#44--Speak

Bibliographic Information

 Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. Square Fish. (2011).

Price: $17.99 for hardcover; $9.99 for paperback

Pages: 208 for hardcover; 224 for paperback

Note: This was originally published in 1999. The above date refers to the reprint edition

Plot Summary

Melinda is not looking forward to her freshman year in high school. Ever since she called the police at a drunken party during the summer she has been hated and ignored by the people she once called her friends. Her suspicions that their behavior will continue throughout the school year is confirmed on her first day back. Suddenly, she finds herself sitting alone at lunch, shunned by all except new girl Heather. To cope with her friends’ rejection and the horrible things done to her at the summer party, Melinda closes up and rarely speaks. Whenever she tries to explain her side of the story she finds that she cannot. Fortunately, she finds some solace in art class where her teacher has assigned her to create trees all year until she can breathe life into them. As she muddles through the school year with her grades continually in decline she wonders if she will ever be able to find her voice and tell someone about the event that changed her into a wraith of her former self.

Critical Evaluation

Speak is the sort of novel that you hope finds its way into the hands of everyone, adult and teenager alike. On the surface Speak is a story about a freshman in high school struggling to fit in. Through first-person narrative Melinda explains all the trials of high school—substandard cafeteria food, cliques, and clueless teachers. However, throughout her story, there is the hint that she is struggling with something more insidious. While readers know that she called the police at a summer party gaining her the enmity of her former friends, they do not know why she called them. Every so often she will refer to HIM, the monster who committed some unspeakable act against her and whom she must see in the hallways at school. Slowly, readers watch Melinda sink into depression. The once high achieving student develops dismal grades. She chooses to speak very little and the only pleasure she takes is in her linocut trees and even that is very little. The ultimate question becomes what exactly happened at that summer party. The pacing of the novel is perfect as the truth behind Melinda’s depression is revealed little by little leading to a powerful confusion.

Speak is a powerful testament about how one terrible act can affect a person’s life. Even though readers are left knowing that Melinda can and will heal they are also aware that it will take some time. It is unclear, just as it is in many real-life cases, if her rapist will face judgment or walk away freely. Speak ultimately makes readers realize that rape is a huge issues today and one that affects not only adults but teens and children as well. As such, it is the perfect book to use when discussing issues surrounding rape and sexual assault.

Other Notes

Although not linked to Speak directly folks at The Enliven Project created this infographic. Just something to think about.

Reader’s Annotation

Melinda struggles through her freshman year in high school as she tries to forget HIM and the unspeakable things he did to her.

About the Author

Recognized as one of the greatest authors in teen literature (as seen through her 2009 Margaret A. Edwards award), Laurie Halse Anderson has written on many difficult subjects including rape, poverty, crime, depression, eating disorders, and slavery. Not surprisingly several of her novels have faced censorship including Speak and Twisted. As is the case with numerous authors, she faced hundreds of rejections before finally having a book professionally published. Now, when she isn’t writing, she enjoys running marathons and gardening. To learn more about Laurie Halse Anderson visit her site here.

How to pronounce her name: Laurie HALT-ZZ Anderson

Genre

Realistic fiction, Mystery

Readalikes

Catalyst by Laurie Halse Anderson

·         Some consider this a companion to Speak as it takes place at the same time as Speak. Main character, Melinda, even makes an appearance in this book.

Just Listen by Sarah Dessen

·         A powerful novel about a girl who was raped at a party and her courage to finally speak out about it.

Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes by Chris Crutcher

·         Sarah Byrnes inwardly locks herself away in order to cope with the terrible things that have been done to her.

Tags

13 year old, 9^th grade, Art, Cliques, Depression, First amendment, Friendship, New York, Rape, Sexual assault, Speaking up, Symbolism, Trees in art, Troubled marriage, Workaholic parents

Awards Won/Lists On

This book has won numerous awards and been featured on multiple lists including but not limited to:

·         1999 National Book Award Finalist

·         1999 BCCB Blue Ribbon Book

·         2000 Printz Honor

·         2000 Horn Book Fanfare Best Book of the Year

·         2000 Edgar Allan Poe Best Young Adult Award Finalist

·         2001 & 2005 New York Times Paperback Children’s Best Seller

·          

It has also won state awards in California,Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada,  New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Washington.

Learn more about the awards Speak has won here.

Professional Reviews

Not surprisingly, Speak has garnered numerous professional reviews from sources like:

Booklist

Kirkus Reviews
Publishers' Weekly

The Horn Book

Booktalk Ideas

If you had a dark secret whom would you tell?

·         Art teacher? (Mr. Freeman)

·         Former best friend? (Rachel)

·         New friend? (Heather)

·         Parents?

Bibliotherapeutic Usefulness

This is an excellent novel to help victims of rape heal. It can also be used for those in the midst of depression to help them better understand their condition. It can also be used to generate discussion about the stigma of reporting rape and highly sexualized Western culture.

Reading Level/Interest Level

Reading Level: 4th grade

Interest Level: 9^th-12^th grade

These levels are according to AR Bookfinder

Challenge Issues

This book includes the following potentially controversial elements:

·         Bullying

·         Cliques

·         Depression

·         Double standards

·         Political Correctness

·         Racism

·         Rape

·         Sexual assault

·         Stereotypes

·         Troubled marriage

Librarians can point out that while this book contains heavy themes it serves a vital purpose in informing teenagers about how damaging rape can be. One of the most shocking parts of an interview with the author contained in the 10th Anniversary Edition of the novel is her experience with certain teen boys who read the novel. She says, “I have gotten one question repeatedly from young men. These are guys who liked the book, but they are honestly confused. They ask me why Melinda was so upset about being raped. The first dozen times I heard this, I was horrified. But I heard it over and over again. I realized that many young men are not being taught the impact that sexual assault has on a woman. They are inundated by sexual imagery in the media, and often come to the (incorrect) conclusion that having sex is not a big deal. This, no doubt, is why the number so sexual assaults is so high” (p. 206) This quote alone is enough reason why books like Speak should be included in the high school (or middle school) curriculum.

Why Was This Included?

I decided to include this title because of three reasons. Firstly, it was required. Secondly, because I had read the other optional title (Wintergirls) somewhat recently and finally because Speak is one of the most powerful books I have encountered to speak on the subject of rape.