SPEAK

Title: Speak
Author: Laurie Halse Anderson
ISBN: 0-439-64010-5

Melinda Sordino called the cops at an end-of-summer party so now her old friends won't talk to her. What her friends don't know, however, was why she had called the cops which even she doesn't want to think about. The book is written almost like a diary, she writes her feelings, thoughts, and all the emotions that go along with what happened at the night of the party and now being the most-hated person in the school. Since the party Melinda barely speaks and her lips are ruined from her constantly biting them because of her anxiousness. The only place she feels comfortable and safe is in the small janitor's closet nobody uses that she found while avoiding her social studies teacher who she calls "Mr. Neck." There she is hidden from all the pain of dealing with her secret, her ex-friends, and especially, IT. IT goes to her school, IT was at the party, IT ruined her life, IT is disgusting enough to make her want to puke.

I thought this book was really sad. Melinda had to go through so many hardships, I felt so sorry for her. The pain of dealing with what happened at the party is something I hope I never have to go through. Her friends hated her because she was too scared to tell them the truth of what happened. There were parts that were entertaining and funny but it was mostly sad. You can really feel how hurt she is and how much her secret affected her.

Anderson, Laurie Halse. Speak. New York: Scholastic Inc., 1999

--Nicole Eggerman