Speak, the graphic novel

By Laurie Halse Anderson

Melinda is a loner freshman at Merryweather High School where she is friendless because she called the cops at an end of the summer party. No one will talk to her at school and they have no idea why she called the cops, nor do they care. Bad things happened and she’s not ready to speak about them. She slowly starts to find herself again throughout the school year all because of an art class.

Having not read the original version of Speak, I had no idea what I was in for. This book really spoke to me and was eye opening in how people deal differently with trauma. I love how you literally watch Melinda go from a deep-down depression to rediscovering herself and learning to speak out and fight back.

However, I wouldn’t recommend this book to just anyone because of the traumatic scene in it. Laurie Halse Anderson drops you right in the middle of it and makes you feel all the feelings the characters are having. So be prepared for big feelings! Best for high school readers.

P.S. If you are not into graphic novels there is always the original young adult novel available as well.