Speak

Speak, written by Laurie Halse Anderson and published in 1999, won eight state book awards and was a finalist for eleven.

From the Amazon sales page:

"The groundbreaking National Book Award Finalist and Michael L. Printz Honor Book with more than 3.5 million copies sold, Speak is a bestselling modern classic about consent, healing, and finding your voice.

"Speak up for yourself—we want to know what you have to say." From the first moment of her freshman year at Merryweather High, Melinda knows this is a big lie, part of the nonsense of high school. She is friendless, an outcast, because she busted an end-of-summer party by calling the cops. Now nobody will talk to her, let alone listen to her. As time passes, Melinda becomes increasingly isolated and practically stops talking altogether. Only her art class offers any solace, and it is through her work on an art project that she is finally able to face what really happened at that terrible party: she was raped by an upperclassman, a guy who still attends Merryweather and is still a threat to her. Her healing process has just begun when she has another violent encounter with him. But this time Melinda fights back—and refuses to be silent.

From Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award laureate Laurie Halse Anderson comes the extraordinary landmark novel that has spoken to millions of readers. Powerful and utterly unforgettable, it has been translated into 35 languages, was the basis for the major motion picture starring Kristen Stewart, and is now a stunning graphic novel adapted by Laurie Halse Anderson herself, with artwork from Eisner-Award winner Emily Carroll."

The story begins with Melinda Sordino's first day of high school. She dreads it, and for good reason.

She's the first one on the school bus, and as the others enter no one sits with her. No one speaks to her. Her ex-best friend, Rachel, catches her eye and mouths silently, "I hate you." Then she turns her her back and laughs with her friends.

At the end of summer before her freshman year, Melinda and Rachel, had gone to a party with a group of high school friends. Everyone was drinking, including Melinda.

Her friends – now her former friends – will have nothing to do with her. Melinda had gotten them in trouble. She had called 911. The cops came and broke up the party. Some of the kids were arrested.

Rachel and the other students don't know the real reason Melinda called the police. She had fled the party and walked home.

Now she is forced to endure Rachel's anger and that of her other former friends. Worst of all, she will have to face the boy who was her real reason for the 911 call.

She has told no one what happened. Not the police, not her parents, no one. She can't. She can hardly speak at all

* * *

Wesley Scroggins, an assistant professor at Missouri State University in Springfield, is "concerned" about some of the books in the Republic, MO schools. He says they "teach principles contrary to the Bible."

According to him, Speak is one of those books. He believes it should be removed from the classroom.

The Springfield, MO News-Leader states that Scroggins "has been concerned for some time what students in the schools are being taught."

In April 2010, he complained about the material used in sex education – a pamphlet describing how to avoid contracting HIV.

In July 2011, the Republic school board members voted to keep Speak.

Scroggins said it was "unfortunate" that they decided to keep it.

My thoughts:

I get why Melinda can't talk about the reason she had called the cops. It was too awful to think about, much less put into words.

Far too often rape victims are not believed, or blamed if they are believed because of where they were, what they were wearing, etc., etc.

No one has a right to rape anyone no matter what the circumstances!

As for the attempted ban of this book, I do not understand this kind of thinking. Do some people have the idea that if rape isn't mentioned, then it doesn't happen?

Denying access to books like this sends the message that rape is not to be talked about, even if it happens to you.

And what about Scroggins' complaint about the literature about protection from HIV? That's a bad thing? Would he and others who agree with him rather kids did not protect themselves?

I think we all know how well that "abstinence only" thing that some like to preach is working!

Adults being in denial doesn't change facts. Sex is happening in the teen world, like it or not. So is rape. Far more often than we imagine. Let's educate our kids, encourage them to talk, and listen when they do.

I highly recommend this book.

I think Speak is a book every teenager and their parents should read. Plus anyone who works with children and/or teens.

Book available from Amazon

The 2004 film based on the book stars Kristen Stewart as Melinda.

DVD available from Amazon

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