Oct 2024

Adolescence can be a stew of unexpressed emotions communicated via surly body language and general angst. So what happens when a young adult experiences something terrible? They may just zip up inside themselves, like Melinda, as she faces social exile, unrelenting shame and the unprocessed trauma of a singular event for which she has no words to describe. Laurie Halse Anderson shows us inside the mind of a teenage victim who through art, the kindness of few and her own budding courage—finally speaks the words that once eluded her. This novel sparked a movement of empowerment for the silenced to stand up, speak out, and take back their power. (Also adapted to film starring Kristen Stewart.)