Speak
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson is assigned in US schools at grades 8–10, with a Lexile measure of 690L. It appears across 2 curriculum references and 2 states, sourced from state DOE pages and AP/IB/Common Core syllabi. Every citation below links to the primary source.
This page shows where Speak is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.
- Lexile
- 690L
- Grade range
- Grades 8–10
- Difficulty for grade
- Below the grade 6–8 band (925–1185L)
- Age range
- Ages 13–16
- Pages
- 224
- Reading time
- about 4h 5m (est.)
- First published
- 1999
- Genre
- Young Adult Fiction
- ISBN-13
- 9780141310886
Reading difficulty: At 690L, Speak reads below the typical 925–1185L text-complexity range for 8th grade (Common Core Appendix A). It is an accessible read for the grade — often assigned for its themes and discussion value rather than for reading challenge.
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About this book
High-school freshman Melinda Sordino enters ninth grade having called the police on an end-of-summer party — but no one knows why. Anderson's novel reveals gradually what happened and tracks Melinda's path back to speech. Frequently taught in 9th-10th grade English and in library/counselor resource lists.
Why widely assigned
This Young Adult Fiction title, reads at middle-grade prose complexity, typically at grades 8–10. Written in the 1990s; pairs with curriculum units on sexual assault and recovery and voice and silence; cited across 2 curriculum frameworks.
Themes
sexual assault and recovery · voice and silence · mental health · identity · school social dynamics
Content notes
sexual assault (central) · depression · self-harm · trauma recovery
Common Sense Media recommends age 13+.
Where this book is assigned
Similar grade-level books
Fahrenheit 451Ray Bradbury · 890L
The Diary of a Young GirlAnne Frank · 1080L
1984George Orwell · 1090L
The Great GatsbyF. Scott Fitzgerald · 1070L
See all books like Speak→ — matched on theme + reading level.
Common questions
- What grade level is Speak?
- Speak is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 8–10, with a Lexile measure of 690L. Specific grade placement varies by curriculum — AP Literature and IB English Literature typically use it in grades 11-12.
- What is the Lexile level of Speak?
- Speak has a Lexile measure of 690L according to MetaMetrics. Lexile measures text complexity, not content maturity — check the grade range and content notes separately for age-appropriateness.
- How long does it take to read Speak?
- It takes about 4h 5m to read Speak (224 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 245 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
- Is Speak hard to read for 8th grade?
- At 690L, Speak reads below the typical 925–1185L text-complexity range for 8th grade (Common Core Appendix A). It is an accessible read for the grade — often assigned for its themes and discussion value rather than for reading challenge. Lexile measures text complexity, not thematic maturity — check the content notes for age-appropriateness separately.
- What curricula assign Speak?
- Speak appears on reading lists for Common Core State Standards (ELA), Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Why this book is on this list
Each dimension below is sourced from a public reference. The full framework is documented on the classification standard page.
- Lexile measure
- 690L — sourced from MetaMetrics’ Lexile Hub.
- Grade band
- Grades 8–10 — drawn from state ELA frameworks and AP/IB syllabi citing this book.
- Curriculum alignment
- Cited in 2 curricula on this site (see “Where assigned” above for primary-source links).
- State-level evidence
- Cited in 2 states ELA frameworks or DOE list (see citations above).
- Removal / banning records
- Documented as challenged or removed in 6 states per PEN America’s Index of School Book Bans.
- Seasonal / contextual tags
- Tagged for: book-club.