Speak of Me As I Am - Hardcover

Praise for Speak of Me As I Am "Debut author Belasco adeptly captures the tribulations of high school life while also celebrating art's ability to help clarify and contextualize its joys and sorrows. . . . The novel's most intriguing character . . . is grief itself, which the author illuminates, examines, and dissects with a surgeon's precision and the gentle touch of an artist. A stirring account of the trials of adolescence." --Kirkus Reviews "This book will undoubtedly be compared to Rainbow Rowell's Eleanor & Park. . . . Teens seeking a quieter but no less moving story will find this book a perfect read." --Booklist "Never maudlin, always authentic, the portrayal of their struggles to deal with grief and with love will resonate with many teens." --VOYA "A good purchase for realistic fiction collections and for readers looking for books about survivor's guilt and healing." --School Library Journal "Belasco's novel sends a powerful message about the complicated nature of grief. . . . This powerful, emotional work should be earmarked to be a favorite with teen readers." --BookPage

Melanie and Damon are both living in the shadow of loss. For Melanie, it's the loss of her larger than life mother, taken by cancer well before her time. For Damon, it is the loss of his best friend, Carlos, who chose to kill himself rather than reveal his secret. Through a staged production of Othello, through the lens of Damon's camera, and through the strokes of Melanie's paintbrush, the two teens find that, rather than moving on from their losses, they can learn to live with their own corners of sadness, especially because they're not doing so alone. And it is only by being honest with themselves that they can begin to find some small bit of peace. This multi -cultural story shows readers that grief comes in all shapes, sizes, and colors - and that love and pain can bind people together even as they threaten to tear us apart.