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Reviewed by Kristen Van Kampen (Teen Reviewer) for Readers' Favorite
Speak Up! by Rebecca Burgess is an inspiring graphic novel about an autistic girl named Mia. At school, Mia is bullied, and none of the other students seems to understand her. After school, however, she doubles as the viral singer Elle-Q. When Elle-Q’s fans want her to do a live performance, Mia’s friend and fellow songwriter, Charlie, suggests she performs at a talent show. But Mia isn’t sure she can, putting a strain on their friendship. And when she loses the notebook where she writes all her song ideas, and one of her bullies, Laura, finds it, Mia fears her identity will be discovered. However, in her quest to get the notebook back, she and Laura realize they have more in common than either of them had thought. But with Laura’s friends still bullying her, Mia soon feels that Laura has betrayed her. Will she be able to stand up for herself? Will she be able to perform at the talent show?
With fascinating characters, an important message, and fantastic illustrations, Speak Up! by Rebecca Burgess is an absolute must-read. The characters are all realistic, relatable, and complex, which helps to draw the reader into the story. Mia is a character that readers will root for as she learns to speak up for herself, and they will feel inspired to do the same. The book has many important messages that everyone should learn, such as being yourself and not judging others. The plot is intriguing and entertaining, and I love the irony of Mia’s bullies being Elle-Q fans. The illustrations are excellently drawn and full of expression, wonderfully telling the story, and the pages are eye-catching, colorful, and appealing. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, and I never wanted to put it down. I would wholeheartedly recommend it.
