Monster
Monster is the story of sixteen-year-old Steve Harmon who has been sentenced to twenty-five years to life in prison. To cope with the horrors of jail life, Steve decides to write about his life in the form of a screenplay for a film. So, the book takes on that format with journal entries and memories laced throughout that give the reader insight into his past who Steve really is. He titles it "Monster" after what the prosecutor called him during his trial. Steve was somehow involved in an armed robbery, although at first it's not quite clear how guilty he is.
Like other books by Myers, this is a classic and has the awards to back it up. It is the recipient of the Printz Award, Coretta Scott King Award, and was a National Book Award Finalist. I really liked the unique format of this book and how the journal entries between scenes allow the reader to see the struggles in Steve's mind and conscience. The screenplay portion allows you to see Steve from and outsider's view, even though it is all written by Steve. This book also deals with the themes of justice in the juvenile court system and race.
Walter Dean Myers' website:
http://walterdeanmyers.net
Book Trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2tKzK4B8-o
Walter Dean Myers discusses Monster:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtlkXnf3-vY
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