Speak

Anderson, L.H. (1999). Speak. NY: Penguin

This young adult novel tells the story of ninth-grader Melinda Sordino. Melinda tells her story to the readers in a diary format that goes through the entire school year. Melinda has been considered an outsider by almost the entire school after calling the police at a summer party. Melinda will not reveal the reason she called the police, and becomes relatively silent for the entire school year, barely even speaking to her parents. Melinda does not excel in most of her classes, until she attends her new art teacher's class. It is here that Melinda begins to find her voice again through the artwork she produces. Being in the art class helps Melinda finally acknowledge what happened at the summer party and face her fears that were still haunting her from that night.