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Monster: A Printz Award Winner Kindle Edition

4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 4,108 ratings

This New York Times bestselling novel from acclaimed author Walter Dean Myers tells the story of Steve Harmon, a teenage boy in juvenile detention and on trial.

Presented as a screenplay of Steve's own imagination, and peppered with journal entries, the book shows how one single decision can change our whole lives.

Monster is a multi-award-winning, provocative coming-of-age story that was the first-ever Michael L. Printz Award recipient, an ALA Best Book, a Coretta Scott King Honor selection, and a National Book Award finalist.

Monster is now a major motion picture called All Rise and starring Jennifer Hudson, Kelvin Harrison, Jr., Nas, and A$AP Rocky.

The late Walter Dean Myers was a National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, who was known for his commitment to realistically depicting kids from his hometown of Harlem.


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From the Publisher

courtroom

chilling

riveting

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

"Monster" is what the prosecutor called 16-year-old Steve Harmon for his supposed role in the fatal shooting of a convenience-store owner. But was Steve really the lookout who gave the "all clear" to the murderer, or was he just in the wrong place at the wrong time? In this innovative novel by Walter Dean Myers, the reader becomes both juror and witness during the trial of Steve's life. To calm his nerves as he sits in the courtroom, aspiring filmmaker Steve chronicles the proceedings in movie script format. Interspersed throughout his screenplay are journal writings that provide insight into Steve's life before the murder and his feelings about being held in prison during the trial. "They take away your shoelaces and your belt so you can't kill yourself no matter how bad it is. I guess making you live is part of the punishment."

Myers, known for the inner-city classic Motown and Didi (first published in 1984), proves with Monster that he has kept up with both the struggles and the lingo of today's teens. Steve is an adolescent caught up in the violent circumstances of an adult world--a situation most teens can relate to on some level. Readers will no doubt be attracted to the novel's handwriting-style typeface, emphasis on dialogue, and fast-paced courtroom action. By weaving together Steve's journal entries and his script, Myers has given the first-person voice a new twist and added yet another worthy volume to his already admirable body of work. (Ages 12 and older) --Jennifer Hubert

From School Library Journal

Grade 7 Up-Steve Harmon, 16, is accused of serving as a lookout for a robbery of a Harlem drugstore. The owner was shot and killed, and now Steve is in prison awaiting trial for murder. From there, he tells about his case and his incarceration. Many elements of this story are familiar, but Myers keeps it fresh and alive by telling it from an unusual perspective. Steve, an amateur filmmaker, recounts his experiences in the form of a movie screenplay. His striking scene-by-scene narrative of how his life has dramatically changed is riveting. Interspersed within the script are diary entries in which the teen vividly describes the nightmarish conditions of his confinement. Myers expertly presents the many facets of his protagonist's character and readers will find themselves feeling both sympathy and repugnance for him. Steve searches deep within his soul to prove to himself that he is not the "monster" the prosecutor presented him as to the jury. Ultimately, he reconnects with his humanity and regains a moral awareness that he had lost. Christopher Myers's superfluous black-and-white drawings are less successful. Their grainy, unfocused look complements the cinematic quality of the text, but they do little to enhance the story. Monster will challenge readers with difficult questions, to which there are no definitive answers. In some respects, the novel is reminiscent of Virginia Walter's Making Up Megaboy (DK Ink, 1998), another book enriched by its ambiguity. Like it, Monster lends itself well to classroom or group discussion. It's an emotionally charged story that readers will find compelling and disturbing.
Edward Sullivan, New York Public Library
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B001MYJ3JM
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ HarperCollins; 1st edition (October 6, 2009)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 6, 2009
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 11335 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 230 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 4,108 ratings

About the author

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Walter Dean Myers
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Walter Dean Myers is a New York Times bestselling and critically acclaimed author who has garnered much respect and admiration for his fiction, nonfiction, and poetry for young people. Winner of the first Michael L. Printz Award, he is considered one of the preeminent writers for children. He lives in Jersey City, New Jersey, with his family.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4,108 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book engaging and well-written. It provides insights into thought processes and offers powerful lessons for discussion. The visual quality is amazing and deeply illustrated. Readers appreciate the interesting characters and settings that speak to the adolescent age. They find the book worth the price. However, some customers find the writing style hard to follow and poorly written like a screenplay. There are mixed opinions on the story quality, with some finding it good and thought-provoking, while others feel it's poorly written and difficult to follow.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

226 customers mention "Readability"213 positive13 negative

Customers find the book engaging and well-written. They say it's an easy read with real characters. However, some feel it lacks substance.

"...The story has a multitude of interesting issues for discussion and lessons to teach. Often audiobooks are performed by a single actor...." Read more

"...Some parts of his trial are riveting and read like an episode of Law and Order and his diary entries from jail are very sobering...." Read more

"...There are many reasons to like this book: immense readable appeal to all teens, moral dilemmas for classroom discussion, a connection for teens..." Read more

"...Besides that, I loved the book! I feel that the audience most appropriate for this book would be anywhere from 12/13+...." Read more

49 customers mention "Education value"49 positive0 negative

Customers find the book provides insights into thought processes and lessons to teach. It offers young readers a powerful message and helps them question their choices. Readers mention it's good for troubled students and speaks to issues that concern urban youth. They appreciate the student guide and author interview at the end.

