GENRE: Fiction: realistic fiction. 
 SUBJECT/THEMES: Emotional difficulties, sexual abuse, not fitting in, high school. 
 SUMMARY: Melinda is heading off to her first year of high school, which should be an exciting time. Things are different for Melinda. At the end of eighth grade, she and her friends were invited to a party on a farm, with lots of older teens. Melinda phoned the police that night, and they came and busted up the party, getting plenty of people in trouble. As a result, Melinda is now labeled as an outcast, for her long-standing middle-school friends aren't talking to her, and no one else wants anything to do with her either. Only one person, Heather, befriends Melinda, and Heather is new to the school and doesn't know what Melinda has done. But Melinda hasn't told anyone about that night, and isn't sure if she can. 
 EVALUATION: Speak is a moving, terrifically-written depiction of a young teen in emotional trouble. Through Melinda's thoughts and memories, the reader can imagine her as a happy, vibrant, good student. In the 9th grade, however, Melinda's grades drop and continue to plummet, in every subject except for art. I turned the pages as quickly as I could, ever hopeful that Melinda would make the decision to talk to someone and begin to turn her life back around. Even through the pain Melinda is experiencing, Anderson ably interjects humor in Melinda's family situations, her trouble with school, and especially with her unlikely friend Heather. Every moment feels vivid and real, and I was completely able to sympathize with the main character. 
 WHY I WOULD INCLUDE IT: Date rape is a common enough occurrence that teens that have been affected by it should be able to find books that speak to them and possibly help them work through their issue, and Speak can do that. Beyond that, this book may give teen readers some insight into how to treat people, particularly those that they once considered a friend. High school students can ostracize each other viciously, without thinking much about it. Perhaps this book will give pause and allow teens to think before they act. Also, this is another award winning book, with good reason.