When She Hollers by Cynthia Voight
Scholastic, New York: 1994
ISBN: 0-590-46714

Plot Summary:
Tish is a high school student who has endured sexual abuse from her stepfather since she was very young. The story starts out with Tish threatening her stepfather, Tonnie, with a knife. He laughs her off, and she knows she's only inviting more abuse. Her mother is either completely oblivious or more likely just doesn't want to know. She won't listen to Tish, and Tish feels like she has to protect her mother.

Once at school, Tish has a breakdown in gym class when the teacher tries to remove her shoes so she will participate. A trusted teacher is sent to talk to Tish, but then stops her when Tish is about to tell her what is happening to her. She says that she will not believe anything Tish says. So Tish gets sent to the office, and the principal calls her stepfather to come pick her up. This freaks Tish out, and she runs off campus, finally ending up at her friend Chrissie's father's office. He is a lawyer who takes on special cases and he gets Tish to tell him what has been going on. She doesn't decide to press charges or call the police, but as she walks home from the lawyer's office, she realizes she finally has a bit of hope. There is no turning back now, if something happens to her, at least the lawyer knows, and Tonnie will not get away with it.

Critical Evaluation:
This is a frenetic novel that could easily (and probably should) be read in one sitting. Voight does an amazing job in short amount of time puzzling out Tish's emotions. If if we get frustrated with Tish for not telling anyone, we still understand her fear. We even understand how she thinks she might deserve the abuse, as upsetting as that is. The ending was much too abrupt for me. We are left with Tish standing at her door, waiting for Tonnie to come out so she can finally confront him, and that's it. We don't get to see the confrontation or experience any satisfaction of seeing Tonnie get what's coming to him. I'm sure that is not the point of the novel though. It's an excellent character study and it will take most readers on an emotional ride that they've never been on before.

Reader’s Annotation:
Tish's stepfather has been abusing her since she was young, will she ever get the courage to break free?

Information about the Author:
Cynthia Voight is the author of many novels for young adults, with a wide range of topics. She won the Newberry Medal for Dicey's Song, and wrote the Newberry Honor Book A Solitary Blue. She graduated from Smith College and lives in Maine.

Genre: realistic fiction

Curriculum Ties: none

Booktalking Ideas:
I would talk about the quick pace of this novel then introduce Tish and her dilemma. I would explain her mother's situation, and why her favorite teacher won't believe her either. Finally, I would introduce the lawyer and stop there.

Reading Level/Interest Age:
This book would be appropriate for readers 15-18.

Challenge Issues:
This book might be challenged for its depiction of abuse and some brief profanity. I would give the challenger a copy of the library's selection policy and a complaint form to fill out.

Why I chose this book:
I chose this book because I knew Cynthia Voight is an honored writer, but had never read anything by her. I thought it would be good to have some knowledge of her books.