Melinda, a high school freshman, is outcast by her old friend group because she “betrayed” them by calling the cops on a summer party they attended together. However, her friends don’t know the truth behind the whole incident. Throughout the book, Melinda becomes more and more isolated from others. At one point, she nearly stops talking (hence the title, “Speak”). The only place she feels comfortable is her art class, where she can truly express the way she feels without having to use words.
I highly recommend that everyone read this book—it was so impactful. I loved this book’s ability to discuss important issues in modern teen life. It was so well written in a way that it is perfectly digestible for a young adult audience even though it deals with some pretty heavy topics. I’d still suggest reading through content warnings before proceeding. It was also set in the city I grew up in, Syracuse, NY (which was pretty cool)—I think this made the book especially powerful because it showed that these things can truly happen in my life and made the message even more real and raw.
By Anonymous