"...The story has a multitude of interesting issues for discussion and lessons to teach. Often audiobooks are performed by a single actor...." Read more

"...Monster deals with some very profound issues regarding racism and the structure of our justice system...." Read more

"...classes, for the lit circle unit, and it led to some of the most thoughtful discussion I’ve ever had...." Read more

"...like this book: immense readable appeal to all teens, moral dilemmas for classroom discussion, a connection for teens looking the wrong way to follow..." Read more

15 customers mention "Visual quality"15 positive0 negative

Customers find the book visually appealing. They appreciate the vivid illustrations and graphic depictions of prison life. The story is described as an amazing work of art with a realistic world view.

"...and takes some getting used to, but it actually is quite effective in conveying imagery and as his trial ensues, it adds to the the drama...." Read more

"...This is a powerful novel in showing, not telling, in subtlety, not pounding...." Read more

"...There are flashbacks, graphic imagery of prison, and the realistic life that someone would most likely be going through while on trial for murder...." Read more

"This amazing work of art was the story of an adolescent's journey through a life defining murder trial...." Read more

14 customers mention "Character development"14 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the well-written characters and settings that speak to an adolescent age. They appreciate the author's ability to capture the setting and characters that speak to the adolescence age. The characters are well-portrayed with excellent portrayals by a full cast with varying voices and tones.

"...At the same time, the performances of the other characters where equally compelling, each in their own way - e.g., the hardnosed female prosecutor,..." Read more

"...to (it’s written as a screenplay), it really helped me understand the nuances of Steve’s character...." Read more

"...This is undoubtedly due to Myers’ ability to capture the complex character and feelings of Steve and reveal the flaws in a criminal justice system..." Read more

"...They feel a kinship with the characters they don't often get in other books...." Read more

11 customers mention "Value for money"11 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's value for money. They say it's a great deal on required summer reading and worth picking up.

"...while the outcome of the trial did not surprise me, it was worth it to pick the book up solely based on its unusual format and for the images that..." Read more

"...The book came in great condition! Nicely price, and was described exactly the way it came in!" Read more

"...At the time of purchase, it was listed at a great price, under $4.00 a copy. The books were brand new and in great condition." Read more

"...The book was in good shape and cheap so that it can be tossed in the garbage where it belongs when finished, lest another pair of eyes be tortured..." Read more

45 customers mention "Story quality"30 positive15 negative

Customers have different views on the story quality. Some find it engaging and realistic, with a movie-like structure. Others feel the story is predictable and disjointed, with too many twists and turns.

"...It also switches between the courtroom, jail and flashbacks to Steve's childhood...." Read more

"Monster by Walter Dean Myers was a story written as a movie script along with a few journal entries...." Read more

"...it started off a little disjointed, got a little better in the middle and got to be a page-turner at the end, so i'm glad i picked it up...." Read more

"...There are flashbacks, graphic imagery of prison, and the realistic life that someone would most likely be going through while on trial for murder...." Read more

27 customers mention "Pacing"14 positive13 negative

Customers have different views on the pacing of the book. Some find it compelling and realistic, with sobering diary entries from jail and real-world scenarios. Others find it boring and lacking substance, with unnecessary film aspects that felt out of place.

"...and read like an episode of Law and Order and his diary entries from jail are very sobering...." Read more

"...my only complaint is that there could have been more substance, more depth in Steve's journal entry moments...." Read more

"...There are flashbacks, graphic imagery of prison, and the realistic life that someone would most likely be going through while on trial for murder...." Read more

"...There was nothing relatable in this book either." Read more

11 customers mention "Writing style"0 positive11 negative

Customers find the writing style difficult to follow and bland. They describe it as a script or screenplay, which is not easy for regular readers to understand.

"...or topics discussed, the story itself was very bland and was not challenging at all. There was nothing relatable in this book either." Read more

"...was interesting and made for a good screen play, but it was hard for me to follow. There were times when I lost track of the characters...." Read more

"...Well worth the quick read. Be ready though, it's written as a movie script, and that tends to throw some people off...." Read more

"...But just to let you know,the story is written like a screenplay, so it will have something like this: STEVE..." Read more

Good Book, came in damaged a little
4 out of 5 stars
Good Book, came in damaged a little
on the right corner there’s a little damage, nevertheless great book and easy to read
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on December 3, 2005
    I bought and "read" this story in the unabridged, audiocassette version. I highly recommend it for anyone from about age 15 and up because of the story and as an excellent example of the benefits an audio book can provide.

    In terms of the story itself, I was greatly intrigued by the ambiguity over Steve's actual guilt or innocence: Was he in the store as a lookout and gave the signal as the prosecutor and witnesses claimed? Or, was he simply in the wrong place at the wrong time and was acquainted with the wrong people (the perpetrators of the crime). I went though parts of the audio a second time to see if Steve ever admitted to himself or anyone else that he was there as a lookout and gave the "all clear" signal." But, I still couldn't find the answer - part of Myers' great storytelling. He leaves it ambiguous so readers can draw there own conclusions and, even if he was the lookout, whether he deserved a life sentence for that small part.

