The Picture of Dorian Gray - Oscar Wilde - UPDATED REVIEW

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde  Genre : Classics Blurb (on back of book) : Oscar Wilde’s only novel is the dreamlike story of a young man who sells his soul for eternal youth and beauty. In this celebrated work Wilde forged a devastating portrait of the effects of evil and debauchery on a young aesthete in late-19th-century England. Combining elements of the Gothic horror novel and decadent French fiction, the book centers on a striking premise: As Dorian Gray sinks into a life of crime and gross sensuality, his body retains perfect youth and vigor while his recently painted portrait grows day by day into a hideous record of evil, which he must keep hidden from the world. For over a century, this mesmerizing tale of horror and suspense has enjoyed wide popularity. It ranks as one of Wilde's most important creations and among the classic achievements of its kind. UPDATED REVIEW MY OPINION : ****** I would like to start out this review by stating that this is undoubtedly m...
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Out of My Mind - Sharon M Draper

Out of My Mind by Sharon M Draper
Genre: J Realistic Fiction

Blurb (on back of book): Eleven-year-old Melody has a photographic memory. Her head is like a video camera that is always recording. Always. And there's no delete button. She's the smartest kid in her whole school — but NO ONE knows it. Most people — her teachers and doctors included — don't think she's capable of learning, and up until recently her school days consisted of listening to the same preschool-level alphabet lessons again and again and again. If only she could speak up, if only she could tell people what she thinks and knows... but she can't, because Melody can't talk. She can't walk. She can't write. 
Being stuck inside of her head is making Melody go out of her mind — that is, until she discovers something that will allow her to speak for the first time ever. At last Melody has a voice... but not everyone around her is ready to hear it.
From multiple Coretta Scott King Award winner Sharon M. Draper comes a story full of heartache and hope. Get ready to meet a girl whose voice you'll never, ever forget. 

 MY OPINION: *****

This book sort of reminds me about Wonder by R J Palachio (http://iread2016.blogspot.com/2016/05/wonder-r-j-palachio.html).

It is another book about some sort of social issue that affects a child from making friends or showing herself. In the end, Melody comes through, just like Auggie.

But this seems a bit different too.

It is not just the disease in which they have, though that is one factor. It is the idea that a girl who is super smart can't show she is smart because she cannot communicate that makes this story unique. Many people have cystic fibrosis, and it is hard to live through. But Melody pulls through and shows everyone that she is just like any other (though she is smart), and that everyone should be themselves! The message of this story is really good: be yourself. It is hard to decipher at first, but towards the end, advanced and thoughtful readers can tell that you shouldn't judge people by what they look like on the outside; dig deeper and discover the inside, which is what actually counts.

In conclusion, this book was wonderful. Definitely a 101% (A+)!!!

I would recommend this book to fourth- or fifth-graders on up.

Main Character(s): Melody
Sidekicks: NA
Villain: Cystic Fibrosis, Classmates, Teacher
Realistic Fiction Elements: This could all happen in real life and probably has, though not exactly.

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