Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

01Sep08

Although this book was published in 1999, it is as relevant today as it was then. Melinda Sordino begins her freshman year of high school a social outcast. She has done the unthinkable; called the cops to break up an end-of-summer party. Now her former friends will not even speak to her. It is not until several chapters into the book that we find out that Melinda was raped at the party. She cannot deal with it and turns inward. Her grades suffer, her parents can’t figure out what’s gotten into her. It is not until the boy tries to attack her again, that she finally finds her voice and stands up to him.
The author does a great job of putting the reader inside Melinda’s head. She makes you feel Melinda’s pain and root for her to find a way to deal with the trauma.
The Library owns the book, the movie and the Book on CD. Read, watch or listen!

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Tags: freshman, High school