Speak: Book Review - The Banned & Challenged Book Club!

Ajouté : 2026-05-27

[00:00:00]Hey you guys, it's Peter and welcome to my channel, Peter Likes Books and welcome to the banned and challenged book club. So for those of you that do not know, in January I started over here, the band and challenge book club.

[00:00:13]And this is how it works. Every month I announce a book that we're going to read together um that has been either heavily banned or heavily challenged in the United States in the school systems in the United States. Um, and so that way we are reading more banned and challenge uh works of literature and that we are made aware of books that we might not know that are challenged and banned and maybe bring more attention to those books and we can also hear those stories. It's interesting because when I have been looking there's several different lists of which books have been banned and challenged. Um, and there's like the top 25, the top 50 of every year. And then it's like the most banned challenge books ever that are like To Kill a Mockingbird and some of those kind of books. Um, books that we all know that have been like The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank that has been challenged so many times. Um, but there's a lot of books on the lists that I have a never heard of and b was not aware that they would be challenged for the reasons that they would be challenged for. It was just very interesting to me. So, one of the things that I'm really enjoying about this is learning what books are banned and challenged, but also it's bringing attention to books that I had never heard of before. Um, this summer I have, I think, two books that I have never read before that I'm really excited about. A lot of the books that we are reading I have already read before or been previously introduced to or read excerpts of it from before. And today, I am going to review the April book for the band and challenge book club and that was Speak by Lorie Halls Anderson.

[00:01:45]I read this previously. I think I've read it twice actually. Um I had such a difficult time last night on Goodreads.

[00:01:51]I was trying to take off my previous rating of it, which was from like 2012.

[00:01:57]Um and I was like Google searching like how do you erase? And so I finally figured out how to do all that so that it would count for my challenge, my good readads challenge for this year. But anyway, I think I've previously read this twice. I think I've read the physical copy of it once and I've listened to the audible version of it now twice because I started the physical copy of this. I got like a third of the way through and I also have the May book to finish this week. Um, I Know Why the Cage Bird Sings by Maya Angelo. And so I was like, I need to be caught up on all these books. I didn't think this was originally on Audible. When I put it in, it didn't show up. And so I just happened to be looking on Amazon for the June book because I don't have a copy of the June book or if I do I don't know where it is. Um so I was ordering a copy of the June book and I happened to look this up and next to it it said Audible.

[00:02:45]So yes, I think it was yesterday morning. Maybe it was the night before.

[00:02:49]I don't remember. I ended up buying this on Audible and listening to it. The Audible narration is fantastic. Um a lot of people have asked me they're like are you going to go back and do the band book reviews from January, February, March? I am. Originally, I said I was going to put them all together in one video. Um, and I have decided that I'm not going to do that. A lot of people were like, I read the books. Please don't just do one. Um, please don't just do one um video, you know, putting them all together, like give each book a review. I have right now, let me just tell you how many videos to do over on this channel. I will re actually read them to you what I have to do over here.

[00:03:24]I have um my review of identical which I believe was the January book for the bandon book club. The Ann Frank review which was the February book. Uh Perks of Being a Wallflower which was March. This is April and MyAngelo is May. So I will be catching up on all those in the next two weeks. Um I also have my review for the Cozy Book Club. Uh I have several of those. I have the Vera Wong review. I have this month which is May. That was April. Um I also finished the Reese Witherspoon book, The Fine Art of Line.

