Rating: 
Summary: A must read book
Review: speak is about a girl (melinda) who is a freshman.Last year there was a big party.something happend at that party that made her want to call the cops.all her old friends wouldn't talk to her because of that.but if only they knew what happend to her that night. You could find out the secret if you read this book.
this book is great I couldn't put it down. Being in high school myself, I could totally relate. because in high school you see a lot of stuff like drugs,heartsbreaking and stuck up kids.all of the above relate to the story.As I was reading this book I felt like I was in my own school.The book got me thinking what I would do if I was in melinda's shoes.
I recommend this book to all teens. I think teens would really enjoy this book. The book had a combination of suspence,humar and drama.The first 30 pages of the book was funny but as I got past that it got dramatic. I'm telling you guys check this book out you'll love it!(...)
Rating:
Summary: Speak
Review: In the book Speak there is a girl named Melinda. Melinda was entering high school when i started the book; it started out slow and then as i got farther in the book it got interesting. Melinda was having trouble in school because she thought she was an outcast at Merry Weather high school. Melinda's parents would always fight over little stuff, and Melinda would go to her room and turn her music all the way up so she could not here her parents argue. Also at the end of the summer rachel took Melinda to a end of the summer party and I'm gonna stop where i am so that you can find out what happens to Melinda. this book was awesome this is the best book i ever read in my life. I give the author a lot of credit for writing this book it was a good book. I could relate to this book because there was an expeirence that i had in the past and this book reminded me about it. But anyway lets get back to this book there is so much to tell you about this book that i cant tell you because i would give away the main plot about the book.
Rating:
Summary: Compelling
Review: As a fan of memoir style books, in which I am an avid reader (close to 100) I have found this book 'Speak' to be one of the best books I have read. It is compelling and courageous like that of 'Nightmares Echo',with pieces like that found in another rape type abuse related book 'Lucky'. It also has pieces of sarcastic wisdom like that of "Running With Scissors". Melinda shows us the rath of abuse,the inability to speak and the climb out of the ordeal she has lived. This is a fantastically written piece that desribes the abuse of rape and the journey back.
Rating:
Summary: Deeply Touching
Review: Evaluation: Speak is a young adult problem novel that many high school girls can relate to. The story is written from the point of view of the main character Melinda, who is going through the aftermath of being raped and feeling alone and shameful. This is a realistic depiction of such an incident, and the story is well written with an abundance of imagery and clever phrases. In this novel, Melinda experiences the typical feelings of anxiety caused by beginning high school, as well as some deeper emotions and symptoms of clinical depression. As a result of the lack of contact with her friends and anyone for that matter, she essentially stops speaking because most of the world has stopped listening. Eventually, the reader gets the details of the awful night through a flashback during the story. The book also realistically depicts the evils, as well as the ridiculous aspects of cliques and trying to fit in. The protagonist, Melinda, rises above her silence and inner demons through much seclusion and barely existing inside of the janitor's closet that she has adopted as her personal safe haven. Melinda has an inner sense of humor and intelligence that is evident throughout the story when she describes the cliques and the ongoing school mascot search. The story is beautifully written, and it leaves the reader anxiously turning pages to learn the fate of this pathetically neglected girl struggling so deeply to overcome such a difficult time in her young life. Melinda is a dynamic character as she goes from previously being a typical teenager, to an extreme low, and then grows into her place in the world at this time in her life. The theme of triumph and overcoming the inner conflict is inspiring and truthful, which makes the novel appealing to young adults. The language is descriptive as well as accurate to the way the character would be thinking in these situations.
Rating: 
Summary: Speak
Review: This reveiw is about a book named "SPEAK" by Laurie Halse Anderson. I recomend this book to anyone, because this mystery will keep you at the front of your seats all the way to the end. I think the main theme of this story is to speak up. Also the theme is man vs. himself and other man. Now we will get to the plot of the book.
Speak took place in Syracuse, New York in a suburban area. The main characters were Melinda, Andy Evans, mom and dad, Mr.Smith, Heather, Rachel and Ingrid. These characters were mostly peers from school. Melinda is the main character. She feels alone and want's someone to talk to.
In the story something terrible happens to Melinda at a party and she calls the cops. The next year every kid in school hates her including her friends. Luckly a new girl named Heather befriends her. After the horrible event Melinda changes her physical and mental apperance and not for the good, she has to deal with herself to change, not to mention the other people. On a scale from 1-10 I rate this book a 9.5, This book is great.
Rating:
Summary: GREAT BOOK!!!
