Speak |
Publication Information
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Author: Anderson, Laurie |
Illustrator: |
Title: Speak |
Date: 1999 |
Publisher: Farrar Stras Giroux |
City: New York |
ISBN, paperback: 0-374-37152-0 |
ISBN, hardback: |
Recommended audience:
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ABE/ABLE:
Yes |
ESOL:
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Family:
Yes |
Young Adult:
Yes |
Picture:
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General Information:
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Book Type(s):
fiction
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HSE Descriptor(s):
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Summary: |
This compelling story recounts Melinda's freshman year in high school. She is an outcast because she called the police to an end-of-the-summer party. Her reasons for doing this and her gradual emotional acceptance and psychological healing are the focus of the book. |
Teaching Ideas: |
Teachers should note that rape is the focus of the book although it deals with the effects not the rape itself. There's much to discuss/ write about in this book: How do peole deal with trauma? How might others in Melinda's life have seen her pain? Should they have? What could they have done? From the beginning of the book, it will be clear to learners that Melinda is in pain. Hints about what happened to her are only gradually revealed, however, so learners may want to predict or keep lists of possible hints as they read. Adult learners will want to discuss the role of the parents in the book, how they are portrayed and how they contribute to the events of the story. The Internet has many sites about rape counseling that provide additional information. |
Keywords: select any link below for a list of resources which also have that keyword |
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