[00:03:53]I want to do a review of that. I finally run the silent patient after all these years. I want to do a review on that. I also have to announce the June cozy book club and the June band book uh club book which will those videos will be up later this week. I just finished all the colors of the dark and I want to do a review of that too. So, a couple of the books that I read I'm not going to do reviews on. So, today let's talk about Speak by Lorie Hall Anderson. You know, it was really interesting to me reading this book again. I knew what this book was about before I started reading it. I don't know, a couple weeks ago and then listened to the audible version last night. I knew 100% what this book was about. I remember the story. I remember the main character's name. I remembered everything about it. Um, what I didn't know, and I don't know that I've previously listened to it before, and I think I don't know if it was in the the physical copy of it. So, there's like an amended copy and then there is there was an amended copy and then um Oh, no. This was actually this was so it says on here a comment about censorship which I thought was really really interesting at the end of the book um and it's talking about raising teenagers and why this book should be discussed and it talks about consent and one of the things that's so interesting about this is that there's this whole message at the end of the book and it's right here a comment about censorship and it goes in here and it talks about consent. When you listen to it on the audible version it's it's a male speaking and he's speaking to all the the males out there and what consent means and he also speaks to the women at the end too. He said that they're male victims as well. And he said, "But we need to understand what consent means and what it doesn't mean and things like that." Which is really really interesting because when you read this book, it's it's almost kind of like a textbook of like believability of victims and how we should like you would want you would want your child to read this book. I think the the fear is that it's about, you know, essay about assault. I think that people are afraid that their kids are going to read that and oh my god, but this is happening in schools all the time. It's one girl story and so the book is about this girl named Melinda and she is starting high school and before she starts high school in nth grade, she has all this group of girlfriends. They go to this party and the end of the year party and she is like the most popular guy in school who I think he's going to he's going to be like a senior I think when she starts he's a senior. He goes to um is she going to be a sophomore or freshman now?

[00:06:13]I can't remember. I think she's going to be a freshman. Anyway, she goes to this party and he I can't say the words on YouTube, but he ars her and um she doesn't know what to do and she's terrified and so she calls the police.

[00:06:26]Well, she doesn't know what to say. the police on the phone. And so they say, "Are you in trouble?" Well, she just like somebody's standing there. So she like hang they hang up the phone for her. So she um ends up so the police end up coming and like all these kids get arrested. They lose their jobs. They lose scholarships and stuff like that.

[00:06:42]So everybody's mad at her because word spreads pretty quickly that she's the one that called the police. They think that she called the police because it was a party, okay? And there was drinking there. They don't know what happened to her. So the book is about her starting school. She has none of her old friends. they've all just completely distanced themselves from her. So, she doesn't have any of her friends. One of her friends actually starts dating the perpetrator that um that assaulted her.

[00:07:05]And so, she's trying to get get news to her. But the reason why it's called speak is because she doesn't talk. She doesn't speak at all. I mean, she speaks a little bit throughout the book and she'll speak to some people, but she doesn't speak about the the incident whatsoever and she's carrying it with her. Um, the reason why it has a a a tree on the cover of it is because she has this art class and at the beginning of it they and I remember this so vividly from the years before reading it. They have to like go around. She loves her art teacher and she has to like pick something out of this um globe that's like what she's going to focus on. And she picks a tree and so every art project she does throughout the year has to be a tree. And basically the tree and the artwork around it represents the cathartic like growth that she comes out of and that she's not going to keep her story hidden. And so throughout the book she she finds her voice more and she finds her voice more. She has to go to school with him. So he like winks at her and basically like you know what I did to you and she has this like hiding place which is this closet which is really interesting because I don't know that I ever got this before but for her it's a safe place in school. She ditches school a lot. She skips classes a lot cuz she just doesn't want to be there.

[00:08:10]It's such a true book for what happens to victims that we never speak about.

[00:08:15]It's so interesting to me that so many people are scared of this book. Like I would want my child to read this book to understand like the power there is in sharing your story, but also the fear in sharing your story that the believability of it. I mean it's it's so pertinent today. The book came out I mean it came out years and years and years ago but it's so pertinent in today's time. Let me see when the original book came out. Hold on. Um, the book came out.

[00:08:41]There's a poem at the beginning of it.

[00:08:42]First marking period is where it starts.

[00:08:44]The book originally came out in 1999. I mean, it's 2026. It's 27 years later.

