The author of more than 100 books for teens and children and a six-time winner of the Coretta Scott King Award, Walter Dean Myers knew how to write for young people with respect. His talents are best exemplified in his 1999 novel, which won the inaugural Michael L. Printz Award and was a National Book Award finalist. Monster traces the horrific circumstances surrounding Steve Harmon, a 16-year-old on trial for murder. An aspiring filmmaker, Steve presents his plight, and everything that brought him to his current place in life, as a movie script. The narrative, like many of Myers’ best, grapples with the difficulties of growing up Black in America, and asks young readers to consider, in the most accessible terms, the realities of racism. —Annabel Gutterman
Buy Now: Monster on Bookshop | Amazon
- The 100 Most Influential People of 2024
- Coco Gauff Is Playing for Herself Now
- Scenes From Pro-Palestinian Encampments Across U.S. Universities
- 6 Compliments That Land Every Time
- If You're Dating Right Now, You're Brave: Column
- The AI That Could Heal a Divided Internet
- Fallout Is a Brilliant Model for the Future of Video Game Adaptations
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time
