Monster- African American Children's Literature

Myers, Walter Dean. Monster. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 1999.

Steve Harmon, who is a 16 year old, African American student interested in filmmaking. He is also in jail and on trial for his supposed role in a fatal shooting of a convenience-store owner. “Monster” is what the prosecutor called him for supposedly being the lookout who gave the “all-clear” to the murderer. This book is uniquely written as Steve writes about his experiences in the form of a movie screenplay. The reader is taken on a roller coaster ride throughout the novel, constantly questioning whether Steve is guilty or innocent. Monster has won several awards including the Coretta Scott King Award, Michael Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature. It is also a National Book Award Finalist.


The first impression a reader will get from this book is a very strong one. The cover of Monster shows a negative image African American with the words “New York State Correctional,” along with an arrest sheet along with fingerprints. This plays an important role in how this story is portrayed because after seeing the cover, the reader will already create stereotypes and Steve’s history will already have an effect on them. However, within the first page of Monster, the reader is surprised when their stereotype of an African American juvenile delinquent states that “The best time to cry is at night when the lights are out and someone is being beaten up and is screaming for help.” This image is a very strong image that will captivate readers from the very beginning. It also is a very strong image that will play an important role within the story as a diverse piece of literature, of how easily stereotypes can be created. This book is an authentic piece of diverse literature that provides knowledge and will change the way that students view the stereotypes of the typical “African American criminal” that is so often portrayed in the media. Monster will aid students in critically inquiring by questioning and challenging about this topic further.