I really like this book and recommend it for any girl over the age of 13! I know that Rape is a very sensitive issue, but don't let this deter you from letting your teen read this book! Melinda makes some mistakes along the way, but she eventually finds the strength and courage to tell and move on. It is a witty and inspiring book!
Speak
(1999, Fiction - Coming of Age, Written by Laurie Anderson)Ratings at a Glance
| 33% | of parents say it's educational |
Have you read it? 
Most Recent Reviews
Parent & Educator Reviewers Say | Kid Reviewers Say
- I rate this title on for age 13 and give it
Great!
- I rate this title on for age 10 and give it
- My highlights are:
- Educational
A Wonderful Books For Pre-Teens And UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This book holds an amazingly powerful story that can happen to anyone. It is a good book to have younger teens read it can help them see whats really out there....will it scare them...No Probably Not...but it informs the reader that life is not all peaches and cream...its not perfect...and all teens should know that going into high school.....My 8th grade reading teacher read this book to the class and I was moved...that was six years ago and this book still holds true...its a great book for all ages...parents don't be scared to let your children read books they can be a great learning experience...some books may have gruesome scene but I promise they wont traumatize your children
- I rate this title on for age 10 and give it
A Wonderful Books For Pre-Teens And UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This book holds an amazingly powerful story that can happen to anyone. It is a good book to have younger teens read it can help them see whats really out there....will it scare them...No Probably Not...but it informs the reader that life is not all peaches and cream...its not perfect...and all teens should know that going into high school.....My 8th grade reading teacher read this book to the class and I was moved...that was six years ago and this book still holds true...its a great book for all ages...parents don't be scared to let your children read books they can be a great learning experience...some books may have gruesome scene but I promise they wont traumatize your children
- I rate this title on for age 11 and give it
im not quite sure
This book has a lot of dry, witty humor. It describes highschool in a very dark & depressing way. I think the way Laurie portrays the students is some what realistic. I have read this, and noticed that this book has received quite a number of awards that personally, I don't really think it deserves. It is quite boring and slow moving. I do understand this is the reality of highschool, but why would someone want to spend time reading a novel of this portrayl. I would rather be reading something with more of a story, plot-line, and really I could go on and on but I think you know what I mean now. Thanks for your time - ha.
- I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it
I Cried!
She is the second most talented writer my go she's amazing(#1 is Stephine Meyer)
- I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it
great book, but not a good read for children
this book is quite great, but it is meat for a teen audience. it's relatable to teens going through emotional issues or who feel like outcasts. this book helped me through some hard times and it is great, but a bot graphic i guess
- I rate this title on for age 13 and give it
- I rate this title on for age 13 and give it
wow
This is a book that truly speaks to the teenage mind. Though the content is a little innapropriate, the story is pieced together beautifully
- I rate this title on for age 13 and give it
fantastic
Speak is a great book for kids who want to read about "real life" issues without being too graphic. The book makes reference to alcohol use over the summer prior to school beginning but the main character looks back on it as a mistake she wished she wouldn't have made. The description of the sexual assault is not particularly graphic either. At the end of the book, the main character finds herself in a violent confrontation with her rapist. THis was a scary scene, but he does not force himself on her sexually and it is quickly resolved. Many of my male students have appreciated this book because of their deeper understanding of what it would feel like to be sexually assaulted from the female perspective. It has the potential to change their actions because the book potrays the deep psychological effects of assault. Overall, well written and a true tale of the high school experience. I would share this book with teens and adults alike.
- I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it
Heavy Subject Matter
Speak could be quite disturbing for any young female readers who have experienced sexual assult.
- I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it
- I rate this title on for age 13 and give it
Important Book for High Schoolers
Although the subject matter here is serious, the book often finds a painfully funny way of dealing with it (as the other reviewer pointed out). It's an honest examination of why some students find high school difficult, and why everyone should consider how things look from someone else's point of view.
Parent & Educator Reviewers Say | Kid Reviewers Say
- I rate this title on for age 13 and give it
- My highlights are:
- Educational
Love, love, love this book! (and the movie as well) It's a great read! Laurie Halse Anderson makes this very fragile subject enjoyable and informative.
- I rate this title on for age 13 and give it
perfect for 13 year olds
great book and movie it really makes you think...
- I rate this title on for age 13 and give it
kids should rate more maturely
Laurie Halse Anderson puts great humor into this book. I just finished reading this book a couple weeks ago and I think it is great. You feel bad for Melinda even when she's not always the nicest person lol
- I rate this title on for age 15 and give it
The Positive within the Negative.
There may be drink, sex, and violence in the book but that doesnt make the message any less effective and clear. All those horrible things are there to show why Melinda is acting the way she does. And this is the kind of thing that can happen as a High School student.Not only could it really happen but the characters are written to seem very real. And its very relatable for teens. Some people may even see some of themselves with in Melinda. I personally find the book to be a great read and a book everybody should pick up.
Lives in Virginia- I rate this title iffy for age 12 and give itMy concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate sexual content
- Inappropriate language
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
- My highlights are:
Ummmmmmm...
Very good book. I like it. It's a little iffy for me, but it's good.
