Monster

Monster

By: Walter Dean Myers

Myers, W. D., & Myers, C. (1999). Monster. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers.

Summary: 

Monster is a dynamic story filled with drama, life questions, and sadness. Myers uses a script format for writing his story about 16 year old Steve Harmon. Steve Harmon is on trial for allegedly killing a store clerk in a robbery gone wrong. Steve begins chronicling his trial, life in prison, and thoughts in a journal to help cope with what is happening to him. Throughout the story we are given a few flashbacks to his life before the crime took place. One interesting aspect of this story is that we do not ever "see" the robbery taking place. We only hear Steve's accounts and the other characters recollections of the crime. This adds suspense to the novel. You will find yourself wondering throughout the whole thing if Steve is guilty of murder or simply making one simple bad choice. The story ends on the edge of a cliff. You are never told or directed to the outcome of Steve's trial. You must make that decision for yourself (Which is terribly difficult! I have gone back and forth a million times already)!  This novel is perfect for use with 8th grade on up. I teach in a district where many of our students have parents in jail or they have personally been arrested or to juvenile detention centers. This novel would give them a character to relate to but also to question the consequences of their actions.