ParentsPick

Speak — Content Guide for Parents

By Laurie Halse AndersonFarrar Straus Giroux1999ISBN 9780844672922197 pages
Speak

Found in this book

  • ViolenceCentral
  • Scary contentSupporting
  • ProfanitySupporting
  • Sexual contentCentral

Not found

  • Religion
  • Race & culture
  • Climate
  • Gender roles
  • Gender & orientation

Content themes

Factual summary of themes present in this book. No opinion — just the facts.

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Summaries and source quotes for every theme.

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Example theme card

Religion

PRESENT

Contains references to prayer and church attendance. A minister character plays a supporting role in two chapters.

About this book

"Speak up for yourself - we want to know what you have to say." From the first moment of her freshman year at Merryweather High, Melinda knows that this is a big fat lie, part of the nonsense of high school. She is friendless, outcast, because she busted an end-of-summer party by calling the cops, so now nobody will talk to her, let alone listen to her. As time passes, she becomes increasingly isolated and practically stops talking altogether. Only her art class offers any solace, and is is through her work on an art project that she is finally able to face what really happened at that terrible party: she was raped by an upperclassman, a guy who still attends Merryweather and is still a threat to her. Her healing process has just begun when she has another violent encounter with him. But this time Melinda fights back, refuses to be silent, and thereby achieves a measure of vindication. In this powerful novel, an utterly believeable heroine with a bitterly ironic voice delivers a blow to the hypocritical world of high school. She speaks for many a disenfranchised teenager while demonstrating the importance of speaking up for oneself--Publisher's description.

Frequently asked questions

  • Is Speak appropriate for a 7-year-old?

    The story is built around a girl's rape by an older student and his later violent attack on her, in which she defends herself with a shard of glass, and she also cuts herself. Melinda recalls her rape and is threatened by her attacker, and the story includes a frightening violent encounter.

  • Does Speak have violence?

    Found (Central): The story is built around a girl's rape by an older student and his later violent attack on her, in which she defends herself with a shard of glass, and she also cuts herself.

  • Does Speak have scary content?

    Found (Supporting): Melinda recalls her rape and is threatened by her attacker, and the story includes a frightening violent encounter.

  • Does Speak have religion?

    Not found in the sources we checked.

  • Does Speak have race & culture?

    Not found in the sources we checked.

  • Does Speak have profanity?

    Found (Supporting): A parents' guide describes moderate swearing of the kind teenagers use.

  • Does Speak have climate?

    Not found in the sources we checked.

  • Does Speak have sexual content?

    Found (Central): The main character was raped at a party and the book deals with the aftermath, and it also mentions cheerleaders sleeping with football players and girls having abortions.

  • Does Speak have gender roles?

    Not found in the sources we checked.

  • Does Speak have gender & orientation?

    Not found in the sources we checked.

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