Monster by Walter Dean Myers

Myers, W. D. (1999). Monster. New York, NY: HarperCollins.

Steve Harmon, the main character and narrator, is on trial for murder, however he claims he is innocent. To keep his sanity, as the trial plays out, Steve chronicles the events as if they were a screen-play. He decides to call it Monster since that’s what the prosecutor called him in trial. The prosecutor, Ms. Petrocelli claims two of Steve’s friends, Richard “Bobo” Evans and James King, intended to rob a store owner, Alguinaldo Nesbitt, and Steve was the lookout. Things went array when Mr. Nesbitt pulled a gun out to protect himself. A struggle occurs between Mr. Nesbitt and the two boys, the gun went off and Mr. Nesbitt was killed. After a barrage of experts, witnesses and accomplices were put on the stand against Steve, the jury found Steve “Not Guilty”. Throughout the trial Steve leans on the support and trust of his family. Steve Harmon is internally conflicted with himself throughout the book. He can’t believe where his life has ended up and what he has done to his family. The format of the book switches from a screen-play to journals entries, both of which are narrated by Steve Harmon. The main characters are laid out at the beginning of the book as if there were credits rolling on a screen. The use of bold, large words help the reader feel the emotions of Steve as the trial plays out. It is evident family plays an important role in Steve’s life. He needs them and depends on their strength to get through this tough time. Monster has murder, lies and deceit, family bond, and betrayal all bundled into a suspenseful, thrilling murder mystery book. I would recommend this book to an English teacher that teaches different artistic styles of writing.