Speak

Reader reviewed by safia

A realistic novel about a girl suffering through the harshness of high school. Melinda observes classes and cliques as an outcast. She stops speaking and becomes withdrawn to herself. However, she must learn to speak up about the truth.

A startling but honest and witty read.

Reader reviewed by sara

I didn't think this book would be that interesting when i first read about it.when i started reading it i couldn't put it down.i cried and i loved it.i highly recommened this book to everyone.

Reader reviewed by Traci

I'm currently a first year Grad Student and in my Adolescent literature class one of the many books we read was Speak..It was my absolute favorite.I couldn't put it down.I think I read it in two days and I usually don't read books that fast. Many think that young adults should read of such things but we shouldn't shelter our children from reality..I actually had to do a 30 minute presentation on this book, I also watched the movie..The book was Better!!!Good Job Laurie

Reader reviewed by ambs

when one girl feels that she must stay silent and no one will ever find out what happended to her, she finds it hard to watch all of her friends change and when one of them starts to get close to this guys she finds it hard to stay silent anymore. with a teacher always on her back and a haunting memory always in her head she finds it hard to speak. when she is able to tell the world her story she relizes that it isnt so hard to speak after all.

to find out what she must speak about ull just have to read the book, i mean i gave it a 5 it was so good.

Reader reviewed by ******

I loved this book. Everyone who reads this book can relate to it because it is told exactly how a teen girl would say it. She describes her school and teachers in a great way, that is also humorous, I loved how the ending was not at all how I'd imagined it. It had a great twist on it. I think all girls from 12 and up should read this.

Reader reviewed by terra

speak is about this girl that is a social outcast because at the end of the last school year she called the police on this party and now everyone hates her. but did she call them on the party or did somthing happen to her? if somthing did what?

this is a good book and i would reccomend you read it

Reader reviewed by FxOxG

Speak is a moving story by the author Laurie Halse Anderson. The book is about a troubled girl,Melinda Sordino, who is named an outcast for calling the cops on an end of the summer bash. What no one realizes is that Melinda has a secret to hide my harsh than the high school social ladder.
This is a touching tale of courage and understanding. I reccomend this book to most people.

Reader reviewed by Nicki

Melinda Sordino starts high school a few weeks after she was raped at a teen drinking party. She is ostracized by everyone at school because she called the police on their party, but didn't report the rape and is almost entirely mute. The story covers her first year of school. She has emotionally distant parents, a girl she hangs out with who is not really her friend, and a crush on her lab partner. She is getting poor grades in most of her classes due to her emotional trauma, but she has a supportive art teacher. As the year goes on, through her art Melinda is able to come to terms with what happened to her.

Reader reviewed by bookspider

This is the story of Melinda.

She is entering the ninth grade, with the wrong clothes, the wrong attitude, and no group of friends. The reason? At the end-of-school party last year, she called the police. Now she is going to a quirky high school, where everyone knows and dispises her. But why did she call the cops?


Even as the story plummets into darkness, it is still told with a funny, amusing voice. Please read this book. The story is true, touching and darkly funny. One of my favourites.

Reader reviewed by Megan

The book "Speak" by Laurie Halse Anderson, was one in which I have no words for. It was a brilliantly thought out book in many ways. This book was very different from all the books I've ever read, because the heart of the story really got out at the end. The entire first half of the book is just describing this girl's lame life. You wouldn't be able to give a decent summary about it unless you read it cover to cover. Although I found the first half a bit boring, I think that's what the author wanted. She wanted to really prove how boring Melinda Sordino's life really was. You couldn't find one bit of appeal or interest in this girl's life until you find out her secret, which is when you really never want to put the book down. I think it was a great book only if you took it from different views like the author's.