Older Reviews: Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson 🔖🔖🔖

First published October 22, 1999

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Literary Awards: SCBWI Golden Kite Award for Fiction (1999), Edgar Award Nominee for Best Young Adult (2000), Michael L. Printz Award Nominee (2000), South Carolina Book Award for Young Adult Book Award (2002), Rhode Island Teen Book Award Nominee (2001), Vermont Golden Dome Book Award Nominee (2001), Evergreen Teen Book Award (2002), Boston Globe-Horn Book Award (2000), California Young Readers Medal Nominee for Young Adult (2003), Lincoln Award Nominee (2005), National Book Award Finalist for Young People's Literature (1999), Oklahoma Sequoyah Award for YA (2002), Margaret A. Edwards Award (2009)

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The first ten lies they tell you in high school.

"Speak up for yourself—we want to know what you have to say."

From the first moment of her freshman year at Merryweather High, Melinda knows this is a big fat lie, part of the nonsense of high school. She is friendless, outcast, because she busted an end-of-summer party by calling the cops, so now nobody will talk to her, let alone listen to her. As time passes, she becomes increasingly isolated and practically stops talking altogether. Only her art class offers any solace, and it is through her work on an art project that she is finally able to face what really happened at that terrible party: she was raped by an upperclassman, a guy who still attends Merryweather and is still a threat to her. Her healing process has just begun when she has another violent encounter with him. But this time Melinda fights back, refuses to be silent, and thereby achieves a measure of vindication. (Source: Goodreads)

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I had a hard time getting into this book at the start, but that remedied itself near the middle. Part of my difficulty was in relating to Melinda, even though her non-popularity and some of what she experienced due to that status was accurate to my own school experiences. I could relate on some level what was happening to Melinda, but the reasons why were vastly different. Perhaps this was the disconnect for me. I kept wanting to connect and find some commonality, but it just didn't happen. It felt like there were times we were going to break through and get into some depth, but then it would pass, sometimes abruptly.

Overall, I finished it, I enjoyed it, and I might recommend it to others, but not with any passion behind it.

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Why was this banned?

Explicit sexual content, sexual assault, rape, and suicidal thoughts.

It is most frequently challenged for what is considered to be explicit sexual content.

My thoughts:

There is discussion of teens having sex and mention of abortions.

The description of her assault may be triggering for some, though there is no mention of body parts. It is disturbing, for obvious reasons.

A second assault occurs though it does not reach a sexual level.

Overall, this is a great book to open conversation about rape and "survivor guilt". There is also a great triumphant moment worth the read. I would have no problem with any of my children reading this book from Junior High up.

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For further discussion:

Educator's Guide from Penguin Classroom

A Discussion Guide from Macmillan

Discussion Guide from AdLit

Teacher's Guide from Macmillan

Lesson Plan from the Author

Lesson Plan from Dawn Hogue