Speak

 
 

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

Melinda has been outcasted by her friends for calling the cops during a party before school started.  No one knows the real reason why, she keeps that to herself.  She stops talking.  She feels alone and pretty much vanishes in plain sight. She is taking an art class and gets "tree" for her assignment and struggles with it all year.  She finally breaks her silence when her former friend Rachel is dating the guy who raped her.  He find's her in her hiding place at school and finds her voice and yell's "No!".  She is saved and finally can heal.

This story was heartbreaking.  It made me mad at Melinda that she didn't go for help or ask anyone to help her and how could her parents not notice a change and do nothing about it.  This would be a good book for students in grades 9-12.  It also touches on a very uncomfortable topic but necessary on of rape. 



I think the figurative language used in the title of this book really draws you in.  Melinda pretty much doesn't speak after the party and rape until she finds her voice in the end.