Monster

By: Walter Dean Myers

Narrated by: full cast

Length: 2 hrs and 35 mins

Publisher's Summary

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 attention. You let the jury know that you think the case is as serious as they do....

STEVE
You think we're going to win?

O'BRIEN (seriously)
It probably depends on what you mean by "win".

©1999 Walter Dean Myers (P)2000 Random House Inc., Listening Library, an imprint of the Random House Audio Publishing Group

Critic Reviews

"Steve Harmon, 16, is accused of serving as a lookout for a robbery of a Harlem drugstore. The owner was shot and killed, and now Steve is in prison awaiting trial for murder. From there, he tells about his case and his incarceration. Many elements of this story are familiar, but Myers keeps it fresh and alive by telling it from an unusual perspective. Steve, an amateur filmmaker, recounts his experiences in the form of a movie screenplay. His striking scene-by-scene narrative of how his life has dramatically changed is riveting....It's an emotionally charged story that readers will find compelling and disturbing." (School Library Journal)

A wonderful book -- weak audio cast

This book is amazing. I am currently reading it with my grade 8 class and everyone loves it. HOWEVER the voices on this audio book were disappointing. The main character's voice was fine, but the other characters sound stiff and artificial--like the script was read with an audience of second language learners in mind.

Dramatic yet Intriguing

I struggled to read this book since it was assigned for summer but it actually better than I thought it was. Reading with the audio make it a hundred times better than reading itself. Narators bring out the story and make it sound like a movie. This book gives you a taste of what is happening in our society and how the jury can sometimes be broken because of bias. I recommend the book to all.

Audio Issue

The audio periodically cuts out. It is rather annoying.
However, the reading is fabulous. My students are enjoying it.

This story is worth the time to listen.

I loved the play written and acted out as a play. Very dramatic, and it made me think like a filmmaker.

I wanted and needed more from this great story.

I find that I needed much more out of the story and characters. I also struggled with the screen play setting.

Great!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

This audiobook is awesome! It does justice to Walter Dean Myers's Monster and the unique writing style and structure of the book. I taught the book in a 7th grade ELA classroom and it really helped students visualize the characters and helped clarify the plot movement! Wonderfully done!

Good

i loved it
really shows and tells the emotions of the characters
loved the different people
liked the extra thing at the end

Monster

I liked it, it's good, nice job on the book, very well done.

I think it was a very inspiring book that almost made me wonder about how people can have the nerve to be so offended by dumb things like"shut up" when other people are busy in crime.

Great reading!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I am a teacher. I would recommend this book as a high interest/lower level book for struggling readers. It would especially be good for students with reading disabilities to read along with.

Fabulous Book

This audiobook brought the story to life. I was able to feel the conflict and stress on the main character. The audio was very clear and made it easy to follow the story.