Rating: 
Summary: Speak
Review: For Melinda Sordino the school year is not off to the most wonderful start. All of her former friends hate her because of an event that happened over the summer. She begins her freshman year of high school completely alone. The emotional wounds of the summer have left her unable to express herself; she is emotionally dead. As the school year goes on she becomes more and more silent, unable to open up about what happened over the summer. When "IT" approaches her in the hallways, she can't handle her fears and emotions. Melinda's only refuge is art class, where she is free to be herself and is learning to express her emotions through art. As Melinda's artwork grows, so does her need to tell someone what happened to her. When she finally finishes her project, she is ready to speak. Author Laurie Halse Anderson's excellent use of imagery and sarcasm really draw the reader into Melinda's world. The high school created by Anderson is a true stereotype of high schools all across America; there are different cliques: the jocks, the thespians, the Goths, the suffering artists, etc. Speak is an easy read that gives the imagination a workout. The characters seem so real; the entire novel seems as if it could have been taken out of a real teen's diary.
Rating: 
Summary: too depressing
Review: The book, Speak, I thought was comical but yet a little on the depressing side. Melinda Sordino, the main character, is going through a small slump of social status in her life. Mel almost goes her entire freshmen school year with out ever really speaking or making conversation because of an incident prior to the school year. Her views of the people and her are interesting and mostly funny. The stagnant plot failed to arouse my interest. The story seemed to drag out the little things and until the very end no plot is evident. The book was alright for a simple story about a girl. It's realistic, but in all I didn't fully enjoy reading this book.
Rating:
Summary: Speak
Review: New to high school, Melinda Sordino finds her friends have disowned her, and classes are much more difficult than she expected. Armed with a sarcastic and even sometimes sardonic attitude, she sets out to make the best of things. Unfortunately, her friends' relentless silent treatment and her less-than-adept teachers cause her plans to fall through.
Faced with no one to talk to and her far below adequate grades, Melinda does the only thing she can think of: not talk. But instead of simplifying things, her troubles only seem to multiply with her newfound silence. Anyone who's ever felt left out will enjoy this story. I found Melinda wry and easy to relate to, and her stereotypical high school seemed a facsimile of mine. Speak is a must read for any high school student, or even anyone who's ever been to high school. Laurie Halse Anderson does a wonderful job bringing that sad, sarcastic little person who lives inside us all to life.
Rating: 
Summary: She could never speak the truth...
Review: SPEAK
by Laurie Anderson Melinda Sordino is lost, alone and confused. She no longer has friends and people she didn't know hate her anyway... and that was just the first day of school! Since last Augest, when Melinda broke up an end-of-summer party by calling the police, she has become the leper of her school. The only time anyone talked to her was when they made fun of her, but no one knew. Nobody in her school knew the truth, her parents didn't want to see the truth and Melinda could not speak the truth. All she wanted to do was get away from the torment by shutting everything out and crawling deep inside her mind. But IT was there too, waiting for her. This book is a must-read for every high school newcomer. Reading it in my sophomore year, I found I could not put it down. Andersons description of high school life was one of the most realistic scenarios I have ever read. Melinda Sordino's personality will connect with, and touch, everyone who has ever experienced being an outsider. This book will scare you, make you laugh, cry, and give you courage.
Rating:
Summary: Speak
Review: Laurie Halse Anderson's novel Speak is a touching story about a teenage outcast's struggle to speak. Melinda's first year at Merryweather High is a lonely one with no friends and no escape. Her sarcasm and wit conceal the deep secret she holds inside and serve as a comic relief. She is isolated by her classmates, and she becomes quieter every day. Her parents try to get her to talk to them, but her secret stifles her. Only Melinda and a senior, Andy Evans, know the haunting secret she holds inside. She has no one to turn to so she expresses her feelings through her artwork in her art class with Mr. Freeman. In the end Melinda inspires the reader when she overcomes her battle by shattering the silence. This novel is filled with an explosion of emotions and will leave you speechless. I enjoyed this novel thoroughly, and I certainly recommend it to anyone.
Rating:
Summary: Emily's Speak Book Review
Review: Laurie Halse-Anderson's novel, Speak, is a riveting story about a teenage girl starting her high school days as an outcast. The main character, Melinda, had called the cops on the end-of-the-summer bash and everyone is busted. The reason for calling the cops is something Melinda keeps deep inside and does not reveal until the end. This novel shows Melinda as she struggles with many difficult aspects of high school and her home life. She has trouble speaking to people and expressing her true emotions. Though she's still very apprehensive, one person she starts to open up to is Mr. Freeman, her art teacher. He has taught her how to express her feelings through art and also told her he'd always be there to listen. Will Melinda finally open up to him or anyone, and find her voice? I enjoyed this novel because it was realistic and detailed. It is a book that brings forth a mixture of emotions. It will make you laugh, cry, and yell out in anger. I definitely recommend this book.
Rating:
Summary: Speak
Review: The book Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson is great. It is a novel about a teenage girl named Melinda who has several problems. She is a freshman at a high school, and she is an outcast. She is very lonely and unhappy. Her friends no longer speak to her, because over the summer Melinda calls the police when she is at a party. She called the police for a reason, but she does not get to explain herself right away. Since everyone is angry with her, she does not start her first high school year off right. She struggles throughout the whole year. She is so depressed that she does not want to speak. I liked this book because it was very powerful, realistic, and humorous. I am not a very strong reader, but this book was very easy to read and understand. I think Laurie Anderson did an amazing job expressing Melinda's feelings and thoughts.
Rating:
Summary: Speak Review
Review: The novel Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson is a pretty good book. It is about a girl named Melinda who is just starting high school and her and one of her friends go to a party. They were drinking a little and someone did something to her so she called the police. After the party nobody would talk to her or be her friend because she called the police. Melinda never told anybody about what had happened. When she does say something about her best friend doesn't believe her.
Rating:
Summary: Speak Review
Review: Freshman, Melinda Sordino, starts high school depressed and outcast. The entire school hates her for calling the cops on an end-of-the-summer party. Her friends have deserted her without even trying to find out the truth of what really happened. Slowly Melinda stops speaking to her parents, teachers, and even her peers. Anytime she sees Andy Evens, a popular senior boy, she feels paralyzed like a rabbit around a predator. Through her artwork, Melinda shows her feelings of depression and loneliness. She has a secret that she can't tell anybody. Will Melinda ever be able to tell this secret? Find out at the end of the story when the truth is finally revealed.
Laurie Halse Anderson's novel is a wonderful tribute to teenage life with all the realistic dramas and conflicts all young adults go through. All readers will relate to the isolation and confusion Melinda expresses in her sad and humorous story.
Rating:
Summary: Speak
Review: Speak, written by Laurie Halse Anderson, captures all the aspects of high school life. This book is about a teenage girl, Melinda Sordino, who was raped at a party and then called the police. She becomes a total outcast and all her old friends are now enemies. This book is excellent because it has an inspirational ending and everything is modeled like a high school year. I finished the book in two days because I wanted to see what happened next. I would recommend this book for any high school student.
Niemietz
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