SPEAK

Anderson, Laurie Halse. (1999). SPEAK.  New York: Penguin Group.  ISBN:  0142414735.

PLOT SUMMARY

A tragic secret is haunting Melinda Sordino. As she enters high school, all of her old friends have abandoned her, and the one new friend she thinks she has made ditches her for a clique.  Even her parents don’t seem to notice her as they throw themselves into their own professional lives. They only notice her floundering grades and bad attitude after they are alerted by the guidance counselor. Mr. Freeman, the art teacher, is the only person who seems to get Melinda, and he tries to crack her shell by allowing her to express herself in art class. Melinda must find a way to release her secret before it destroys her from the inside.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Melinda Sordino is a character that teens can relate to immediately as she opens the book with, “It is my first morning of high school. I have seven new notebooks, a skirt I hate, and a stomachache.” High school is a tumultuous time for many young adults, but for Melinda it is made all the more difficult to bare because she is also carrying a dark secret. She finds it easier to remain mute than have to share the pain and shame that is haunting her. Anderson effectively portrays Melinda’s spiral into depression through her dark thoughts, scabby lips, and refusal to speak. She also creates a convincing villain in Melinda’s attacker, Andy Evans, a character that will make readers skin crawl. The book evokes many emotions as Melinda’s desperate (yet silent) cries for help go unanswered. Mr. Freeman, the art teacher, seems to be the only adult that notices Melinda pain, and he tries to help her ease it the best way he knows how—through art. As Melinda focuses on her tree art project she slowly starts to shed the pain and find her soul once again and in doing so she becomes a heroine that teens, especially girls, will admire.

In the 10^th Anniversary Edition of this epic young adult novel, Laurie Halse Anderson shares her thoughts on the impact of Speak as well as a poem she has constructed using the e-mails and letters from readers who have been touched in some way by the novel. At the end Anderson answers questions about the novel as well as providing resources for girls who have faced the same nightmare as Melinda. These bonus features add depth to the novel by providing a glimpse into the author’s thoughts.

REVIEW EXERPTS

School Library Journal (October 01, 1999)- “This is a compelling book, with sharp, crisp writing that draws readers in, engulfing them in the story.”

Kirkus Reviews (September 15, 1999)- “The plot is gripping and the characters are powerfully drawn, but it is its raw and unvarnished look at the dynamics of the high school experience that makes this a novel that will be hard for readers to forget.”

Booklist (September 15, 1999)- “Melinda's sarcastic wit, honesty, and courage make her a memorable character whose ultimate triumph will inspire and empower readers.”

CONNECTIONS

• Have students randomly draw a topic and create an art project like Melinda had to do with a tree.
• Have students write an encouraging letter to Melinda.
• Visit Laurie Halse Anderson’s website with information about the book including a playlist of songs for the book and a video of Anderson reading the poem at the beginning of the book. Anderson also addresses the topic of censorship and explains why she believes it is important for her books to remain on library shelves. http://madwomanintheforest.com/
• Watch Anderson read a poem she composed about the response to the book here.

THE GRAVEYARD BOOK

Gaiman, Neil. (2008). THE GRAVEYARD BOOK.  New York: Harper Collins.  ISBN:  0060530936.

PLOT SUMMARY

Nobody “Bod” Owens is a normal young boy that loves his family and enjoys playing with his friends. The only difference is that all of his family and friends are dead, and he is living in a graveyard.  After his family members are murdered, Bod wonders into a graveyard and comes under the care of its inhabitants. All the while, the murderer, Jack is still hunting Bod to finish the job he started.  The people of the graveyard not only protect Bod, but they teach him tricks of the graveyard like fading and dreamwalking.  His guardian, Silas, who is neither living nor dead, provides him with an education, but Bod desires more.  He decides to go to school with the living, but he quickly regrets that decision as he is haunted by the evils of the living world.  Jack discovers Bod’s secret and he comes after him, as Bod continues to search for whom he truly is and which world he belongs to.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Gaiman has readers hooked from the first sentence, “There was a hand in the darkness, and it held a knife,” which is accompanied by a dark, sinister picture. The old graveyard, though it is Bod’s safe haven, also keeps readers on edge as spirits, ghouls, and other creatures are presented. Bod loves his adopted ghost parents and his guardian, Silas, but he also is curious to interact with humans and he gets a brief chance when a young girl comes to play with him in the graveyard.  Then she is taken away by her parents and Bod is lonely once more with only the dead to comfort him. Bod grows up adapting to the graveyard and respecting its inhabitants, but as he reaches adolescence he is longing for more. Like any teenager, he wants to discover who he truly is and what became of his birth family. Throughout the novel there is an underlying suspense of when the man Jack will return to find Bod, and when the moment comes, readers will not be disappointed. This Newbery award winner is a very different twist on the coming of age story. One that is sure to leave readers feeling a little uneasy at every turn.

REVIEW EXERPTS

School Library Journal (October 01, 2008)- “Bod's love for his graveyard family and vice versa provide the emotional center, amid suspense, spot-on humor, and delightful scene-setting.”

Booklist (September 15, 2008)- “This is an utterly captivating tale that is cleverly told through an entertaining cast of ghostly characters.”

Voice of Youth Advocates (August 01, 2008)- “The conclusion is satisfying, but it leaves room for a sequel. Everyone who reads this book will hope fervently that the very busy author gets around to writing one soon.”

CONNECTIONS

• Have students illustrate tombstones with epitaphs describing made up characters from another time period.
• Have students predict what they think Bod will do once he has left the graveyard.

LUNCH LADY AND THE LEAGUE OF LIBRARIANS

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Krosoczka, Jarrett. (2009). LUNCH LADY AND THE LEAGUE OF LIBRARIANS.  New York: Random House.  ISBN:  0375846840.

PLOT SUMMARY

The school librarians are being especially nasty to the students and are obviously trying to hide a secret. Lunch Lady and her side kick Betty are determined to put a stop to whatever evil plan the librarians have in store. A pack of students who call themselves The Breakfast Bunch are also in on the action. Once Lunch Lady discovers the evil plot, she is able to take down the librarians with an arsenal of kitchen gadgets.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

This lunch room lady with special gadgets that give her super hero powers will certainly have kids looking at their cafeteria staff in a new light. This graphic novel set in a school is a witty twist on classic comic book heroes and villains. Adults may cringe as Lunch Lady and her assistant Betty challenge the League of Librarians as they try to take out a shipment of video games (because what’s so wrong with that right?). However, the compromise lunch lady provides will please both students and adults. A must read for students that enjoy graphic novels and those reluctant readers who need a fun, easy read.

REVIEW EXERPT

School Library Journal (September 01, 2009)- “With its appealing mix of action and humor, this clever, entertaining addition to the series should have wide appeal.”

CONNECTIONS

• Have a fun day in the library where students can read and play video games like the end of  the book.
• Have students draw a comic about a school adventure.