    The story was also interesting from other perspectives, such as: 1) How your life can unexpectedly and dramatically change in minutes; 2) How other's perceptions of you can affect your own perception of yourself to the point when you believe them or, at the least, become very confused about yourself; 3) the horrors of prison life; 4) the trauma of being on trial for murder; and 5) issues of equality and fairness of punishment for differing degrees of misbehavior/culpability. The story has a multitude of interesting issues for discussion and lessons to teach.

    Often audiobooks are performed by a single actor. Not this one. It is expertly performed by a full cast with varying voices, tones, and emotions that truly enliven and enrich the story. It was easy to visualize the different settings and personalities of the characters through their excellent portrayals. The writing and performance seemed so realistic that I thought I heard background noises in key scenes. I listened to some key scenes again, but didn't hear any background noises. The writing and performances were so vivid that I apparently imagined them.

    The audio starts with Myers himself explaining the inspiration for his book and other intriguing background. Being unabridged, the story was performed exactly as it is written - as a screenplay. It took a little while to get comfortable with this unique format in an audio book. The problem stemmed more from the use of flashbacks than the screenplay format. Actually, the voice-over readings of screenplay terminology helped the "flashback" problem and seemed normal relatively quickly.

    This small disadvantage is greatly outweighed by the added drama, suspense, and fast-pacing provided in this audio version. I may be biased, but the dramatic, sympathetic characterizations of Harmon, his family and his defense attorney won me over to their side. At the same time, the performances of the other characters where equally compelling, each in their own way - e.g., the hardnosed female prosecutor, the other attorney, other defendants, various witnesses, and the prison inmates.

    In addition to the awards/honors won by the print version of the story,this audio version received an AUDIOFILE "Earphones" award and its review concluded: "[I]t's difficult to imagine how it might have been accomplished more effectively." I wholeheartedly concur!

    For those like me who were uncertain about AUDIOFILE "Earphone" awards", they are similar to "Starred" reviews in other journals. According to the AUDIOFILE website, it awards "Earphones to truly exceptional presentations that excel in all the following criteria: Narrative voice and style; Vocal characterizations; Appropriateness for the audio format; and Enhancement of the text."
    5 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on August 7, 2014
    Monster is the story of 16 year old Steve Harmon. A Harlem teen who finds himself on trial for felony murder due to his alleged participation in a botched robbery of a local pharmacy. Monster is so titled because during his trial, that is what the prosecutor refers to him as while addressing the jury in her opening arguments. This label haunts him and makes him question his identity and his place in society. Monster deals with some very profound issues regarding racism and the structure of our justice system. It also tackles the line between the legal definition of “innocence” and the moral/true definition of it.

    For me, the appeal of this book lies with how the question of Steve’s innocence or guilt is intentionally ambiguous. Like the jurors, the reader has to weigh the evidence and decide whether Steve is innocent or guilty and if he is guilty, of what exactly? (The book does not go into as much detail about this, but it is set in NYC in the 90’s when Rudy Giuliani was the mayor known for being tough on crime. “Acting in Concert” clauses in the penal code meant that you didn’t necessarily have to be the one who pulled the trigger to be charged with murder.)

    The book has a very unique and interesting writing style. The story is told from Steve’s point of view but the narration switches back and forth between a screenplay format and diary entries. It also switches between the courtroom, jail and flashbacks to Steve's childhood. The screenplay format can be distracting at first and takes some getting used to, but it actually is quite effective in conveying imagery and as his trial ensues, it adds to the the drama. Some parts of his trial are riveting and read like an episode of Law and Order and his diary entries from jail are very sobering. The awards and accolades that this book has received are well-deserved. This is not your typical "overrated/overhyped" urban fiction novel.
    22 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on October 26, 2024
    I read this book in one of my literacy classes, for the lit circle unit, and it led to some of the most thoughtful discussion I’ve ever had.

    Although the structure took some getting used to (it’s written as a screenplay), it really helped me understand the nuances of Steve’s character.

    Highly recommend for all, both young adults and mature adults.

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
  • ADRIANA HERNANDEZ
    5.0 out of 5 stars Muy buena historia
    Reviewed in Mexico on January 28, 2023
    Una historia muy interesante
  • Sergio
    1.0 out of 5 stars creía que se descargaría para poder leer en mi tablet
    Reviewed in Spain on October 5, 2016
    Lo tengo que leer en mi ordenador y evidentemente no me resulta cómodo. Por viajes no me llevo el ordenador ni tengo conexion a internet
  • Vivek
    4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars
    Reviewed in India on May 18, 2016
    good book to read..
  • Ruth
    5.0 out of 5 stars excelente
    Reviewed in Mexico on June 8, 2020
    llego en buenas condiciones
  • Vanessa Tuffour
    4.0 out of 5 stars Pleased overall
    Reviewed in Canada on October 5, 2020
    Book was in good condition and the shipping was on time.

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