Review: This book was one of the most life changing books I have ever read. The way that Laurie Halse Anderson writes it, you feel as though you are in the same world with this poor girl. After reading Speak, I now have a new outlook on everything that I do in life. I am a thirteen year old girl and reading this book made me realize how harmful getting yourself into the wrong situations can really be. WAY TO GO LAURIE HALSE ANDERSON i LOVED your book!!!!!!!! Anybody and everybody should read this book!
Rating:
Summary: Silence is never Golden
Review: I read this book when I was a freshman in high school. Although it has been three years since I first read it, it has never left my mind. To read a book with such originality at such a young age is hard to find. Most girls my age were reading a book on their favorite pop star. Well not me. I yearned to find a meaningful book on which I could find hope and fear, love and hate in. This was my answer.
Rating:
Summary: Sound it out
Review: What elevates a young adult novel from "Merely Good" to "Extraordinary"? Why are children in school encouraged to read "The Chocolate War" but not the latest Lurlene McDaniel? Usually the reason is because the writing in a good YA novel is superior to its competitors. But to make a harrowing story not only poignant but memorable, there has to be that one extra element. In "Speak", the extra element is humor. Author Laurie Halse Anderson has taken a painful life-changing moment of horror and imbued its subject with a sardonic sarcastic wit. As a result, I was able to not only read this story all the way through (I have trouble reading painful books sometimes) but enjoy it and look forward to picking it up again.Melinda is beginning her high school career as the official outcast. Over the summer Melinda dared to call the cops to a kick-ass party being held and now all the kids she has ever been friends with have abandoned her. On top of that, there's a secret Melinda's harboring that threatens to destroy her from the inside out. Only her sympathetic art teacher, Mr. Freeman, gives Melinda any direction or support she so clearly lacks from both her home and school life. In some ways, I was a little disappointed that Anderson chose to make it so obvious that this book was tailor made to be read and reread by kids in high school English classes. For example, Melinda discusses a day in which her English teacher (deemed Hairwoman for a badly neglected dye job) attempts to teach the class about symbolism. Melinda thinks symbolism is kinda cool, and likes finding examples of it in "The Scarlet Letter". It's a good thing Melinda likes symbolism too because this book is OVERFLOWING with it. A few examples: The weather outside vs. Melinda's internal changes. The name of her favorite teacher is Mr. Freeman. The tree she works on in art class. And so on. The nice thing about this use of symbolism is that Anderson never makes it too too blatantly obvious, or runs it into the ground. Rather, the teen reading this book might pick up on it on their own and think it was an intelligent thing to have spotted. But as I said before, humor is real breakthrough factor in this story. Melinda is funny funny funny. Even when she in the darkest deepest depths of despair, she has the ability to point out what's what. One of the best of the book's motifs is the school's constantly changing mascot. The school changes from the Trojans to the Devils because of the condom association. Then they change from the Devils to the Tigers because of the Satan association. Then they change from the Tigers to the Wombats because of the animal rights association. Then they change from the Wombats to the Hornets because they don't want to be associated with foreign marsupials. Finally they attempt to no longer be the Hornets because the cheerleaders have started a cheer that goes roughly along the lines of... "We are the Hornets,
Horny, Horny, Hornets!
Everywhere we go-oh,
People want to kno-oow,
Who we are, so we tell them . . .
We are the Hornets,
Horny, Horny, Hornets!
(and on and on and on)" This is funny stuff. And real. Goodness me is the stuff in this book real. Admittedly, I can't imagine someone like Melinda existing in my own high school. The idea that an ENTIRE high school could blackball you for a party that (I guarantee you the uncool kids wouldn't have attended) you broke up is a bit of a stretch. But the teachers, parents, and other incompetents in this book are presented in a well-wrought light. You like Melinda too. You sympathize with her completely. And while the ending leaves a couple storylines dangling, you have a pretty clear idea that everything's gonna be all right. The second best book written for young adults ever published.
Rating:
Summary: awesome
Review: I(...) thought speak was an excellent book. we had to read it in english, i couldnt put the book down. the story was just so well writtin, and her humour and charecter was great, i thought it was awesome and everyone should read this book, or make it into a movie, id go see it
Rating:
Summary: Every Girl Should Read This
Review: This book is about a girl who has many teen issues. She busted a party causing a whole bunch of people to dislike her greatly. School comes around, and people are dissing her. She makes her own little hiding space in a janitor's closet. The only friend she made during school started to push her away. A while later she starts talking to her ex-bestfriend, Rachel. She tells Rachel everything that happened at the party,which includes getting raped by Andy Evans, Rachel's new boyfriend. Rachel thinks Melinda is just jealous.
We think every girl should read this because it gives good examples of girls' issues. If you think you're going through a hard time, read this book, and everything will turn around for you. If something ever would happen to you, don't keep it a big secret, tell someone, ask for help.
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