Some teens hang out with friends, others play video games. this one, however, walks into a drugstore and gets charged with murder! Monster, by Walter Dean Myers, is a realistic fiction book that starts out with our protagonist, Steve Harmon, reflecting on being in jail and deciding to write a movie script. As the book goes on, we see him stay hopeful through a tough time as he is trying not to see the worst in himself and facing a conflict with society. As the story progresses, we hear many witnesses and lawyer arguments in the courtroom from both the prosecution and the lawyers for King (the other guy on trial), and Steve ending with a verdict that, either way, will change his life forever. 

I think Myers did a pretty good job at making what could have been a very boring court story interesting for younger / non-adult readers. I think the plot is decent and the protagonist (and even antagonist) of society reminds the reader of real-life injustice, giving a relatable feeling to it. This book kept me reading and wondering and did a great job of not hinting too much at the verdict result. I thought the rising action and falling action especially dragged on for a bit too long, but overall, I understand why it was necessary to the story. I recommend this book to middle school and high school students because it is definitely a bit violet containing references to guns, murder, and drugs and it has some bigger vocabulary words but it is good enough to be a fun quick read for that age range.