Summaries and Customer Reviews are supplied by Amazon.com

Average Customer Rating:

Great Book

Customer Rating:

I read this book a few years ago in High School English. This was one of the first books I've ever read, and I was really touched by the difficulties that some girls have to face. Many of the women in my life have been molested or raped, and it really helped to be able to see what they might be feeling. It was certainly a good book for a young man in high school to read, I'm sure it was good for the whole class.

Courtesy of Teens Read Too

Customer Rating:

SPEAK by Laurie Halse Anderson is a riveting, compassionate book about a teenage outcast. Melinda Sordino destroyed her reputation before even setting foot in the dangerous halls of Merryweather High School. By calling the police at an end-of-summer bash, she is now officially considered a loser. With her old friends gone, Melinda no longer speaks to anyone; even her new "best friend," Heather. This novel on self-discovery, empathy, and social acceptance is simply breathtaking. Without a doubt, SPEAK is a phenomenal book. It is emotional, inspirational, gripping, and surprisingly funny. It is told from Melinda's poignant, outspoken point of view. Anderson perfectly depicts the cliques, heartbreaks, and reality of high school. This book will grip you from cover to cover. SPEAK captured my heart with it's sarcastic sense of humor and perfect portrayal of high school. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a laugh, a tear, or anything in between. Reviewed by: Tara - The Class

one of the best books ever written	Customer Rating:
this book is about a girl who doesn't know how to speak when she has to and at the end learns its better to speak up... this book was written in a different but entertaining way,melinda's irony made this book funny and entertaining....

Speak	Customer Rating:
An instant classic for this generation. Speaks to anyone and everyone who has been a teenager, alienated, or alone. A powerful book, great writing. Would recommend this one to anyone with a teenager, any teens looking for someone who feels like they do, and anyone dealing with hard situations in life. A wonderful message of hope, and endurance, with touches of black humor.

It speaks to me.

Customer Rating:

Melinda and her friends attend a high school party during the summer between Middle and High School where Melinda has a close encounter with a high school student who goes too far even after she says No. She is drunk, confused and scared so she calls the cops. In a fit of panic she flees the scene and spends the rest of her summer alone. From the first day of school she knows she has no friends now, her actions landed many people in jail. She befriends a new student named Heather and begins one long silent year of schooling. She stops speaking to anyone, they can't understand because she has no voice to explain it to people around her. In art (the only class she is passing) she is assigned to spend the year trying to work on one subject, trees. She recedes into herself as she tries to work out what happened and what she can do to fix it. She finds an abandoned Janitor closet and creates a safe space for herself. http://dailylitmajor.blogspot.com/2008/08/speak-by-laurie-halse-anderson.html