Speak of Me as I Am

Gr 8 Up—How does one cope with loss? How can a person move on from the death of a mother? Or that of a best friend? These are the issues Melanie and Damon have to confront as they embark on another year of school. Damon's best friend, Carlos, committed suicide, so Damon's family moved to give Damon a fresh start at a new school. Melanie's mom passed away over the summer from cancer, and Melanie and her father have a hard time dealing with the giant hole in their lives. Hoping to keep his connection to Carlos alive, Damon takes pictures with Carlos's camera, while Melanie, who has been avoiding any kind of artistic urge since losing her mom, a larger-than-life artist, is convinced to help paint the sets for the school's play, Othello, in which Damon is playing the lead. Maybe together they can figure out how to live with loss and sadness, instead of trying to ignore it. Chapters that alternate between Damon's and Melanie's perspectives begin by addressing the teens' late loved ones. Readers will come away with a strong sense of not only the protagonists but also the secondary characters, including the departed. In a moving author's note, Belasco includes helpful links to a variety of supportive organizations whose missions link to the story's themes.