Fast-paced yet introspective novel

Myers, W. D., & Myers, C. (1999). Monster. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers. Steve Harmon is in the fight of his life. Accused of murdering a local convenience store owner, he struggles not to let his fear of a conviction get the best of him as he awaits trial. Myers uses a first person narrative which reveals Steve's inner thoughts and fears while in jail. The courtroom drama is written in the form of a screenplay, which reflects Steve's career ambitions.

What makes this novel so interesting is that Steve's own journal establishes his connection to the events leading to the man's murder, but the courtroom scenes don't exactly support what Steve himself has admitted. This requires the reader to make a moral judgement about whether or not justice has truly been done. This Printz award-winner is sure to spark many interesting debates.