3. Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

ISBN: 0-14-240732-1
Penguin, New York, 1999
198 p.

Plot Summary
Melinda Sordino begins her freshman year of high school as an outcast.  When attending a party during the summer, she called the police, busting up the party and getting several students in trouble.  Her usual group of friends, called the Plain Janes, no longer acknowledges her and the group has since dissipated into other cliques.  Not wanting to go through high school as a loner, Melinda half-heartedly befriends Heather, the new girl in town.  In contrast to Melinda, Heather is extremely energetic and constantly concerned with fitting in by joining various groups and clubs.  Broken down into marking periods, the reader follows Melinda through the school year, watching as her grades and mood continue to decline.  Art is the only class that she experiences any connection to, as she has the challenge of using different methods to construct a tree.  Although giving several allusions to what happened the night of the party, Melinda finally lets the reader in and details how Andy Evans raped her.  Spurred by her inability to fight him off and even talk about the event to the police or her parents, Melinda loses the will to speak.  Using a storage closet as her safe haven at school, Melinda tells, “It is getting harder to talk.  My throat is always sore, my lips raw.  When I wake up in the morning, my jaws are clenched so tight I have a headache.  Sometimes my mouth relaxes around Heather, if we’re alone.  Every time I try to talk to my parents or a teacher, I sputter or freeze.  What is wrong with me?  It’s like I have some kind of spastic laryngitis” (p. 50-51).  However, more concerned about her position in the Marthas clan, Heather ditches Melinda, leaving her without anyone to talk to.  Confronted by her attacker once again, will Melinda be able to stand up for herself and speak?

Critical Evaluation 
Speak connected with me on an emotional level.  Throughout the novel, I felt a connection to Melinda, understanding her fears and frustrations.  Because it was written from Melinda’s point of view, the reader has a front row seat to look into her deepest thoughts.  The tone of the novel seems designed to make the reader feel her depression.  As she reaches the depth of her depression, Melinda thinks, “I have no friends.  I have nothing.  I say nothing.  I am nothing” (p. 116).  This succession of short sentences pops up several times within the novel, reading as a sort of mantra of depression.  Likewise, whenever Melinda discusses her fear, fear permeates the novel.  For instance, when Melinda sees Andy for the first time since the attack, she cannot even think his name.  The reader is introduced to his character as “IT.”  Immediately, the reader knows the terror that Melinda experiences whenever she sees him.

I especially appreciated how Anderson depicted Melinda’s depression.  Rather than making her completely mute, the sort of selective muteness made it more plausible that her depression would easily go unnoticed.  In addition, she doesn’t particularly do anything to bring attention to herself, either.  She just blindly wanders through the year, acknowledging the things going on around her but rarely getting involved.  This served as another way in which Anderson wrote a realistic character that readers can understand much easier than any of the characters in the book are able. 

Reader's Annotation
At her first drinking party, Melinda called the police, leading to her position as an outcast at school.  Melinda goes through the school year fighting for the strength to tell someone what happened and finally be able to speak.

Information About the Author
Laurie Halse Anderson is the New York Times-bestselling author who writes for kids of all ages. Known for tackling tough subjects with humor and sensitivity, her work has earned numerous national and state awards, as well as international recognition. Two of her books, Speak and Chains, were National Book Award finalists. Laurie was honored with the 2009 Margaret A. Edwards Award given by YALSA division of the American Library Association for her “significant and lasting contribution to young adult literature…”. Mother of four and wife of one, Laurie lives in Northern New York, where she likes to watch the snow fall as she writes.

Laurie has loved writing since second grade. She began as a freelance reporter for newspapers and magazines, but she had a lot to learn about writing. She earned hundreds of discouraging rejections letters when she started submitting her books to publishers. She joined the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators and found a supportive critique group. (Retrieved from author's website: http://madwomanintheforest.com/laurie) 

Genre
Young Adult – Realistic/Issues

Curriculum Ties 

English - Reading Comprehension and Literary Response and Analysis

This can also be used in a unit on dealing with depression and the consequences for the victims of rape

Booktalking Ideas
1. Introduce the ways that depression can be hidden from others.

