Here is an author that is worthy of your time. Laurie Halse Anderson is Writer Lady - notice the URL of her website. Speak is her first published work (from 1999) and it won numerous awards. Can you imagine having your first book win national awards? Amazing! As a matter-of-fact, in the 10 years since its publication, all of the other books she's written are award winning at the national and state level. If you haven't delved into one, now is the time. She not only writes for teens but she has written award winning books for young children and tweens. This year she won the Margaret A. Edwards Award for three of her books for teens - “Catalyst”; “Fever 1793”; and “Speak”. Our BHS media center owns each of these so stop by and pick one up.In Speak, Laurie Halse Anderson reveals the hidden story behind 9th grader Melinda Sordino's reclusiveness. She is an outcast at her high school. She is not motivated to do anything and she's lost her friends. They are all angry with her because she called the police at a summer party that was going out of control. Her friends don't know why she did that and she can't tell them. She's actually not talking to anyone, not even her parents. She has turned inward and struggles with life. Ms. Anderson has written a story that will draw you in and keep you in its clutches as she slowly reveals details, bit by bit, until you feel the frightening pain that Melinda endured. You won't want to put this book down and you may just be able to finish it in a day, or at least a weekend.
Reviewed by Mrs. Boehm
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