14 April 2008

15: Monster


With an unusual format and sparse illustrations, Myers allows the young narrator Steve Harmon to tell about his experiences in the criminal justice system – from his stay in prison to the courtroom to the final verdict. The story is written by the narrator as a movie screenplay with some journal entries included as well. Steve is a young African American who gets involved, at least on the periphery, in a gang. He is incarcerated after being accused of participating in a robbery in which a man is killed. From the opening statement “The best time to cry is at night, when the lights are out and someone is being beaten up and screaming for help” to the closing question, “What did she see?” the book will provide vivid descriptions of the emotional toll of gang involvement and incarceration.

TITLE: Monster
AUTHOR: Walter Dean Myers
COPYRIGHT: 1999
PAGES: 281
TYPE: Fiction
RECOMMEND: Yes, anyone who enjoys young adult literature will like this uniquely formatted book

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