2. Think about how rape affects the victim.

3. Discuss the importance of speaking about issues.

4. Focus on the feeling of being an outcast in high school.

5. Talk about the power that Andy has over Melinda throughout the majority of the novel.

Reading Level/Interest Age
14+

Challenge Issues
Although there are no graphic scenes depicted, the topics of rape and teen drinking could result in complaints in more conservative communities.

When confronted with complaints about this novel, librarians should become familiar with the material and its content.  Turn to reviews from publications such as Publisher’s Weekly, School Library Journal, and Booklist, as well as reviews from teens that have read it.  Also, it is beneficial for librarians to present reasons backed by the ALA in support of intellectual freedom.  As stated in the Library Bill of Rights:

I. Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves. Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation.

II. Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues. Materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval.

III. Libraries should challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their responsibility to provide information and enlightenment.

Why Include Book in Selection? 
I read this book when I was in ninth grade and loved it, but hadn't read it again since.  Interested to see how the story held up since I've become an adult, I decided to read it for this project.

2. The Carrie Diaries by Candace Bushnell

The Carrie Diaries by Candace Bushnell
ISBN: 978-0-06-172891-4
HarperCollins, New York, 2010
389 p.

Plot Summary
Before Sex and the City, Carrie Bradshaw was a small town Connecticut girl, dreaming of becoming a published author.  In The Carrie Diaries, Carrie is a high school senior as the decade changes from 1979 to 1980, living at home with her two sisters, Missy and Dorrit, and their father.  Although her mother passed away some years prior to the start of the novel, her memory is alive through Carrie’s independent spirit and feminist attitude.  As a student of Castlebury High, Carrie is a member of the swim team and navigates the halls along with her three best friends, Lali, Maggie, and the Mouse.  Not long into senior year, Carrie begins a relationship with Sebastian Kydd, the new guy in school who very quickly earns Carrie’s infatuation.  However, being in a relationship with Sebastian comes with its own drama as the popular girl in school, Donna LaDonna, aims to make Carrie’s life difficult for “stealing” Sebastian.  However, the relationship is ultimately put to the test when one of Carrie’s best friends gets involved.  Out of anger, Carrie takes to the school newspaper under a pseudonym to vent her frustrations.  When her column instantly becomes a hit across campus, Carrie’s confidence in her writing is restored, but it comes at a cost as some of the students recognize themselves in the stories and more drama is brought to the school.  Nevertheless, school is quickly coming to a close, leaving Carrie to question her future. 

Critical Evaluation
As a fan of the television show, I was a little wary about how successful The Carrie Diaries would be at portraying Carrie Bradshaw as a teenager.  Readers who are familiar with either the Sex and the City novel or the television show are able to identify connections between the teenage Carrie and the thirty-something Carrie.  For instance, her love of outrageous fashion is present throughout the novel, especially when her mother’s old purse is ruined with nail polish and Carrie uses her talents to make a fashion statement with it, emblazoning “Carrie” across the side.  The novel is told from Carrie’s point of view and her inner commentary is what ultimately won me over.  As Carrie deals with the inevitable high school drama amongst her friends and enemies, she handles most of it with humor and a bit of realism.  After all, she knows that high school is just a stepping-stone on her way to living and working in New York City.  Also, even though she identifies herself as a feminist, her blatant disregard of her own goals in favor of spending time with Sebastian will resonate with many teen girls.  When in that first real relationship and believing that they are head over heels in love, many teen girls will do anything to spend time with the object of their affection.  However, Carrie’s inner monologue begins to realize exactly what she is doing—skipping swim practices and putting off writing to be around him.  By allowing this dichotomy to exist within Carrie, Bushnell does a good job at making her relatable and ultimately letting her find her way toward becoming the Carrie that would rule Manhattan. 

