Monster

 

Myers, W. D. (1999).  Monster.  NY: Harper.

Monster by Walter Dean Myers is a story about Steve Harmon, a 16-year-old boy living in Harlem. Narrated by Steve as he writes the events in his journal, intertwined with the screenplay he is writing, we are taken on the journey through his eyes. 

Steven is on trial for his role in a robbery gone wrong that left a man, Mr. Nesbitt, dead. We are taken through the eleven-day trial and the experiences Steven faces in jail. As the trial proceeds, he begins to question his innocence due to the attitude of his neighborhood and because of the way he is treated after his arrest. He is referred to as a monster by the state prosecutor and thus names his Screenplay Monster. At the end of the trial, Steven is found not guilty, but the reader doesn't know if he is truly innocent because Steven is not even sure. 

Although I had read Monster for the first time a few years ago, I was still enthralled by the story. Myers' writing style in this novel gives readers the feel of watching an edge-of-your-seat courtroom drama, similar to watching Law and Order reruns.

Other books by Walter Dean Myers:

Monster: A Graphic Novel

Bad Boy: A Memoir

Scorpions

Street Love

Game

Learn more about Walter Dean Myers.