Speak

Anderson, L. H. (1999). Speak. NY: Penguin

Summary: Melinda is starting her freshman year of high school completely rejected by her former friends. Over the summer, Melinda attended a party where she ended up calling the police. Melinda's favorite place to be in school is an abandoned janitor's closet that sh has decorated with her art. Art is the only thing that Melinda can take solace in. Every once in a while she sees, It, the boy who antagonizes her about what happened at that party. After she tells Rachel, her ex-friend, what happened with It, she begins to gain confidence. Melinda confronts Andy and defends herself. She gains the respect of many other girls that have also been attacked by Andy. In the end, she finishes her tree with he help of her art teacher.
Commentary: I believe the theme of this book is very strong. The title itself explains exactly what the main character needs to accomplish. A very tragic event has happened in Melinda's life and she cannot find a way to speak about it to anyone. Throughout the book we see Melinda find the courage to tell someone what happened and only then is she able to move past her trauma. We see a lot of character growth from Melinda as the story develops. She is able to come to terms with what happened to her and confront the root of her fears, It.
Connections: Teaching Resources, Book Trailer, Book Review, Author Interview
Similar Books: Stuck in Neutral by Terry Trueman; Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes by Chris Crutcher; Keesha's House by Helen Frost
Textbook Connections: When I read Speak, I was reminded that the adolescents we work with are going through a very critical point in their emotional development. There are times when this emotional development can be interrupted as in Speak.