastic teacher and loves his job, but he doesn’t initially believe that Melody can participate…
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Catherine
A college student who is Melody’s personal aide or “mobility assistant.” She helps Melody move around the school, eat lunch, go to the bathroom, and participate in class. She has a quirky sense of…
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Molly North
A fifth-grader in many of Melody’s general-education classes and a member of the Whiz Kids team. She is best friends with Claire Wilson, and together the two of them frequently make fun of…
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Claire Wilson
A fifth-grader in many of Melody’s general-education classes and a member of the Whiz Kids team. She is best friends with Molly North, and together the two of them frequently make fun of…
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Minor Characters
Chuck Brooks
Melody’s father. Even when she was a baby, he spoke to her like she was an adult who could understand (which she could!). He likes jazz music and recording her with his camcorder.
Ollie
Melody’s goldfish. He jumps out of his bowl when Melody is seven. She feels guilty because she was unable to save him.
Butterscotch
Melody’s golden retriever. Although he isn’t a service dog, Butterscotch takes care of Melody and alerts her mother when Melody is in trouble.
Dr. Hugely
Melody’s doctor who does not believe she is intelligent.
Connor Bates
A popular fifth-grader in many of Melody’s general-education classes and a member of the Whiz Kids team.
Rodney Mosul
A fifth-grader in many of Melody’s general-education classes and a member of the Whiz Kids team.
Ashley
A student in room H-5. She is very pretty but small for her age. Her body is stiff and so she has difficulty participating in physical activities. She only communicates with a talking board that says “yes” and “no.”
Carl
A student in room H-5 who loves food. He’s large for his age and is in an extra-large wheelchair. He can talk, but only in short sentences.
Maria
A student in room H-5. She loves holidays and her fellow students. She has Down’s syndrome.
Gloria
A student in room H-5 who loves music. She is autistic and spends much of her day rocking in the corner. She can walk and talk.
Willy Williams
A student in room H-5 who loves baseball. He can’t sit still or stay quiet, but he knows a ton of baseball facts and will happily recite them.
Jill
A student in room H-5. She was in a car accident as a baby and now uses a walker.
Freddy
A student in room H-5 who loves zooming around in his electric wheelchair.
Mrs. Hyatt
Melody’s kindergarten teacher.
Mrs. Gross
Melody’s first grade teacher.
Mrs. Tracy
Melody’s second grade teacher who figured out Melody liked to read, and gave her audiobooks to listen to in class.
Mrs. Billups
Melody’s third grade teacher, who underestimates the intelligence and the ability of the students in her classroom.
Mrs. Shannon
Melody’s fifth grade teacher. She genuinely cares about Melody and the other students in her special learning community. She is the one who gets Melody into general education classes and makes sure she has a personal aide, Catherine.
Mrs. Lovelace
A general education music teacher who teaches Melody’s integrated music class.
Mrs. Gordon
A general education teacher who teaches Melody’s fifth-grade language arts class.
Elena Rodriguez
A sixth grader on the Whiz Kids team.
Amanda Firestone
A sixth grader on the Whiz Kids team.
Elizabeth
A fifth grade student in Melody’s music class.
Jessica
A fifth grade student in Melody’s music class.
Paul
A stage manager at the studio where the Whiz Kids team competes. He sets up a way for Melody to communicate her answers. He reveals that he knew how to accommodate Melody because his own son is in a wheelchair.
Charles Kingsley
The announcer at the Whiz Kids Southwest Ohio Regional Competition.
Elizabeth Ochoa
A reporter from Channel Six News who interviews Melody and her Whiz Kids teammates.
