Melinda, is a freshman in high school who is being hated by her classmates for the wrong reason. Melinda withholds the truth about a past situation that could free her from self torment. She eventually faces the problem by finally speaking out to advise her best friend to protect her from a situation that could happen again. Speaking out allowed her to come to terms that it was not her fault for being sexually assaulted by the guy her ex best friend begins to date. In the end, Melinda almost gets assaulted again by the same guy because she speaks the truth about the night of the party. She screams and hollers which gets the attention of the Lacrosse team which unfolds the truth that Melinda was right about being sexually assaulted by Andy Evans.If a student were to ask me for other books similar to the book "Speak" I would have to recommend the story "Just Listen" by Sarah Dessen, or "Some Boys" by Patty Blount. They are similar in the sense of the protagonist being raped or sexually assaulted, no one believing their story which leads them to become a social outcast and eventually opening up about the situation. I feel that this may be a great read for students who are dealing or coping with a situation just like Melinda. Unfortunately, teens go through situations just like this and may need to read about how others can come back to life after being an outcast, betrayed, and raped.
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