Reader's Annotation
Before Carrie Bradshaw lived for Cosmopolitans and Jimmy Choos, she was a small town girl from Connecticut.  In her final year of high school, Carrie longs to become a writer, while attempting to balance love and life along the way.

Information About the Author
Bushnell (b. Dec. 1, 1958) grew up in Glastonbury, Ct, and moved to New York City at age 19. She attended Rice University and New York University, and began her professional career at 19 when she wrote a children’s book for Simon & Schuster. Throughout her twenties, Bushnell developed her trademark style as a freelancer, writing darkly humorous pieces about women, relationships and dating for Mademoiselle, Self Magazine, and Esquire. In 1990, she wrote a column that would become a precursor for Sex and the City, called The Human Cartoon, a fictional serial published in Hamptons Magazine. 

She began writing for the New York Observer in 1993; in November of 1994 she created the column Sex and the City, which ran in the New York Observer for two years. The column was bought as a book in 1995, and sold to HBO as a series in 1996. Bushnell hosted a radio show on Sirius Satellite Radio, called Sex, Success, and Sensibility, which aired from October 2006 to October 2008. She wrote and created a web series, The Broadroom, starring Jennie Garth, which launched in September 2009. In April 2010 she released The Carrie Diaries, the prequel to Sex and the City. The second book in this series is called Summer and the City and will be in bookstores in April 2011. She is currently at work on The Two Mrs. Stones, which will be in bookstores in April 2012. (Retrieved from author's website: http://www.candacebushnell.com/bio.html)

Genre
Young Adult - Chick Lit

Curriculum Ties
N/A

Booktalking Ideas 
1. Discuss Carrie's dream of becoming a writer.
2. Identify how Carrie's feminist beliefs take a back seat once she meets Sebastian.
3. Focus on the relationship between Carrie and her friends.

Reading Level/Interest Age
14+

Challenge Issues
Because the novel falls along the lines of many other young adult chick lit books, I do not anticipate there being any challenges.  

However, when confronted with complaints about this novel, librarians should become familiar with the material and its content.  Turn to reviews from publications such as Publisher’s Weekly, School Library Journal, and Booklist, as well as reviews from teens that have read it.  Also, it is beneficial for librarians to present reasons backed by the ALA in support of intellectual freedom.  As stated in the Library Bill of Rights:
I. Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves. Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation.
II. Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues. Materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval.
III. Libraries should challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their responsibility to provide information and enlightenment.

Why Include Book in Selection? 
As a fan of the television series and the character of Carrie Bradshaw, I was interested in how the novel would explain her youth and its popularity ultimately got me to include it as one of the entries.

1. Forever... by Judy Blume

Forever... by Judy Blume
ISBN: 0-689-84973-7
Simon & Schuster, New York, 1975
199 p.

Plot Summary 
Katherine Danziger, a high school senior, meets Michael Wagner at a friend’s New Years Eve party.  Although she resists at first, Kath realizes her attraction to him when they begin to spend time together.  Of course, the feeling is mutual.  Soon into the relationship, the topic of sex comes up and Kath expresses her desire to move slowly.  Michael understands and agrees to wait.  Although Kath’s best friend, Erica, believes that sex is purely physical, Kath places more importance on being in love prior to making love.  As the relationship progresses, Kath and Michael decide they are ready and have sex, leading Kath to attend a meeting at Planned Parenthood and obtain the pill.  The pair decides that they will be together forever and continue to grow closer throughout the school year.  However, when the school year comes to an end, they are separated as Kath goes to work at a tennis camp in New Hampshire and Michael spends the summer at his uncle’s lumberyard in North Carolina.  With only the exchange of letters, Kath and Michael discover whether their love can survive the summer.  Will they last forever? 

