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Cover of Speak

Speak

by Laurie Halse Anderson

ISBN: 9780312674397Square Fish

"Speak up for yourself--we want to know what you have to say." From the first moment of her freshman year at Merryweather High, Melinda knows this is a big fat lie, part of the nonsense of high school. She is friendless, outcast, because she busted an end-of-summer party by calling the cops, so now nobody will talk to her, let alone listen to her. As time passes, she becomes increasingly isolated and practically stops talking altogether. Only her art class offers any solace, and it is through her work on an art project that she is finally able to face what really happened at that terrible party: she was raped by an upperclassman, a guy who still attends Merryweather and is still a threat to her. Her healing process has just begun when she has another violent encounter with him. But this time Melinda fights back, refuses to be silent, and thereby achieves a measure of vindication. In Laurie Halse Anderson's powerful novel, an utterly believable heroine with a bitterly ironic voice delivers a blow to the hypocritical world of high school. She speaks for many a disenfranchised teenager while demonstrating the importance of speaking up for oneself.

Genres

YA Fiction

Banned or challenged 4 times across 4 jurisdictions.

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Related Laws

This book has been banned or challenged under these laws.

⚠ Challenger signal

Also flagged by 1 challenger group

These groups have publicly targeted this book for removal. This is NOT a confirmed ban — it’s a signal that the book is on one or more challenger lists, which often precedes formal challenges in specific districts. See methodology for how we distinguish targeting from enforcement.

Timeline

Unified view of laws affecting this book and jurisdictions where it’s been removed or challenged, in chronological order.

12 law events4 ban events
  1. 22

    Mar 22, 2022

    LawFlorida H 1467

    Signed by Officers and presented to Governor

  2. 22

    Mar 25, 2022

    LawFlorida H 1467

    Approved by Governor

  3. 23

    May 3, 2023

    LawFlorida H 1069

    Ordered enrolled

  4. 23

    May 16, 2023

    LawFlorida H 1069

    Signed by Officers and presented to Governor

  5. 23

    May 17, 2023

    LawFlorida H 1069

    Approved by Governor

  6. 23

    Jun 13, 2023

    LawTexas HB 900

    Signed by the Governor

  7. 23

    Jun 30, 2023

    Banremoved

    Martin County School District, FL

    Removed per FL Stat. 1006.28(2) — reported in the FL DoE 2022-2023 statewide report.

  8. 24

    Jun 30, 2024

    Banremoved

    Clay County School District, FL

    Removed per FL Stat. 1006.28(2) — reported in the FL DoE 2023-2024 statewide report.

  9. 25

    May 6, 2025

    LawTexas SB 13

    SB 13 heads to House floor. Texas Freedom Network hosts Read-In protest inside Texas Capitol chamber steps, with students, educators, parents, bookstore owners opposing the bill.

  10. 25

    May 31, 2025

    LawTexas SB 13

    Gov. Greg Abbott signs SB 13 into law. Establishes school library advisory councils (majority parents), requires removal of "profane," "indecent," or "sexually explicit" content.

  11. 25

    Jun 20, 2025

    LawTexas SB 13

    Signed by the Governor

  12. 25

    Aug 13, 2025

    LawFlorida H 1069

    Federal Judge Carlos Mendoza (U.S. Middle District of FL) rules in Penguin Random House v. Gibson that HB 1069 provision targeting "descriptions of sexual conduct" is unconstitutionally overbroad. Named 23 books and stated "none of these books are obscene." The mandate to remove books with even a single reference to prohibited subject matter violates students' First Amendment right of free access to ideas. Parts requiring a process for challenging books were NOT struck down.

  13. 25

    Sep 1, 2025

    LawTexas SB 13

    SB 13 takes effect for 2025-2026 school year. New Braunfels ISD begins removing 1,540+ books under the law.

  14. 25

    Nov 17, 2025

    Banchallenged

    Abilene ISD, TX

    Challenged at SLAC meeting on Nov 17, 2025. Board of Trustees voted 5-1 on Jan 8, 2026 to retain. Petition for review filed with TX Commissioner of Education Feb 23, 2026.

  15. 26

    Jan 20, 2026

    Banreinstated

    Elizabeth School District, CO

    Elizabeth School District abandons appeal to 10th Circuit on eve of oral arguments. 10th Circuit notes district's action was "not well-taken." Case returns to district court for trial.

  16. 26

    Apr 8, 2026

    LawFlorida H 1069

    Jacksonville group proposed banning three books from Duval County Public Schools, citing violation of state law regarding sexual content

Platform availability

3 platforms tracked

Availability at online retailers and library platforms, refreshed by our daily scanner. “Pending review” means the scanner saw the title unavailable but a human hasn’t confirmed whether it’s a stockout or a real removal.

All ban records (4)

Abilene ISD, TX

school · school district

ChallengedA formal challenge has been filed requesting the book's removal.

Challenged as 'indecent content' and 'profane content' under TEC §33.020 (as amended by SB 13, 89th Legislature).

Reported Feb 23, 2026

Clay County School District, FL

school · school district

RemovedThe book has been formally removed from the library or curriculum.

Removed per Florida Statute 1006.28(2) following parent/resident objections during the 2023-2024 school year.

Reported Jun 30, 2024

Elizabeth School District, CO

school · school district

ReinstatedThe book was previously removed but has been returned to shelves.

Temporarily suspended by Board Curriculum Review Committee

Reported Aug 12, 2024

Martin County School District, FL

school · school district

RemovedThe book has been formally removed from the library or curriculum.

Removed per Florida Statute 1006.28(2) following parent/resident objections during the 2022-2023 school year.

Reported Jun 30, 2023