Speak

Speak
By Laurie Halse Anderson

224p
Puffin
ISBN-10: 0142407321
ISBN-13: 978-0142407325


Annotation:
A traumatic event near the end of the summer has a devastating effect on Melinda's freshman year in high school.

Summary:

Perhaps one of the most compelling and haunting young adult novels ever written. Due to mysterious event that occurred near the end of summer Melinda is finding it harder and harder to speak. At times she complains that her throat hurts, or that her lips are sore, until she practically becomes mute. She has become sullen and withdrawn, her parent are always working and all of her friends have abandoned her, her only ally is the art teacher. Through his makeshift assignments Melinda slowly begins to lower her shields but will it be quick enough or will her silence be her death.

This novel as a level of depth that has withstood the test of time, told with a style that was unlike any other Anderson has created a work that will astonish teenagers, and adults alike. It is only after Melinda reveals all that had occurred at the end of summer bash can we as readers truly appreciate the depth of her revelation. Quite simply this is a novel about the abuses a teenage can suffer through and more importantly the ones they can inflict on themselves.

Hold Up

Hold Up

By Terri Fields

176p

Roaring Brook Press

ISBN-10: 1596432195
ISBN-13: 978-1596432192

Annotation:

Diverse teens each react differently to a shift at the Burger Heaven on a busy Saturday night that culminates in a showdown with two armed robbers.

Summary:

What determines a person's character, is it the behavior or how how they act in a moment of panic? This is the question teens must ask themselves as they open the pages to Terri Fields "Hold Up".

Told through the perspectives of nine different people, this novel portrays how we are all different yet in some ways still the same. Set against the backdrop of a robbery gone wrong. This poignant narrative of life and how the decisions one makes can have a startling affect on them for years to come. In this novel we are introduced to the characters in journal type submissions, some of these characters are cliché such as Jordan an overachiever who does what she is expected to do, even when she doesn’t want to, while some are very interesting and easy to relate to such as Manuel an impoverish yet intelligent boy who needs goading by a retired teacher to even think about going to college or Joe a boy described as “white-wall” by his classmates, who get mixed up with the wrong people all in the attempt to impress a girl.

Each character’s entries allow us to become more and more familiar with them and their individual needs and desires, leading up to the robbery. Everything changes once the gun is pulled.

Teens will enjoy this short young adult novel if only for the nonstop action and the suspenseful climax. This is novel can lend itself to an open discussion on the ideas of perception and how teens view themselves and others, perfect for teachers in search of an edgier novel for that reluctant reader.