Speak in YA Saves Reading Challenge Group

Oct 11, 2010 Hannah rated it really liked it

Another cover I don't understand. To me, it looks like a girl(maybe Melinda)'s face behind a tree(apple tree)? It's interesting how reading something can change the way you look at life. If you read something about the world ending, you might try to change some things about yourself that would help not make the world end. Or if you read about a girl trying to draw something, and in the process, you learn about different things in life you never noticed before, something so amazing, it changes ev ...more

2 likes · Like · see review

Sep 20, 2010 Amanda rated it it was amazing

I woke this morning to read the Facebook entry and tweets of Sarah Dessen (one of my favorite authors of YA lit) about a man by the name of Wesley Scroggins, who has recently written an editorial for his local newspaper in Missouri, calling Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson “soft pornography” due to two rape scenes within the book. Following links to the story, I later ran across Anderson’s response to this claim.

I am appalled by this description of such a wonderful and important book. This is a bo I woke this morning to read the Facebook entry and tweets of Sarah Dessen (one of my favorite authors of YA lit) about a man by the name of Wesley Scroggins, who has recently written an editorial for his local newspaper in Missouri, calling Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson “soft pornography” due to two rape scenes within the book. Following links to the story, I later ran across Anderson’s response to this claim.

I am appalled by this description of such a wonderful and important book. This is a book that portrays a young girl who was the victim of abuse and the many ways this abuse ruled her life and changed the person she felt that she was for so long until she is finally able to fight back. This book calls attention to a very difficult issue that no one should ever have to deal with but the reality is that it happens. Having this book available to others who have been the victims of violent acts is imperative. So many times, much like Melinda, young girls don’t feel as if they can come forward. They take on blame for what happened to them and they withdraw into themselves. This book provides an opportunity for many young adults to see a character they can relate to, someone who has gone through something very difficult and learns that she is not to blame. It gives hope to teens who don’t feel as though they have a voice. It provides an outlet for discussion about difficult topics and a way to start open communication about how to deal with abuse and other very real issues.

Speak deals with hard topics in an amazing and heartfelt way. It does not contain any content that is unnecessary or or handled in an objectionable way. The situations and issues are real and valid. By saying this book is not fit to be read, you are saying that the issues are not important and that our young adults are not smart enough to understand these problems in the context of the story. They should not be educated or allowed to have access to materials that will help them gain insight into the world and challenge their thoughts and understandings of the world around them. Not only should this book not be banned, but it should be taught and I am happy to see that it is being taught in some schools.

Book banning is always wrong. Book banning assumes that one person has the right to make a decision about what others should and are allowed to read. It assumes that, because one person feels that material may be inappropriate for them or their children that they are fit to make that decision for other people and their children. This is wrong. Each person has the right to read what he or she wants to read. Each parent should be paying attention to what their children are reading and making sure that they feel comfortable with the content of their own children’s reading materials. No other person should ever be allowed to take that right away from others.

Book banning also typically happens when one scene or one snippet of a book is taken out of the context of the book and used as an example of why this book is “bad”. This assumes that the rest of the content of this book does not justify the passage. Books are typically not taken as a whole in these cases, but portions are pointed out without discussion of the whole. This is a device used to offend and horrify those who would not take the time to find out more for themselves. This is a trick chosen to justify an action in the hopes that people will not educate themselves further. When a book is called into question, it is not just our choice to find out more, to educate ourselves about the entire contents and intentions of the material. It is our responsibility to make sure that we do not allow the statements and feelings of others define our own without making sure that we are well aware of the whole argument from all sides. If we let someone tell us what to think of an entire issue from one small portion of this work, then we are giving up our freedom to choose, by letting someone else make that choice for us.

Banned books week is next week. It is a week where we celebrate those works that make us think, that challenge our beliefs and understanding of our society. It is a week where we celebrate our freedoms and enjoy the ability to make the choice for ourselves what we will and will not read. I may choose for myself and you may choose for yourself. This is a part of my country that I am most proud of and I will not allow anyone to take that away.

Think for Yourself. Let Others Do the Same

Speak Loud. ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Nov 03, 2009 Courtney rated it it was amazing

This book is ten years old!! Hard to believe - I have seen this on Amazon and elsewhere and never wanted to pick it up because it's about rape, and that's not a subject I really want to delve into. However, when I saw it at the library and read the back cover, I was so intrigued by the line: "multi-award-wiinning first novel about a girl who chooses not to speak rather than give voice to the truth," that I thought I'd give it a try. It is tastefully done and extremely well written. But more than ...more

Like · see review