"Maybe I could make my own movie. The film will be the story of my life. Ill write it in the notebook they let me keep. Ill call it what the lady who is the prosecutor called me. Monster."

     Steve Harmon is sixteen and on trial as an accomplice to the murder of Mr. Nesbitt, the neighborhood convenience store owner.  To ease his frustration and fears regarding prison life, Steve records his experiences in the form of a movie script.  This inaugural Michael Printz award-winning novel is full of suspense and captivating detail. With occurrences of prison fights, gang rapes, and betrayal prevalent in his environment, Steve struggles to maintain his sanity. He focuses on his film in an effort to survive.

"I can hardly think about the movie, I hate this place so much. But if I didnt think of the movie, I would go crazy."

     Written in screenplay format complete with camera notes, Walter Dean Meyers provides young readers with an innovative approach to story- telling. Presented in first person voice with simple descriptive language as well as snippets of urban slang, Monster will definitely grasp the attention of young readers.

"Me and King planned a getover and we done it."

     By including movie script format in addition to journal entries, Meyers remarkably presents two different facets of Steve's character.  The movie script dialogue portrays a boy who possesses a tough exterior in court. The journal entries expose his vulnerabilities.  Meyers communicates Steve's reality in superbly captivating detail.  Throughout the novel, he effectively conveys the misery of prison life and the disadvantages associated with connecting with the wrong friends. Christopher Meyers black and white photographs uniquely complement the story and poignantly connects the reader with Steve Harmon throughout the story.