Speak

Title: Speak
Author: Laurie Halse Anderson
Published: 1999
ISBN: 9780374371524
Page number: 198
Price: $17
Genre: realistic fiction
Reading Level: 6th grade 
Interest Level: 8th grade and up
Awards: National Book Award Nominee for YOung People's Literature (1999), Edgar Award Nominee for Best Young Adult (2000), Printz Honor (2000)
Plot Summary: Melinda has become enemy number one at school and her friends aren't speaking to her either. Everyone is made at Melinda because she called the cops at an end of school party. Of course everyone blames Melinda now knows that it doesn't pay to speak up and she retreats into isolation. The only things she enjoys is her art class. Melinda is just going to get through school and not tell anyone about why she really called the cops that night. The thing is, Melinda was raped at that party but she couldn't speak up about it. Then when she runs into her rapist Melinda finds the strength to finally speak up and fight back.
Review: Speak is an extremely moving and touching novel about a girls struggle to speak out about her rape. Melinda is completely isolated by her own friends with pushes her further into her depression and isolation. Her art class is the only things the brings her some relief. It is also her art class that allows her to start finally addressing the feeling and emotions she has surrounding her rape. Anderson is known for touching on issues that effect teen girls and Speak is one of those books. It really addresses this issue of rape in American and how victims like Melinda are afraid to speak out. The story shows the struggle that she goes through and how the rape has emotionally scared Melinda.
Reader's Annotation: Everyone hates Melinda for breaking up a party by calling the cops. What they don't know is that Melinda was raped that night. But no one will ever know if Melinda won't speak out.
Bibliotherapeutic usefulness: For rape victims this story shows the pain of not speaking out and that it's okay to stand up and fight back, that you don't have to be a victim. For others it shows how emotionally it is to find the courage to speak out about being raped.
Issues: Melinda is raped and then later attacked by her rapist.
Book Talk Ideas: The book talk could be from the point of view of the other students at the school. They could talk about how she broke up the party and know is a loner with no friends. This will show how people can rush to conclusions instead of reaching out to find out what happened. 
Main Themes: rape, isolation, friendships, high school
Read-alikes: Just Listen by Sarah Dessen 
Author Website: http://lauriehalseanderson.org/
Professional Reviews: Kirkus Reviews
Publisher's Weekly
Why this book was chosen: Speak is an emotionally tense novel that deals with the issue of rape. Considering that society still struggles with rape and blaming victims this book can provide some insight into the emotions of rape.