Monster

Citation: Myers, Walter D. Monster. New York: Harper Collins Children's Books, 2001.

Grades: 9-12

Genre: Realistic Fiction, Urban, Multi-Cultural

Themes: The Justice System, Friendship, Loyalty, Expressing Oneself

Main Characters: Steve Harmon, Steve's Lawyer O'Brien, the Prosecutor, Bobo Evans, James King

Plot Summary:

This novel follows the court case of Steve Harmon, an African-American boy accused of felony murder and armed robbery. The book begins at the beginning of the court case and through dialogue and flash backs, the reader sees in snip pits what happened on the night in question. The reader is also privy to the lead characters thoughts and feelings throughout the book and also how what has happened has affected other people in his community.

Writing Style:

The novel is written in screen-play and journal form. The reader reads the story through the eyes of the lead character Steven Harmon. The screen play and journal format of this book makes the book a fast read. The reader is held in suspense until the last few pages of the book.

Assessment of Quality and Utilization

Monster is a fast paced and exciting read. It would appeal to a variety of readers including young adults and adults. The reader really feels the emotions that the lead character is going through as he must sit through day after day of court proceedings, and then go back to his cell in the evening. Although placed in the urban or multicultural genre this book is so well written it would appeal to any young adult from any background. The themes of friendship, trust, and loyalty found in this book are things that young adults deal with every day and touch their lives everyday. This book also brings into question the treatment of prisoners, the judicial system, how it works and if it is fair, and the validity of the witnesses involved in court cases.

This book could be used in a variety of ways. Monster could be acted out in a drama class, and the actors could interpret the story in their own way. This book could be read in a Social Studies class when the judicial system and court cases are being discussed. It would be a great novel to be read by student groups who do mock court cases as well. Monster is a great book to read for discussion on racism, stereotypes, and how this affects the judicial system of our country. Also the over arching themes of how one picks ones friends and how one decides who to or not to trust could also be discussed after reading this book.