Speak
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Speak
Grades 10 & up
Realistic Fiction
Chains Fever, 1791 Catalyst |
Book Summary:
Melinda used to be outgoing, but as she begins high school, no one will talk to her, and she chooses not to speak to anyone else. At a summer party, she called the police, who broke up the party, and rumors blame her for spoiling a good time. Even her former best friend avoids her. Melinda's parents are distant from her and from each other, so the new art class is the only place Melinda has to express herself. Will she ever speak the truth about what happened last summer? Book Review: This is an incredibly powerful book - not to be missed. It includes mature content, but it is not gratuitous or graphically depicted. The focus of the story, in beautiful writing, is about relationships people build and break with each other, and whether truth is worth expressing and facing. This could be an excellent title for parents and middle school students to read and discuss together, because the miscommunication (or non-communication) between Melinda and her parents is a critical piece of this story. It is a memorable book that encourages readers to think before they judge others, to look for people who might need support - even if they aren't asking for it, and to admire the bravery required to speak the truth. "My family doesn't talk much and we have nothing in common, but if my mother cooks a proper Thanksgiving dinner, it says we'll be a family one more year. Only in film commercials does stuff like that work."
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The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen
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