Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper

Melody is the smartest kid in her class but no one knows it. She has cerebral palsy and has very little control of her body, and because of her physical disability people assume that she is mentally handicapped as well. She has spent most of her time in special education classes learning the alphabet over and over. Her parents and a special neighbor realize that there is more to Melody than meets the eye but they don't know how to let her communicate. Finally, when she is in fifth grade she gets a special computer that speaks for her and allows her to show who she really is inside. No one can believe it when she earns a spot on the school's quiz bowl team, but will that be enough to earn the acceptance of so-called "normal" kids? This is an important book for all ages—it should be read by elementary school students as well as young adults and adults. It shows a hopeful, determined character who carries on in spite of great difficulties and almost insurmountable odds.