Book Talk Preparation - Example

Outside Reading Book Talk Preparation Form Example Your Name: PCMS Student Class Period: 2nd Book Title: Speak Author: Laurie H. Anderson Number of Pages: 198 Use the prompts below to prepare for your book talk. Remember you are writing for other students to help them decide whether or not to read this text; try to not ruin the ending for students who may not have read the book yet. Summary: Write an original summary. You may not read from the back of the book or use summaries written by others. Include information about setting, plot, character, and theme. Don’t give away the end of the book. Speak is an ironic title for this realistic fiction novel by Laurie H. Anderson because the protagonist, Melinda feels the opposite; she physically and emotionally can’t speak. The novel begins on Melinda’s first day of high school as a freshman at Merryweather High. One of the first things reader’s learn about Melinda is that she not only feels like an “outcast” but has also been ostracized by her friends, the “plain Janes” after she called the cops during a summer party. Readers are taken on a journey inside the mind of a teenager and her sarcastic thoughts about high school and “top 10 lies they tell you”, teachers, class assignments, and her peers. Even the school is having an identity crisis in this novel by changing its mascot several times throughout the year from the Trojans, to Blue Devils, to Tigers, to Wombats, and finally to the Hornets. Melinda’s thoughts engages readers in her plight. We are unaware of Melinda’s reason for not speaking until the chapter titled Nightmare when she introduces a handsome and popular boy whom Melinda calls “IT”; “IT [with a capital I and a capital T] is [her] nightmare and [she] can’t wake up” (Anderson 45). This literary allusion to Stephen King's horror novel brings insight to the character's motivation as Melinda tries her best to cope and deal with confronting the memory of what happened at the party. But without the support of her parents or friends and being treated like a troublemaker at school, she feels lost, alone, and physically choked. Read Speak to find out what Melinda does when she learns that Rachel, her ex-best friend is now dating “IT”. Will she finally speak? Review: Write your review. Provide clear reasons and cite specific evidence from the text to support your opinion. You can write more than the space provided. Published in 2006 and written in the first-person point of view, Melinda takes readers on an humorous, yet insightful and complex journey through the mind of a teenager where every choice is thought out and debated from where to sit on the bus, to the deciding whether to take a “brown bag” lunch to school. These all seem like unimportant decisions but Melinda’s unique perspective and sarcastic thoughts put a spotlight on these everyday choices. Furthermore, this was an enjoyable and fast read due to the humorous writing style and the continuous, short chapters that included high school events like homecoming, holidays, and report card grades that pushed the plot forward. One example of Anderson’s humorous character description is the use of unique names for characters like the “Martha’s, Mr.Neck and Hairwoman”. As a parent, I connected to the actions described by Melinda of her parents yelling about her grades and how they expect more from her. Additionally, as a teacher, I thought it was hilarious when she described her English teacher’s lessons on symbolism and active vs passive voice which also made me think about how I can be a better, more understanding teacher and parent. As an adult, I was angry and frustrated with Melinda’s inability to stand up for herself and fight back because I wanted to yell and defend her. But overall, this novel helped me reflect on own character as a teacher and parent, and if you choose to read this novel, you will not only enjoy the discovery process of the plot but also make text to self and text to world connections. Choose a Passage: The passage I’ve chosen to share can be found in chapter 2. (Select a 1-6 sentence passage from your book to share with the class in your book talk.) “You have to know what you stand for, not just what you stand against.” Depth and Complexity Question: The question I chose to address is: What impact might this story have on the future? (DAC: Over Time) Answer to the question: Speak teaches people, especially those who are victims of violence, to speak out about their experiences. Melinda struggles with the trauma of a rape by a classmate at a party, and the author’s use of Melinda’s dry, cracked lips represent her feelings of shame. However, as the main character begins to heal, the condition of her lips improve which is the author’s way to teach the reader about the power of healing and emotional growth through tragedy and hardship.