[00:08:49]It's so pertinent to this day. It feels like you're reading a book that just like happened today. Other than some of the like the pop culture references in there. It's not like band names and stuff like that, but like the sodas, the phones, things like that. She doesn't ever tell her parents. She doesn't really have a great relationship. I think that one of the things that's really interesting about it is that Melinda is not a super likable character. And I think that that's intentional on Lorie Holl Anderson's um point of view as an author is that she isn't necessarily not a likable car.

[00:09:16]Like she can be kind of and it's not because of what happened to her.

[00:09:19]That's just who she is. And it's I mean she's not rude. She's not nasty. I mean she's a sweet girl, but in her head a lot she's kind of I mean she's honest.

[00:09:27]She's real I like her. She's real honest. But, you know, we read a lot of these stories where it's always kind of like this innocent victim and which they all are innocent victims, but what I'm saying is it's always this kind of like, you know, victim that, you know, like very much like Little House in the Prairie. Nothing could do any wrong.

[00:09:45]She's not that she's not that victim in the book. And I think it's really really important that she's not that victim.

[00:09:51]She is just your everyday girl that's going to school trying to get by. What's really interesting about the book is that she finds this janitor's closet in the school that becomes kind of like her safe place. She even brings stuff there from home so she can hide out there and skip classes. She steals a pad of like um late passes to class so she doesn't have to go to her classes that all that often and she hides out there. Towards the end of the book, the perpetrator comes up and he takes her into this closet, which is interesting because what it's talking about is safe spaces and that we all have this need for safe spaces and her safe space is invaded.

[00:10:26]But this is a point in her life where she's like, "I'm not like I'm not doing this anymore. I can't do this." Like, and so she retaliates and of course he says, "I didn't. What are you talking about? You wish I would have done that to you." And this is where she's kind of had it. at the end of it like she's like screaming and she's like you know trying to come at him and saying no no no this isn't going to happen again and all this kind of stuff and because he's trying to assault her again and the door opens and so one friend that she's kind of gotten close with a little bit back again and so the story that goes around is that a lot of girls have had this experience from him and at one point she writes on the bathroom wall like they somebody has written like guys to stay away from or she writes it and she writes his name down the next day she comes back and her one friend this Ivy says to her, "Here, I've got to show you this." And all these other girls have written their testimonies as well. Um, and so it's really interesting how it all ends up and at the end of it, she's not really seen as like the hero of the school, but it's kind of like girls are looking at her like, "Thank you for sharing your story." And a lot of girls were like, "I'm really sorry that that happened to you." And like her being able to speak again and share it is like what finally like broke her out of it. She talks it's really a book about having to kind of go through this whole process. What I meant about um I want to make this clear. What I meant about the innocence factor is you know I've watched I've read so many books about this situation. I'm trying to think of an example of this and watch like Lifetime movies and stuff where this happens. And I feel like the victim whether it's male or female is always portrayed as you know this like perfect you know entity. And I think why this book is important is because we live in a society of victim shaming and we live in a a society of victim blaming where we want to see and I've talked a lot about this in videos on my other channels where we want to see a perfect victim. And she is a nice girl. Her grades were okay, but they weren't fantastic. Her grades are a huge issue in this book because they fall down.

[00:12:17]Like her parents, like she doesn't say what's going on, but she doesn't know how the words to say it. She's afraid nobody will believe her. And the one person that she does tell which is her friend is like you are saying this just because you don't want me with him. I mean it's that whole storyline which is very very true you know and this is I think what's so interesting to me is this book is like banned and they had to come up with another version of the book even for it to be in some schools is this is the book that you would want your teenage son or daughter to read like and I mean it's just it's such a tragic story but it's such a fantastic story of healing and growth at the end of it. Um I remembered it differently. I thought at the end of it I for some reason maybe I'm thinking of another book that she went into like some like psychiatric facility and then came back to school. I don't know why I'm thinking that, but anyway, I think the idea of the one of the reasons why Lorie Halls Anderson, and I don't know if this is in there, I didn't read the questions and answers for the book club at the end of it, cuz there are questions, but the reason why she doesn't make her necessarily the most likable character.