- I rate this title iffy for age 12 and give it
An enthralling yet simultaneously moving experience
Anderson impressively wrote Speak, which centers around Melinda, a typical teen, who is getting herself situated in your average high school. Which includes the sleazy teens, the jocks, the cliques, and the list goes on. Although, she feels pressure setting in when she called the cops at a party, because of a situation that she was in, that occurred. Speak is a highly recommended book from me because Anderson writes at adept and she knows how to go in-depth with characters, without having a bland experience. Speak will make you laugh and cry. A great book that was cleverly written. In case you want to envision the content Speak will contain, I'll tell you the concealed material. For sexual content, (this comment will contain major spoilers) the book deals about a girl that was raped at a party (major spoilers end). There are several discussions about the assault. Melinda talks about sleazy teenagers in high school. For violence, (spoilers reoccur), a girl is assaulted and she is pushed against a sink and she has little blood flowing from her lip (spoilers end). For profanity, the typical high school swearing such as b****, b***s***, b*****, b******, and w****.
- I rate this title on for age 13 and give it
So True To High School
This book perfectly describes High School. Except for the assault. I assume that happens everywhere but not at my school. The cliques...perfect. No one really likes cheerleaders. The jocks are always jerks and the less populars always treat you like a person...(David). The art teacher is always a little out there, and there is always one teacher that hates you no matter what. Melinda is a great character that overcame this event just like any teen probably would. Great Read! I just got the book started around my high school.
- I rate this title on for age 11 and give it
My favorite book ever, please read it!!!
Yes, this is my favorite book. Why? Because it is amazing. It is witty, clever, wry, sarcastic, hilarious, hopeful, refreshing, and beautifully written. It is an easy read, but it leaves you with so much after you read it. Speak not only tells a great story, but it helps anyone struggling through high school, and each page has something on it that you will have found yourself thinking before.
- I rate this title iffy for age 12 and give it
i loved this book!!!!
it was 1 of the best books i have ever read!!!!
- I rate this title iffy for age 12 and give it
I recommended it to almost everyone I knew.
I couldn't beleive how accurate and awesome this book was. I could never imagine that high School was ground zero for most kids. I hope now I'll be prepared when I go to highschool. The book was a fantastic read.
- I rate this title on for age 13 and give it
I feel in love with this book
I have to say this book tops all the other books I have ever read.Once i picked Speak up I knew I would not be able to put it down.To all the teenagers who haven't read this book you so do not what your missing out on.
- I rate this title on for age 11 and give it
My Favorite!
I finished reading the book yesterday and it was really a great book! I must read book for every girl teen going through these kinds of prolems! It was really well put and I just LOVED IT!!
- I rate this title on for age 13 and give it
Marvelous
A book that tells how regular teenagers are affected by sex, alcohol, and drugs. A must read for anyone over the age of 13. Tells the story of how a young girl is raped and the evils of parties and under aged drinking. Parents let your kids read this they probably already no all of these words from friends, television, and sometimes even from you.
- I rate this title on for age 2 and give it
This is an amazing story.
This is a book that every teen girl HAS to read. it tells the difficulty of being rapped and recovering. It also tells how hard it is to be a teenage outcast. Hopefully after reading this girls will try to include everyone and tell there friends that if they ever have a problem to come to them to talk about it. This truely is a wonderful book for teen girls. 13+ (PS: this isn't really an easy-read and may scary some girls.)
- I rate this title on for age 2 and give it
AMAZING
One of my favorite books... this author is AMAZING! she can tell a horrible story with humor mixed in... all girls can relate and boys will understand
- I rate this title iffy for age 2 and give it
A mUst Read Book For Everyone 12+
Absolutely amazing... I just wanted to hug Melinda at the end
- I rate this title iffy for age 2 and give it
Great book!
I loved it! it was a little mature, but if you're 11+ you've probably already read books with mature content. I think it's a moving story, and I loved it. If you enjoyed the book, the movie is just as good.
- I rate this title iffy for age 2 and give it
Awesome book!
This is one of my all-time favorite books. Granted, there is a bit of 'adult themes.' This book is probably for kids 12+. But it is an awesome piece of literature.
- I rate this title iffy for age 2 and give it
- I rate this title on for age 2 and give it
This is my Second favorate book. Most of the time to be my favorate book it has to make my cry histaicly and dehydrate myself (The Lake House by james patterson) or make me pee my pants laughing (Watermelon by marian keyes)This book did neather and i still loved it! It rocks!
- I rate this title on for age 2 and give it
- I rate this title on for age 2 and give it
Amazing..
The thing that struck me the most about this novel is that all of the characters, especially Melinda, wer just so ....real. Like I was standing in the room with them watching everything unfold instead of just reading about it. This is the mark of a greta novel.
- I rate this title on for age 2 and give it
good book
- I rate this title on for age 2 and give it
A MUST-READ for all teens!!!
i ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS BOOK AND THOUGHT THAT iF i COULD READ ANY BOOK OVER AGAiN, iT WOULD BE THiS ONE...i THiNK THAT EVERY SiNGLE TEEN NEEDS TO READ THiS BOOK BECAUSE iT WAS SO AMAZiNGLY POWERFUL AND i ABSOLUTELY LOVED iT!! iF YOU ARE A PARENT, BUY THiS FOR YOUR KiD...PLEASE....DO iT FOR THEM AND ME!!
