Monster

Monster

Myers, Walter Dean. Monster. New York: HarperTempest, 1999.

Annotation: 16 year Steve is facing 25 to life or even the death sentence for the murder of a drug store clerk during a botched robbery. He definitely didn't pull the trigger but, if proven to be a look out man he could still be sentenced harshly.

Reason for nomination: I nominate this book a little sheepishly. The main thing that holds me back from a strong nomination is the the book was written in script form. Some people might enjoy the format and youth might connect to it's simply written movie-like style. But, for me personally it was a draw back. None the less I still found it enjoyable for it's use of flashback/timeline, ambiguity, dialect and dialogue. The book puts you in the action and takes it's time to explain the back story. The book kept an interesting pace and left enough room for suspense and surprise. In the story it is revealed that Steve Harmon may have been loosely involved in the crime that he and three others are being charged with. He was trying to find himself and ran into the wrong crowd. The book also good lessons for an ethics class. Such as, even if Steve was involved how could the government morally charge him with felony murder for being a look out during a robbery. During Mayor Giuliani's term his tough on crime stance swept up many people just like Steve, young and full of potential. This book shows the importance of a fair and balanced judicial system, something this country has certainly not obtained yet. I think that some adolescents will connect to the idea of being young and being blamed for something you do not feel responsible for.

Genre: Multicultural, Fiction, Trial/Prison.