[00:13:12]Um, like she even like names the teacher things, which is kind of funny, but it's very like it's very teenager-ish. I mean, she is just a normal teenager.

[00:13:21]Like she kind of gives some of the other kids like mean names and stuff like that. You know what I mean? It's not like when I say she's not a likable character, she's not like ruthless and mean. She's not like a mean girl. She's just like you're not like instantly being like, "Oh my god." You know what I mean? Like she's just the sweetest thing in the entire world with straight A's and you know it she's just a normal teenager. And I think that that is so important to the clarity of the story.

[00:13:46]Um basically it could be anybody, you know, and um and how it affects her life. The book is so fantastically done.

[00:13:53]You know what I didn't do is I didn't read the synopsis on it. Um, the synopsis says, "I am an outcast. I am outcast. The kids behind me laugh so loud. I know they're laughing about me.

[00:14:03]I can't help myself. I turn around. It's Rachel surrounded by a bunch of kids wearing clothes that most definitely did not come from the East Side Mall. Rachel Bruin, my ex- best friend. She stares at something above my left ear. Words climb up my throat." This is all from the book. Um, Melinda Sardino's freshman year is off to a horrible start. She busted an end of summer party by calling the cops. And now her friends and even strangers all hate her. Like everybody at the school hates her cuz they all think that she like is like a goody two shoes. That's the reason why it's important that she's not seen that way in the book because she's not that person. Um the lowest of the low avoided by everyone. Um months pass and things aren't getting better, but eventually she'll reveal what happened at the party and when she finally speaks the truth, everything will change. It's really well done. I want to see what some of the questions are in here. Um the com the comment about censorship at the end of it you really to to listen to it from a man speaking point of view is so fantastically done discuss it guide the novel is significance is your relationship between what is friendship um Melinda says is it easier not to say anything shut your trap button your lip can it so that's a whole discussion about it right like should victims speak up like is there a better way to not say anything at all um that's a huge part of the book what keeps Melinda silent what is she afraid of it talks a lot about the fear of believability Um, why does Melinda isolate herself from her friends? Discuss the social hierarchy of Merryweather High. That's at the beginning of it. It's very, it's very consistent to like a lot of high schools. Um, Melinda nicknames many of the other characters throughout the novel. Discusses significance of this habit and how it contributes to the development of the story and your experience as a reader. Um, oh, this is interesting. Why does Melinda refer to Andy Evans, who's a perpetrator, as it at the beginning of the novel? Because she doesn't want to give him any personification. She doesn't want to give him any humanity to see him as a human whatsoever. Um, in what places is Melinda able to find sanctuary at school? That's her safe place, which he tries to take away. Um, she kind of gets this crush on this guy that's like a science her science partner, David Petrous. How does David Petrocus contribute to Melinda's quest to find her voice? Well, it's interesting. He's an interesting character because the teacher comes down really hard who she calls no neck in the book and he comes down really hard on him and David Petroas teaches her. She's like, "That's the loudest version of no speaking that I've ever heard." He walks out of class and he basically wins because his parents say like um his parents say something to him about like they get lawyers and there's a camera put up in class and stuff like that. He says to her later, "Why don't your parents hire an attorney?" And she is it's again like you can tell that her parents are invested in her, but they're not like heavily invested in her. This is very much of a message to parents as well that would read this book. like know your children, ask questions, don't just like her dad comes home from work and pours himself a drink. Her mom is completely obsessed with like her retail store that she runs and takes 50 calls even on Thanksgiving. The whole thing takes the course over a year. Um, and I think the book is really about that, too. Like know your children, you know, ask questions, know what's going on in their lives, get involved and things like that. I thought it was fantastic.

[00:17:00]You know, as I read it, it was interesting because I asked myself on rereads a lot, would I reread this again? Um, I think I would. I mean, I don't think I would turn around and reread it immediately. It's a It's a sad and tragic story, but it's also a powerful story. I loved it. Five stars.

[00:17:14]Absolutely. So, anyway, let me know what you thought in the comments section below. I love you guys, and I will see you tomorrow. Bye.