Reviewed by Edward Sullivan in School Library Journal (July 1999). Found in Follett Titlewave.

Monster is a great read that explores mature themes such as moral equivalence and the question of guilt. Using the notebook to create a film script and then having Steve film himself from many angles after the trial shows the ambiguities of self.

I wasn’t at all distanced from the main character. The scenes with his younger brother were very humanizing, as was Mr. Sawicki’s comments about Steve’s films about his neighborhood at the trial:
“His film footage shows me what he’s seeing and, to a large extent, what he’s thinking. And what he sees, the humanity of it, speaks of a very deep character (p. 236).” All the more thought-provoking when considering Steve’s decision to go into into the drugstore.
I saw Steve as a complicated, intelligent, creative youth trying to find an identity. ( )

A young black man is put in jail for a crime in his neighborhood. As he is going through the trial he decides to write a movie about his experiences. This book is his point of view in movie form.

It is interesting to see how a young man who probably has seen a lot of crime and poverty try to deal with the crime against him. He is very confused and does not want to look weak. I liked the book because it showed a different point of view of a criminal than you usually see.

This book could be used to teach students not to judge people based on their skin color by giving an example. The book could also be used to show how a trial takes place, how the justice system works.

Reviewed by Mechele R. Dillard for TeensReadToo.com

Sixteen-year-old Steve is on trial for murder. But he's having trouble understanding why. "What did I do? I walked into a drugstore to look for some mints, and then I walked out. What was wrong with that? I didn't kill Mr. Nesbitt"(p. 140). Nothing is wrong with that, of course--unless the purpose of that casual trip was to give the "all clear" for a robbery that ended in the murder of the store's owner. Then, something is very wrong.

By structuring the book as a movie script being written by the character as he spends his days in prison, faces his jury, prepares with his lawyer, confronts his mother and father, and, most importantly, examines his own life, Myers presents Steve as a talented young man who may have made a single poor choice. However, Myers retains conflict necessary for building a compelling storyline by having Steve refuse to acknowledge his part in Mr. Nesbitt's death. The result is that the reader wants to sympathize with the teen, but cannot help but wonder, if Steve truly does not understand why what he did was wrong, what is going to keep him from going astray in the future? Maybe, as the prosecutor stated, Steve really is a monster.

Overall, MONSTER sends an excellent message to young adults: You, and only you, are responsible for the choices you make, and the consequences for those choices may ultimately affect not only the rest of your life, but the lives of the people around you--and maybe those you do not even know. Therefore, think about what you are doing, consider the consequences of your actions, and choose wisely.

Boston Globe--Horn Book Awards, Honor Book,1999

Los Angeles Times Book Prize, Young Adult Fiction, Finalist 1999

Coretta Scott King Awards, Honor Book, 2000

Edgar Allan Poe Awards, Nominee, Best Young Adult Novel, 2000

Michael L. Printz Award, Winner, 2000

Kentucky Bluegrass Award, Grades 9-12, Winner, 2002 ( )

From what I understand, this book is based on the true story of a young man accused of being an accomplice to a robbery and a resulting homicide. The format is fresh and invigorating, and the story is presented in a way perfectly suitable for young readers. Never does "Monster" glorify the life of crime in which this young man is involved. If anything, I think it does a good job of revealing the opposite side--the fear, mistrust, anger, hurt and loss of freedom which comes from making such mistakes. I was a little confused as to whether the main character was actually involved in the robbery or not. He says he never went in the store, yet there are surveillance cameras showing him there. I feel like the reader missed out on the full truth there. Other than that, this is a powerful message to young readers, and I plan on reading it with my students very soon. ( )