Appleton Speaks:
What if all Appleton read the same book?


You are invited to participate in Appleton Speaks February-April 2005! This event encourages everyone to read the same book and discuss it city-wide. Similar programs have been launched in many communities across the country and it has been found that when everyone reads the same book and talks about it, people gain a greater understanding of themselves, their community and the world.

The book selected for this program is Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. In it, fourteen-year-old Melinda finds herself an outcast at the start of her freshman year. None of her old friends will have anything to do with her since she called the police to an end-of-summer party where a lot of her classmates got into trouble. Melinda's grades are falling and her parents are too busy to notice that she is going through more than just a tough transition to high school life - Melinda has been raped.

It happened at that end-of-summer party and now Melinda has to pass her rapist in the halls every day. She passes her old friends and wishes she could tell them what she's going through. She wishes, but she doesn't because Melinda is slowly losing the will and ability to speak.

Told in four sections called “marking periods,” Speak allows readers a rare glimpse into the thoughts and emotions of a silent victim and the cruelties of high school cliques. What makes the heroine Melinda memorable is her wit, humor, and the eventual strength she achieves to speak out against her attacker.

Speak was selected for many reasons including its long list of awards and honors. This book provides opportunities to discuss many issues including sexual assault, the social structure in schools, the importance of communication between parents and their children and literature's uplifting powers.

The Appleton Library Foundation and Appleton Area School District are very excited to collaborate on Appleton Speaks. Book discussions will be offered at the Appleton Library, Appleton Area School District's high schools and other locations around the community. An Online discussion will be provided as well off the program's website www.appletonspeaks.org. If you are interested in hosting a book discussion please contact the program leaders listed below. Because the book and the discussions that are inspired by it will necessarily address issues of sexual assault, this book is recommended for teens through adults. The book is available for check-out at the library.

Appleton Speaks will culminate with a visit by author Laurie Halse Anderson April 19-21. She will give presentations at the library and in area schools.

Join us starting February 2005 for Appleton Speaks and find out what happens if all Appleton reads the same book.

Click here to visit the official site. Please contact Young Adult Librarian Colleen Rortvedt ( teen@apl.org or 832-6177) Community Services Supervisor Cecilia Wiltzius ( cwiltzius@apl.org or 832-1695) with questions.