Walter Dean Myers

Guy A. Sims

A stunning black-and-white graphic novel adaptation of Walter Dean Myers's Michael L. Printz Award winner and New York Times bestseller Monster, adapted by Guy Sims and illustrated by Dawud Anyabwile Monster is a multi-award-winning, provocative coming-of-age story about Steve Harmon, a teenager awaiting trial for a murder and robbery. As Steve acclimates to juvenile detention and goes to trial, he envisions the ordeal as a movie. Monster was the first-ever Michael L. Printz Award recipient, an ALA Best Book, a Coretta Scott King Honor selection, and a National Book Award finalist. Now Monster has been adapted into a graphic novel by Guy Sims, with stunning black-and-white art from Dawud Anyabwile, Guy's brother. Fans of Monster and of the work of Walter Dean Myers—and even kids who think they don't like to read—will devour this graphic adaptation.

Monster: A Graphic Novel

Lara Engle

I've read the novel this graphic novel is adapted from. I much prefer the graphic novel. The drawings add an ease of reading and lend depth to the story and characterization.

FADE IN: INTERIOR: Early morning in CELL BLOCK D, MANHATTAN DETENTION CENTER. Steve (Voice-Over) Sometimes I feel like I have walked into the middle of a movie. Maybe I can make my own movie. The film will be the story of my life. No, not my life, but of this experience. I'll call it what the lady prosecutor called me ... Monster.

Monster

Maya Johnson

"Monster" is about 16 year old Steve Harmon who is on trial for murder. This story is told through a first person perspective via Steve Harmon's diary and through a third person screen play format. "Monster" was an interesting read, all the court room scenes (which is about 65% of this book) made me feel like I was watching an episode of Law & Order (I listened to the dramatized audio book.) 

I see why this book won the awards that it did when it came out in the year 1999 and then in 2000, some of the imagery was really powerful and the book format was unique, especially for the times. 
(view spoiler)[ I wish the reader actually got to find out if the main character was really involved in the robbery or not. Either way, I don't think he should be on trial for murder if he were the "look out", he didn't pull the trigger and he wasn't in the store when the store owner died (according to his and everyone else's testimony.) (hide spoiler)]

I give this 3.5 out of 5 stars, rounded up to 4 stars.

Deyana

I haven't read a book in this format before--the format being a film script supplemented with journal entries and scarce photographs--and while it was a quick read, it certainly wasn't an easy one in terms of the subject. If you've got a spare hour in your day, pick this book up--you'll have a hard time putting it down.

Sometimes I feel like I have walked into the middle of a movie. Maybe I can make my own movie. The film will be the story of my life. No, not my life, but of this experience. I'll call it what the lady who is the prosecutor called me. MONSTER. FADE IN: INTERIOR COURT. A guard sits at a desk behind Steve. Kathy O'Brien, Steve's lawyer, is all business as she talks to Steve. O'BRIEN Let me make sure you understand what's going on. Both you and this king character are on trial for felony murder. Felony Murder is as serious as it gets. . . . When you're in court, you sit there and pay attetion. You let the jury know that you think the case is a serious as they do. . . . STEVE You think we're going to win ? O'BRIEN (seriously) It probably depends on what you mean by "win." Sixteen-year-old Steve Harmon is on trial for murder. A Harlem drugstore owner was shot and killed in his store, and the word is that Steve served as the lookout. Guilty or innocent, Steve becomes a pawn in the hands of "the system," cluttered with cynical authority figures and unscrupulous inmates, who will turn in anyone to shorten their own sentences. For the first time, Steve is forced to think about who he is as he faces prison, where he may spend all the tomorrows of his life. As a way of coping with the horrific events that entangle him, Steve, an amateur filmmaker, decides to transcribe his trial into a script, just like in the movies. He writes it all down, scene by scene, the story of how his whole life was turned around in an instant. But despite his efforts, reality is blurred and his vision obscured until he can no longer tell who he is or what is the truth. This compelling novel is Walter Dean Myers's writing at its best. 2000 Coretta Scott King Honor Book, 2000 Michael L. Printz Award, 1999 National Book Award Finalist, 01 Heartland Award for Excellence in YA Lit Finalist, 00-01 Tayshas High School Reading List, and 00-01 Black-Eyed Susan Award Masterlist 2000 Best Books for Young Adults (ALA), Hornbook Fanfare 2000, Michael L. Printz Award 2000, 2000 Coretta Scott King Award Author Honor Book, 2000 Quick Picks for Young Adults (Recomm. Books for Reluctant Young Readers), and 2000 Best Books for Young Adults (ALA)