Critical Evaluation 
Forever… was a breakthrough young adult novel, discussing the issues of teen sexual relationships and birth control candidly.  As reviewed on the book jacket, The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books wrote, “The characters and dialogue are equally natural and vigorous, the language uncensored, the depiction of family relationships outstanding.”  Consisting of mostly dialogue, the book is an easy-read, allowing the reader to follow along in Kath and Michael’s relationship.  Blume includes controversial themes that represent different kinds of experiences in teenagers’ lives throughout high school.  In addition to Kath and Michael discussing whether they are ready to take their relationship to the next level, the novel uses the character of Sybil to demonstrate the consequences of having sex without taking precautions.  Because of her low self-esteem, Sybil is promiscuous, leading to an unplanned pregnancy.  Kath and Sybil represent a dichotomy of attitudes toward sex, letting readers know that their choices have consequences.  In addition, Michael’s friend, Artie, expresses confusion about his sexuality and attempts to figure it out by having a relationship with Kath’s friend, Erica.  Perhaps in part because of this struggle, he also goes through high and low moods, ultimately leading to a suicide attempt.  Including this character in the novel gives teen readers who are going through similar circumstances someone to which they can relate.  Also, when he is sent to a psychiatric hospital, Kath says, “…maybe this was the best thing that could have happened because now, at least, Artie, will get the kind of professional help he’s needed all along” (p. 154).  By acknowledging that he needed professional help, the novel may help readers recognize their own issues and seek help.  Even though the book is now 36 years old, Forever… still resonates in today’s society by giving a realistic look at teenage relationships.

Reader's Annotation
After meeting at a party, high school seniors Kath and Michael embark on a relationship, experiencing the ups and downs of first love.  Once they take their relationship to the next level and make love, they decide that they are destined to be together forever, but only time will tell if their love will last. 

Information About the Author
Judy Blume spent her childhood in Elizabeth, New Jersey, making up stories inside her head. She has spent her adult years in many places doing the same thing, only now she writes her stories down on paper. Adults as well as children will recognize such Blume titles as: Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret; Blubber; Just as Long as We're Together; and the five book series about the irrepressible Fudge. She has also written three novels for adults, Summer Sisters; Smart Women; and Wifey, all of them New York Times bestsellers. More than 80 million copies of her books have been sold, and her work has been translated into thirty-one languages. She receives thousands of letters a year from readers of all ages who share their feelings and concerns with her.

Judy is a longtime advocate of intellectual freedom. Finding herself at the center of an organized book banning campaign in the 1980's she began to reach out to other writers, as well as teachers and librarians, who were under fire. Since then, she has worked tirelessly with the National Coalition Against Censorship to protect the freedom to read. She is the editor of Places I Never Meant To Be, Original Stories by Censored Writers. (Retrieved from author's website: http://www.judyblume.com/about.php)

Genre
Young Adult – Realistic/Drama/Romance

Curriculum Ties
Because of its notoriety as a banned book, this novel could be used as part of a lesson on banned books in high school.

Booktalking Ideas
1. Discuss the relationship between Michael and Kath.
2. Identify reasons behind banning books.
3. Focus on the idea of "happily ever after."

Reading Level/Interest Age
14+

Challenge Issues
Just as when the book was first published, the frank discussion of sexual acts among teenagers and advocacy of contraception may raise some concern.

When confronted with complaints about this novel, librarians should become familiar with the material and its content.  Turn to reviews from publications such as Publisher’s Weekly, School Library Journal, and Booklist, as well as reviews from teens that have read it.  Also, it is beneficial for librarians to present reasons backed by the ALA in support of intellectual freedom.  As stated in the Library Bill of Rights:
I. Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves. Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation.
II. Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues. Materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval.
III. Libraries should challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their responsibility to provide information and enlightenment.

Why Include Book in Selection?
This book attracted my attention after I read about the controversy surrounding it and the censorship placed upon it, most notably during the 1980s.