Monster, Walter Dean Myers

Book Review by Mark I
Grade Eight English
Bigelow Middle School, MA

Walter Dean Myers has written great books like: Fallen Angels, Shooter, Bad Boy: A Memoir, Slam, and many others. His courtroom drama Monster is, of course, just as good as his others.

Steve Harmon is a sixteen year old black boy on trial for a murder that occurred while a store was being robbed. He is accused of being the “look-out man” for the robbery. Another man, James King, is said to be the shooter.

Steve decides to write a movie about his trial experience. He calls the movie Monster after what the prosecutor called him. The whole book is written like a movie with some breaks for journal entries written by Steve. The journal entries provide a look back to around the time of the murder and also show’s what’s going on in Steve’s head. Sometimes he wonders if his defense lawyer thinks that he’s guilty or innocent.

Myers does a good job with the movie-like script but some parts were a little confusing. The character development is also good. Throughout the story you learn about how Steve loves film and what kind of person he is.

Myer’s Monster, The Reviewer’s Verdict

Parts of the book even at the end were slightly confusing but the rest of it balanced it out. I would give the book 4.5 out of 5. I also think that this book might appeal to Law and Order watchers in some ways.

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