Monster by Walter Dean Myers

Myers, Walter Dean (1999). Monster. New York: Scholastic Inc.  

Summary:  Steve Harmon is 16-year-old black high school student on trial for being the lookout in the robbery of a drug store in Harlem, New York during which the owner was shot and killed.  To bring comfort to the deep terror he faces both in the courtroom and in the detention center, Steve narrates his experience in the form of a screen play.

Additional comments:  An intense story presented in a unique and dramatic style. Readers will anxiously flip the pages to see if justice is served in the end.  Raises many questions about racism in the justice system, what is honesty, and reconciling self-identity and the judgment by others.  

The Color Purple (DVD)

Spielberg, Steven (1985). The Color Purple [Motion picture]. United States: Amblin Entertainment.

Summary:  Set in Georgia at the turn of the 20th century, The Color Purple follows the life of Celie, a 14-year-old black girl at the start of the film.  After bearing two children by her daddy only to have them pried from her arms at birth, Celie's life only gets harder when she is forced to marry and serve an abusive, mean-spirited older widower and his many rotten children.  But, her heart and spirit die when her new husband tries to rape Celie's beloved younger sister, who fights him off, and is physically removed from the house forever.  Celie then succumbs to a despondent life of servitude and speechlessness until she allows herself to be loved by Shug Avery, a spirited, head-strong performer and lover of Celie's husband.    

Additional comments:  Exposes the mistreatment and confinement of women, particularly women of color, who were kept down with no choices and basically no options for independence.  Celie is treated as property, who should be seen, not heard, and must serve "the Mister's" every need and endure beatings wordlessly. A long movie that is bound to bring you to tears at multiple points of the film.  This Steven Spielberg classic features an all-star cast, including Whoopie Goldberg, Danny Glover, and Oprah Winfrey.  

Based on the Pulitzer prize winning novel by Alice Walker.

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

Smith, Betty (1943).  A Tree grows in Brooklyn.  New York:  Harper Collins.

Summary: The Nolan family struggles in the slums of Williamsburg, Brooklyn from 1902 until 1919. Francie's father is an alcoholic who has difficulty holding a steady job as a singing waiter, and Katie's mother provides enough food for her family to survive through her job as a scrubwoman.  Francie and her younger brother, Neeley, grow up collecting garbage for small change and believing that education is the key to their future. 

Additional thoughts: Francie's insights and observations about society, school, family, and the ethical values of the people around her are endearing and ring as true today as they undoubtedly did fifty years ago. Female readers will especially connect with the strong Rommely women.