Yes, Speak Is Banned!
ISBN: 9780312674397
Speak follows Melinda Sordino through her nightmarish freshman year at Merryweather High School. She called the police at a summer party and is now universally despised by her classmates, but no one knows why she made the call, because Melinda has almost completely stopped speaking. Through her sardonic inner monologue and her art class projects, the truth gradually emerges: Melinda was raped at the party by an upperclassman, and her inability to tell anyone is consuming her. Anderson’s novel is a landmark of young adult literature, credited with opening conversations about sexual assault and the importance of believing survivors.
Speak has been challenged repeatedly since its publication, with over 160 total challenges. A 2010 op-ed by a Missouri professor calling the rape scenes “soft pornography” sparked national outrage and brought renewed attention to the book. Challengers cite the depiction of sexual assault as inappropriate for young readers, an argument that Anderson and survivors’ advocates have called deeply harmful. The book has been removed from shelves in Florida, Texas, Iowa, Missouri, Tennessee, and Oklahoma. Anderson has spent years speaking at schools and legislatures about why silencing a book about the damage of silence is exactly the wrong lesson to teach young people.
Why Was It Banned?
Where Was It Banned?
Read It Anyway
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Speak banned?
Yes, Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson has been banned or challenged in 161 documented instances across 6 states in the United States, including Florida, Texas, Iowa, Missouri, Tennessee. It remains one of the most frequently challenged books in America.
Why was Speak banned?
Speak has been challenged and banned for the following reasons: Sexual Content, Violence, Age Inappropriateness. These challenges have come from school boards, libraries, and parent groups seeking to restrict access to the book.
Where is Speak banned?
As of 2025, Speak has been banned or challenged in Florida, Texas, Iowa, Missouri, Tennessee, Oklahoma. Notable bans include Orange County Public Schools (2023), Round Rock ISD (2023), Cedar Rapids Community School District (2023).