We’re sitting in on the trial of Steve Harmon, the protagonist of Walter Dean Myers’ groundbreaking novel Monster. Though first published in 1999, Monster remains as topical and unsettling now as ever before. Join us as we talk with two people whose lives were changed by Myers’ work—his long-time editor, Phoebe Yeh, and bestselling YA author Tiffany D. Jackson—and work through the questions that made Monster shine. What makes a monster? Who decides? And what happens to kids trapped in a system that labels them as irredeemable? We also talk about Myers' influence on the We Need Diverse Books movement in the children's literature. **DISCLAIMER: This episode explores tough topics relating to the juvenile justice system experience that parents and teachers may want to review before sharing with children.** To learn more about Monster, visit http://bit.ly/2UHy7Ro The Monster audiobook featured on this episode is brought to you by Listening Library, an imprint of Penguin Random House: http://bit.ly/2uuwoEp Do you have a story about how a classic book changed your life? Tweet @readingpod or email us at readingpod@harpercollins.com. Learn more at rememberreading.com. Until next time!