Speak

Laurie Halse Anderson

Book cover for Speak
Book cover for Speak
Book cover for Speak
Book cover for Speak

Speak

Speak

Laurie Halse Anderson

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Description

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, Speak 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.

Awards and Accolades for Speak:
A New York Times Bestseller
A National Book Award Finalist for Young People's Literature
A Michael L. Printz Honor Book
An Edgar Allan Poe Award Finalist
A Los Angeles Times Book Prize Finalist
A TIME Magazine Best YA Book of All Time
A Cosmopolitan Magazine Best YA Books Everyone Should Read, Regardless of Age

About the Author

Laurie Halse Anderson is the New York Times-bestselling author of many award-winning books including the groundbreaking modern classic Speak, a National Book Award finalist which has sold over 3.5 million copies and been translated into 35 languages. In 2023, Anderson was named the laureate of the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, which is given annually to authors, illustrators, oral storytellers, and reading promoters "for their outstanding contribution to children's and young adult literature." In 2009, Anderson was selected by the American Library Association for the Margaret A. Edwards Award for her "significant and lasting contribution to young adult literature." A passionate spokesperson for the need to combat censorship and promote diversity in publishing, she has been honored for her battles for intellectual freedom by the National Coalition Against Censorship and the National Council of Teachers of English. Mother of four, grandmother of dragons, and wife of one, she lives in Pennsylvania.

Critical Reviews

A New York Times Bestseller
A National Book Award Finalist For Young People's Literature
A Michael L. Printz Honor Book
A Publisher Weekly Bestseller
An Edgar Allan Poe Award Finalist
A Los Angeles Times Book Prize Finalist
BCCB Blue Ribbon Award Winner
A TIME Magazine Best YA Book Of All Time
A Cosmopolitan Magazine Best Ya Books Everyone Should Read, Regardless Of Age
An ALA Top Ten Best Book For Young Adults
A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year
A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
California Young Reader Medal
Golden Kite Award Winner
A Booklist Editors' Choice for Youth
ALA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adults
PA Carolyn W. Field Award Winner
Kentucky Bluegrass Award

★ "In a stunning first novel, Anderson uses keen observations and vivid imagery to pull readers into the head of an isolated teenager. . . . Yet Anderson infuses the narrative with a wit that sustains the heroine through her pain and holds readers' empathy. . . . But the book's overall gritty realism and Melinda's hard-won metamorphosis will leave readers touched and inspired." --Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

★ "An uncannily funny book even as it plumbs the darkness, Speak will hold readers from first word to last." --The Horn Book, Starred Review

"A frightening and sobering look at the cruelty and viciousness that pervade much of contemporary high school life, as real as today's headlines. . . . The plot is gripping and the characters are powerfully drawn . . . a novel that will be hard for readers to forget." --Kirkus Reviews, Pointer Review

"Melinda's pain is palpable, and readers will totally empathize with her. This is a compelling book, with sharp, crisp writing that draws readers in, engulfing them in the story." --School Library Journal

"A story told with acute insight, acid wit, and affecting prose." --Library Journal

"Melinda's voice is distinct, unusual, and very real as she recounts her past and present experiences in bitterly ironic, occasionally even amusing vignettes. . . . Melinda's sarcastic wit, honesty, and courage make her a memorable character whose ultimate triumph will inspire and empower readers." --Booklist

Publishing Information

Publisher: Square Fish
Pub date: 2011-05-10
Length: 224 pages

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