Melinda Sordino has a starts high school in isolation and in
silence. She is an outcast and no one
wants to be her friend. Everyone who
knew her knows that she broke up an end of the summer party where everyone was
drinking by calling 911. Many of the
kids at the party got into trouble and they blame Melinda for it. Unable to tell anyone that she was raped, she
nearly stops speaking altogether. She
goes to school and has a hard time socially, mentally, and academically. She finds solace in Mr. Freeman’s art class
where she is able to express herself.
She is given an assignment to create a piece of an artwork of a tree. Melinda starts to open up a little more with
herself and with others especially when a close friend starts dating the boy
who raped her. She starts to remember
what happened that night. She finally
gains her voice and speaks out when the boy tries to rape her again. At the end, she realizes that it wasn’t her
fault and she frees herself.
This realistic fiction is a great book for boys and girls in
grades 7-12. Unfortunately in today’s
society, girls and boys of all ages are victims of sexual crimes, sexual abuse,
or being bullied like Melinda was by the kids in her school. This novel portrays one victim’s journey from
being in silence to finally finding her voice. It
provides a great example on how a rape victim can overcome her tragedy and make
the moves to heal oneself.
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