Monster, by Walter Dean Myers

Monster, by Walter Dean Myers. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers, 1999. 281 pp. ISBN 0060280786

READER'S ANNOTATION
Accused of being involved in a fatal robbery, Steve is now in a detention center, more scared than he's ever been in his life.  Sometimes he wonders if he'll ever get out. 

GENRE
Realistic Fiction

SUMMARY
Steve Harmon is a 16 year-old who has been placed in the Manhattan Detention Center, on trial along with others for a store robbery which involved what the prosecution has labeled a felony murder. In order to deal with the frightening and depressing reality of the detention center, Steve decides to write a movie script about his day-to-day experiences in the courtroom and the detention center. Thus most of the novel is a record of the dialogue in the courtroom, Steve's observations of others' appearances and the physical space, and his notes on camera angles, etc. (he's been a member of his school film club for quite a while). Interspersed throughout these movie scenes are Steve's diary entries. Steve comes from a supportive family, yet grew up in a neighborhood where crime seemed like a reasonable option to some. Steve comes to know one such man, and thus becomes accused of taking part in the aforementioned robbery.  Will the jury believe that he is or isn't responsible?

EVALUATION
In my opinion, this novel rises to literary excellence in many ways, and it is one I'd recommend to both teens and adults without hesitation.  The first reason is its unique format.  Myers' writing of the majority of the novel as Steve's movie scenes is innovative in itself.  And this format makes Steve's sporadic heartfelt diary entries, which add the novel's emotional/self-reflective content, all the more powerful.  This novel also shines because  Myers leaves Steve's level of involvement in the robbery in question throughout.  Because of this, interesting questions about one's feelings of personal responsibility and how they are affected by how we see ourselves are raised.  Steve is a very likeable character with whom I think teens will easily identify, yet none of the other characters are fully developed, but necessarily so due to the format.  I highly recommend this quick yet enjoyable read.

HOW THIS BOOK HELPS
This novel should help any teen who finds themself in a detention facility or accused of a crime, or in any other highly fear-inducing situation,.  It will also help teens who have acquaintances or friends involved in criminal activity, illustrating the possible negative results of getting involved in such activity themselves.

WHY I CHOSE TO READ IT
I was really intrigued by the film script format.

Lush, by Natasha Friend

Lush, by Natasha Friend. New York: Scholastic, 2006. 178 pp. ISBN 9780439853460

READER'S ANNOTATION  

GENRE
Realistic Fiction


SUMMARY
Inspired by the personal stories of two close friends who grew up in households with alcoholic parents, and affected by alcoholism in her own extended family, Natasha Friend decided to write about the experience of a young teen with an alcoholic father.  Her fictional protagonist is Sam, a thirteen year-old girl.  Sam's alcoholic father's unpredictability and a shocking act of violence to toward Sam’s preschool-age brother lead to Sam's acute need to seek assistance with coping with the situation.  Yet she finds it impossible to share her frustration with anyone, not even her closest friends.  She thus initiates an anonymous correspondence with another teen, accomplished by exchanging notes inside one of the books at their local library. Meanwhile, Sam also experiences various common aspects of teen life, including navigating a rift between herself and her former best friend, her self-consciousness about her quickly developing body, and a very brief romantic relationship.

EVALUATION
Sam is a very likeable protagonist who does not approach her dilemma melodramatically, but with believable frustration and also a sense of humor and a tad bit of sarcasm.  She is also real, and like her father, does not always make the best decisions herself.  And I really enjoyed the letters she writes to her anonymous friend.  They are poignant, but I also found myself laughing out loud at her humorous observations in several instances.  The novel's ending does not tie up everything with a cute little bow, but it is realistic and hopeful, and we know that Sam has taken positive steps in one of the areas she can control, namely sharing her family secret with friends old and new and allowing them to be a support system for her.  What some may find controversial about this novel is that Sam’s first experience drinking alcohol leads to her near sexual assault by several boys. This incident is pivotal to Sam’s development and to Friend’s message, however, because it helps Sam and readers internalize more personally the potential destructive outcomes of drinking.
 

HOW THIS BOOK HELPS
Lush lets teens living in alcoholic households know that they are not alone, and suggests possible coping strategies.  At the end of the book, Friend includes a list of resources for such teens, including hotlines,Web sites, and books.

WHY I CHOSE TO READ IT
I wanted to learn more about the experience of growing up with an alcoholic parent.