Speak

Melinda is a freshman in high school. The entire school has turned their backs on her because she called the police to break up a party. Unknown to everyone, but something horrendous happened to Melinda at this party. She goes through the motions of school, she shuts everyone out, and she struggles through life. Her only outlet is art.  However, when her ex-best friend begins dating the boy who ruined Melinda’s life, she breaks out of her shell, she speaks up and tells of her horrible experience.

This intense novel will resonate with many people. It deals with emotion, how to deal with it and how to express it, it deals with courage and speaking out, and it deals with the struggle for normalcy after a horrifying rape. I believe that all teachers and guidance counselors should read this novel, if anything, to know and hopefully understand what can happen to a person after such a tragedy.

Chapter 10: Motivating Readers

There are so many chapters, subjects, and ideas in Making The Match by Teri S. Lesesne that cover this novel. But in chapter 10, several questions are posed to ask readers. One is “What is one thing in this story that has happened to you?”. Not everyone will be able to identify with the terribly experience had by Melinda, but many will still be able to find some situation where they were overcome with emotion, and unable to find the right words to say, and whether or not they can speak up.

Anderson, L. (1999). Speak. New York, NY: Farrar Straus Giroux.

Lesesne, T. (2003). Making the match the right book for the right reader at the right time, grades 4-12. Portland, ME: Stenhouse.