Dean, Walter Myers. (1999). Monster. Harper Collins: New York, NY.
Young Adult Drama
Awards: National Book Award
Coretta Scott King Award
Michael L. Printz Award
Ages: 12 and up
Grade level: 9-12th
Summary: The novel is written in first person from the perspective of fourteen year old Steve Harmon, who is awaiting trail for murder and facing a death sentence. He is being accused of participating as a lookout in the robbery and death of a store clerk. The prosecuting attorney, Sandra Perocelli, describes him as a monster. At times Steve feels that his defense attorney, Kathy O'Brien, is just doing her job and doesn't believe his innocent. Steve attempts to escape his reality by writing a screen play about his own trial while waiting his sentence.
Reader's response: This novel is written as a screen play with journal entries mixed in. The novel lets readers visualize as they read, specially the descriptions of life in the penitentiary. It can be used to teach many skills in reading and writing. Advance readers can response to the issues raised in the novel such as the practices in the justice system and life in the institutions while citing information. It is a good resource to teach students how to write a screen play or drama. It is an excellent novel that can be use across curriculum. It can be included in reader theater class, students can perform the novel in a school play since it is written in that format. It can be part of a government class when studying about democracy, the justice system, due process of law, and the judicial system. In Social Studies it can be use to teach the Bill of Rights and the Constitution. Another example, is to use the novel in a debate class using text evidence students can take and defend the main character's innocence or guiltiness.
Walter Dean Official Site
Lesson plans by We the People Program
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