"Speak" by Laurie Halse Anderson follows the story of Melinda Sordino, a high school freshman who becomes an outcast after calling the police to a party where something traumatic happens to her. As she navigates the challenges of high school, she struggles with her voice and the weight of her secret. Through art class and her interactions with friends and classmates, Melinda gradually confronts her trauma and finds a way to express herself. The novel explores themes of silence, trauma, and the journey toward healing, emphasizing the importance of speaking out and reclaiming one's voice. [Generated by language model - please report any problems].

This book has been graded for interest at 14-18 years.

There are 224 pages in this book.

It is aimed at Young Adult readers. The term Young Adult (YA) is used for books which have the following characteristics: (1) aimed at ages 12-18 years, US grades 7-12, UK school years 8-15, (2) around 50-75k words long, (3) main character is aged 12-18 years, (4) topics include self-reflection, internal conflict vs external, analyzing life and its meaning, (5) point of view is often in the first person, and (6) swearing, violence, romance and sexuality are allowed.

This book was published in 2019 by Square Fish .

Laurie Halse Anderson is a New York Times -bestselling author, known for tackling tough subjects with humor and sensitivity. Her work has earned numerous awards and accolades.