This award-winning, young adult drama novel featuring racism, injustice, violence, isolation and loneliness follows a 16-year old boy who awaits his murder trial. Steve Harmon is in prison, maybe for life. They say he murdered someone; tell him he’s a monster. Is he? Or was it a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time? This coming of age story shows the reality of all the confusion that comes with being on trial for a serious crime. The drama explores topics like peer pressure and crime, as well as the impact the criminal justice system has on young African American men.

The diary entry style of writing makes the novel accessible and engaging to read for students. Discussions surrounding the novel could be linked to topics such as the American criminal justice system and could be part of a mock trial project.

Drama/Novel · United States · 1999