Speak

A New York Times BestsellerA National Book Award Finalist For Young People’s LiteratureA Michael L. Printz Honor BookA Publisher Weekly BestsellerAn Edgar Allan Poe Award FinalistA Los Angeles Times Book Prize FinalistBCCB Blue Ribbon Award WinnerA TIME Magazine Best YA Book Of All TimeA Cosmopolitan Magazine Best Ya Books Everyone Should Read, Regardless Of AgeAn ALA Top Ten Best Book For Young AdultsA Publishers Weekly Best Book of the YearA School Library Journal Best Book of the YearCalifornia Young Reader MedalGolden Kite Award WinnerA Booklist Editors’ Choice for YouthALA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young AdultsPA Carolyn W. Field Award WinnerKentucky Bluegrass Award

★ “In a stunning first novel, Anderson uses keen observations and vivid imagery to pull readers into the head of an isolated teenager… . Yet Anderson infuses the narrative with a wit that sustains the heroine through her pain and holds readers’ empathy… . But the book’s overall gritty realism and Melinda’s hard-won metamorphosis will leave readers touched and inspired.” –Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

★ “An uncannily funny book even as it plumbs the darkness, Speak will hold readers from first word to last.” –The Horn Book, Starred Review

“A frightening and sobering look at the cruelty and viciousness that pervade much of contemporary high school life, as real as today’s headlines… . The plot is gripping and the characters are powerfully drawn … a novel that will be hard for readers to forget.” –Kirkus Reviews, Pointer Review

“Melinda’s pain is palpable, and readers will totally empathize with her. This is a compelling book, with sharp, crisp writing that draws readers in, engulfing them in the story.” –School Library Journal

“A story told with acute insight, acid wit, and affecting prose.” –Library Journal

“Melinda’s voice is distinct, unusual, and very real as she recounts her past and present experiences in bitterly ironic, occasionally even amusing vignettes… . Melinda’s sarcastic wit, honesty, and courage make her a memorable character whose ultimate triumph will inspire and empower readers.” –Booklist

Laurie Halse Anderson is the *New York Times-*bestselling author of many award-winning books including the groundbreaking modern classic Speak, a National Book Award finalist which has sold over 3.5 million copies and been translated into 35 languages. In 2023, Anderson was named the laureate of the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, which is given annually to authors, illustrators, oral storytellers, and reading promoters “for their outstanding contribution to children’s and young adult literature.” In 2009, Anderson was selected by the American Library Association for the Margaret A. Edwards Award for her “significant and lasting contribution to young adult literature.” A passionate spokesperson for the need to combat censorship and promote diversity in publishing, she has been honored for her battles for intellectual freedom by the National Coalition Against Censorship and the National Council of Teachers of English. Mother of four, grandmother of dragons, and wife of one, she lives in Pennsylvania.