Ashley Wendt

First of all, this book does have an important message. I’ve already had some great conversations with my husband while reading Monster. And I know I’ll bring this book up in more conversations with others. The writing style of Monster made it a quick and easily immersive read. I think I just have to many questions about the whole plot line. I’m also left a bit confused….maybe that’s how we are supposed to feel though?! I am looking forward to watching the adaptation on Netflix and hoping some of the holes in the story are filled in better.

Tracie McMurray

In college, I read this in one day. It kept my interest and I could see how it would hold my future students' attention.

Alexa Jade

This was a bit hard to follow at times and I’m wondering if I’d enjoy the story and be more connected to it if i read the physical novel? 

The art, however, was really cool. There was a drawing of the character writing a letter and it looked like his foot was coming out of the page. I really liked that.

Kim Tyo-Dickerson

Was 16 year-old African- American and amateur film enthusiast Steve Harman the lookout for a drugstore robbery gone horribly wrong, ending with the murder of the drugstore owner? Is he telling the truth when he says he is innocent? And how can his defense attorney prove his innocence when she is not at all sure about it herself? Written many years before the #BlackLivesMatter movement,  Monster lays bare the institutional racism, class divisions, and gang culture that shape the lives of disenfranchised young black men in many urban neighborhoods in America. There are some disjointed transitions for readers who have not read the original novel, and the last scene between Steve and his public defender is not especially clear as the verdicts are read. Despite some very tiny lettering that can detract from the compulsive lines and dynamic framing, this adaptation is compulsively readable like all compelling true crime fiction. Creating a black and white film energy throughout, Guy A. Sims' and illustrator Dawud Anyabwile's powerful graphic novel adaptation of Myers' Monster, is a thought-provoking, disturbing read-alike for Jason Reynolds' Long Way Down, particularly the ending. An important book for all #readwoke reading projects grades 8 and up.

KADY BURNS

Finished this short book in a day. I enjoy books written is novel ways (although it's a bit played out). I also really like unreliable narrators and ambiguous endings and those boxes are checked here.

This New York Times bestselling novel from acclaimed author Walter Dean Myers tells the story of Steve Harmon, a teenage boy in juvenile detention and on trial. Presented as a screenplay of Steve's own imagination, and peppered with journal entries, the book shows how one single decision can change our whole lives. Monster is a multi-award-winning, provocative coming-of-age story that was the first-ever Michael L. Printz Award recipient, an ALA Best Book, a Coretta Scott King Honor selection, and a National Book Award finalist. Monster is now a major motion picture called All Rise and starring Jennifer Hudson, Kelvin Harrison, Jr., Nas, and A$AP Rocky. The late Walter Dean Myers was a National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, who was known for his commitment to realistically depicting kids from his hometown of Harlem.

Lily D

I read this for school and omg wow this was so eye opening and amazing

Destiny J Tamayo

I read this for school, and i thought it was really good. It really gave you a good view on how our system of laws work and the prejudices that go with it, I loved how it was written in a play like format.

Although this wasn't a bad adaptation I feel like I got more out of the novel then I did this.

Jeni Enjaian

This book surprised me with its raw, vulnerable beauty. Myers infuses every page with this even, and most likely because of, the movie script format. 
With every page that I turned, I became increasingly involved in the story, craving details that Myers dealt out stingily before reaching the end wanting to search the pages for any clues that I missed as to Steve's true guilt or innocence.

I enjoyed this book much more than I thought I would.

Monster: A Graphic Novel

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