Speak: Laurie Halse Anderson

Attention Readers!  I am not Laurie Halse Anderson.  Sending me e-mail (ponytrax at batnet dot com) just annoys me and doesn't answer your questions.  Ms. Anderson has a website:

http://www.writerlady.com

Speak, the book, has a page:

http://www.writerlady.com/speak.html

There's even a lesson plan (I haven't a clue if it is useful, go look for yourself):

http://www.viterbo.edu/personalpages/faculty/GSmith/LessonPlanforSpeak.htm

And now, we return to what I wrote originally:

A fine young adult novel on the pain of entering highschool with a secret, trying to fit in, and developing the courage to speak the truth.

My daughter and I listened to it on tape over the course of a long drive, which in some ways was better than Al reading it herself, as we could talk over the writer's style, and the issues she brought up, as we went.

Highly recommended to readers grade 6 and above.  I also recommend that parents read this book with their children and discuss the issues.

Comments

[Lauren]

Dear Mrs. Halse-Anderson,

I would like to ask you about your book, Speak, as I was reading it I got strong feelings that this might have happened to you or to someone you knew. The feelings and the way the book is written is so deep and so well connected to what is going on that there is absolutely no way you didn’t go through this yourself or knew someone that did. I think I know the message you were sending by this book. It’s hard to tell what people are really going through. It’s hard to see the true pain behind the mask they put on. I read the comments on the back of my book; you said you wrote this book because it came to you in a nightmare. You were awoken by crying of a girl, thinking it was your daughter, but strangely it wasn’t. You stated also that the girl slowly told you the story inside your head, and as you began writing the story down, she told you more and more. Starting to trust you even more each time. For me as a reader, that seems kind of odd. I think you’re using the dream as an alias for someone you know who went through it. And I respect that, keeping the facts confidential to hide the persons story and private life.

you are a great writer. i hope someday i can be a great writter like you. thats my dream, to touch people in my writing as you did in speak . it was truly amazing how you did that. Its incredible the details you knew and how the story hooked you from PAGE 1 to the last page. now as a 16 year old girl i really dont like reading i find that i have better things to do with my time, like hang out with friends go partying, or shoping. but this book was different..this book i couldnt put down, i finished this book in 3 days, i read through the night and day even inbetween classes and sometimes lunch times. Its amazing how well that book continued, leaving you hanging on every sentence, so when you put it down you wonder what is going to happen. i even dreamed about the book. and if there really was a girl that went through that. and how she is today. did she ever tell anyone??? i know in the book she attempted to tell her friend, but she didnt believe her. the friend thought she was jealous....i say wat a friend huh? what are friends for if not to doubt everyone. ( sarcasm there haha) ....i just wanted to thank you for putting that book out there and making reading alot more fun for me. i was so touched by the book and my perspective on life.

also i was wondering if you could answer the questions above.

Thank you very much.

Lauren

p.s if you could please write back id very much apreciate it and i will be LOOKING FORWARD to your letter back and your next book.

dont ever stop writing. you have a truly remarkable gift. dont let it go.

[Lauren]

Hi ( again)...

I am so sorry i automatically thought the email on your site was halse-andersons...as an over entusiastic fan ...but i read on and noticed it was not her site..... i am so confussed...i am terribly sorry. however if you do know halse-andersons email would you so kindly send it to me so i can contact her? or pass my email along to her with my email adress so she could right back....

 thank you so much and im terribly sorry for the confussion

-lauren

[Liz]

Lauren is not the first person to confuse me with the author of a book I have mentioned. It gets very annoying.

READ THIS: Teachers and Students!

Please do not send Laurie letters requesting information for school reports that are due in one or two or three weeks!!! She will not get to them in time, and then you'll get (or give) a bad grade, and then she'll feel really bad, and the whole world will cry! Argh!

Very soon, this website will have a new page with the answers you need for school reports. Laurie is still happy to answer mail, but doesn't want to cause anyone to flunk English. If you write to her, don't expect an answer for a few months.

Thank You
Laurie Halse Anderson

CONTACT ME: Write to me at
Laurie Halse Anderson
P.O. Box 3407
Maple Glen, PA
19002-8407

[Carrie Ray]

Hi Laurie,
My name is Carrie Ray, and I'm a new English teacher at a public school in Michigan. I will be teaching your book, Speak, in the Fall. Kids seem to love it, and this makes me very excited to share it with them. I can't wait to dive into some of the issues addressed. Do you have any advice on lessons or anything you can send me as encouragement for the kids as we read or prepare to read?
Carrie Ray
489 St. Clair
Grosse Pointe, MI 48230

[elo]

I need to ask you a question for my english class (no, this is not for Laurie Halse Anderson)! Was the book, "speak" banned? And if so, why? I can't seem to find this information!!!

[liz]

"Whale Talk", by Chris Cutcher, was banned:
http://www.detnews.com/2004/schools/0403/15/c05l-91718.htm

The American Library Association maintains a list of Banned and Challenged Books.

I don't think Speak has been either challenged or banned.

[Tiffany]

hey whats up nothing much here well i love your book and i hope too get to read more of your books and i am doing a research paper on it so yeah you get my point

[Stefanie]

your book is cool... our school made us read it for the beging of freshman year.. it is def. something people can relate too expt for the whole rape thing other wisse.. theres alwayss someone .. your trying to avoid like.. buliies or so called popular kids.. ya know .. well bYeee

[Sizi]

hi,I like your book i awalys like to read and write but i dont want to be writer ..i jst wanted 2 say its cool book.

[rachelee]

hi laurie!
speak is an amazing book and i think all the fronters and haters have to back off.
thank you mrs.aaaanderson

[Dr. Elaine Foster]

Dear Mrs. Halse-Anderson,
I am Elaine Foster, a university professor at Grambling State University located in Northeast Louisiana. My ED 304: Children's Literature class will read your book "Chains" for the literature circle project for the Fall Semester. Are you available to come to Grambling to share your literary works with our teacher candidates? If so, what is involved regarding cost? I look forward to hearing from you.
Elaine Foster

[Maria Mendoza]

I think this book SPEAK shouldn't be banned because it basically tells the truth. I just finished reading this book in English Class its a really good book my whole class seemed to like it. It does have a little sexually assaults and bad language but it makes the book be more like reality.I believe the book makes every teenager really think about what is right its like an advice book.