Summary

Melody is 11 years old and has cerebral palsy. She is physically unable to do most things. Though on a mental level, she goes above and beyond any expectations that a regular child's parents would ever have. When she started school, she was put into the 'special' class where all they do all day is basically watch "Dora the Explorer" and "Sesame Street".

At some point, Melody was watching TV and saw a documentary about Stephen Hawking and how, despite his physical disability, he was just as intelligent, if not more, than everyone else. Soon afterwards, Melody convinced her parents, by using a video that her school aide helped her find, to get her a speech board thingy that allowed her to type out what she wants to say and such.

Melody and some of her classmates are allowed, due to a special program, to be integrated into some of the regular 5th grade classes. Melody, being very intelligent, signs up for the quiz team and gets a place on said team. After winning the regional tournament, the team was supposed to go to Washington, D.C. The whole team, except Melody, had gone out for breakfast the day of the flight (Melody has to be spoon-fed so they didn't want her to slow them down). Due to the fact that Melody was not with the team when they find that all flights had been canceled except one flight to D.C. that left in a few minutes time, Melody was left behind and thus the team lost the championship. When they get back, Melody is extremely vexed by this and became sulky for a while but eventually everyone made up and had a happy ending.

Setting

Somewhere north… I think they said Ohio…

Conflict

1. Melody's Cerebral Palsy
2. Melody's younger sister Penny
3. Quiz Team
4. School in general

Theme

You can accomplish anything if you persevere.