Monster

Myers, Walter Dean. Monster. New York: HarperCollins, 2001.



Annotation: 16 year old Steve Harmon is on trial for murder
In jail, awaiting trial, he could get 25 to life.
Did he do it or is a victim of being black?



Justification for nomination:
The first person narrative is told by the main character, Steve Harmon, a black, 16 year old. The plot is compelling because it is real for a lot of black young males today. He is accused of being involved in the murder/robbery of a local, respected store owner in his neighborhood. Since it is told from the accused point of view, you never find out the truth of his innocence or guilt. The story is realistic as it talks about the horrible conditions in jail for a young boy. The narrator/main character tells the story in the form of a movie with stage direction, lighting, and dialogue. This is interesting because the character begins to find his moral compass, as well as, the realization that he can lead a better life and make something of himself. The setting revolves around the jail and the court proceedings, but also uses literary tools, such as; flashbacks of his life before being arrested. The book is also uses proper grammar, punctuation, and proper verb tenses making it a trust worthy, and reliable book for me, as a reader. The setting also supports the conflict of boy against society. The examples of description of what it is like to hear the screaming at night, to watch the beatings of other inmates, and the constant fear of being raped or attacked was realistic and believable. What touched me about this book is the voice/language of the main character. It made the book come alive. It was a story voiced by a young, black, male, living in the projects. I could hear the nuances, accent, and slang in the writing as the conversations between the narrator and his friends. his lawyer, and his parents. It was solid writing about the environment of his life.
Genre Category: Realistic/”Edgy”/Problem Printz Award