#45--Shooter

Bibliographic Information

Shooter by Walter Dean Myers. Amistad. (2005).

Price: $17.99 for hardcover; $9.99 for paperback

Pages: 208 for hardcover; 224 for paperback

Note: This was originally published in 2004. The above date refers to the paperback reprint edition.

Plot Summary

The aftermath of a school shooting leaves two students dead—one a victim and the other the shooter himself. What the county, federal government, and board of education want to discover is how the shooting came about and, if possible, how to prevent another one. Enter Cameron Porter, best friend of the shooter, and Carla Evans, the shooter’s love interest. Through a series of interviews, Cameron and Carla try to explain to officials what the shooter was like while proclaiming their own innocence. Slowly readers piece together what actually happened that one fateful day at a high school in Harrison County.  

Critical Evaluation

Just like all his other novels, Walter Dean Myers’ Shooter is masterfully written. It’s clear that Myers subscribes to the school of “show don’t tell” as he presents the bare facts to the reader and lets the reader assign guilt to the proper party. The epistolary form of the novel not only ensures that the book can be read in one sitting but that the story is more believable as the sorts of newspapers articles, interviews, and diary entries used are precisely what would be written if an actual school shooting were to occur. Particularly apropos in today’s world, Shooter allows readers to ponder the harder truths surrounding school shootings. While Len, the shooter, is obviously to blame for the shooting itself there is a large grey area about who else is to blame. For example, can a victim of a school shooting really be a victim if they had previously bullied the shooter? Should guilt be assigned to Carla and Cameron for not speaking to anyone about Len’s frightening outlook on life? How much is Len’s abusive father to blame for Len’s state of mind which led to the shooting?

Additionally, Shooter allows readers to gain insight into the manipulative techniques used by adults to gain information from teens. Perhaps the most fascinating element of the novel is the differences between the various investigators. Although subtle, each has their own method of discovering the truth. The superintendent of the board of education, Dr. Jonathan Margolies, speaks kindly to Cameron and tries to relate to him while F.B.I. analyst, Victoria Lash, is much more condescending and harsh. Spectrum Group’s Franklyn Bonner is professional but uses clinical words that Carla has trouble understanding while Sheriff William Mosley uses self-deprecating language in order to gain Cameron’s trust. Reading about the adults’ different techniques causes readers to ponder how they and others seek to gain the truth and whether some ways are more effective and ethical than others. Overall, Shooter is an excellent novel, filled with hard but necessary truths that will leave readers thinking about the book long after they have finished the last page.

Reader’s Annotation

Told in a series of interviews, newspaper articles, and diary entries details emerge about a deadly school shooting and the motivations behind it.

About the Author

Winner of the 1994 Margaret A. Edwards Award in honor of his lasting contribution to young adult literature, Walter Dean Myers has penned over fifty books for both children and young adults. He is currently working on the new young adult novel Darius & Twig which will be published in April 2013.

To learn more about Walter Dean Myers visit his site here.

Genre

Epistolary novel, Realistic fiction

Readalikes

Monster by Walter Dean Myers

·         Another epistolary novel by the same author

Inexcusable by Chris Lynch

·         Also about a teen that does something illegal that he thinks is justifiable

Hate List by Jennifer Brown

·         Also about the close friends of a school shooter that are left behind after the rampage

Tags

Abusive father, African American identity, alcoholic father, anger management, body image, bullying, clubs, driven parents, fitting in, foster home, gun range, gun shows, guns, justice system, outcasts, parental authority, prescription drug abuse, school shooting, suicide

Awards Won/Lists On

2004—Book Sense Summer Pick for Teen Readers

2005—ALA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers

Professional Reviews

Kirkus Reviews

 Publishers' Weekly

School Library Journal

Booktalk Ideas

Introduce the three characters

·         Len

o   Violent temper, abused prescription drugs, abusive father

·         Cameron

o   Appreciates people who understand him, also has an abusive father along with a materialistic mother, admires Len but sometimes fears him

·         Carla

o   Likes Len, likes Cameron more, is fairly open-minded, sexually abused when younger which shapes the way acts now, accepts betrayal/abuse as a matter of course

How would you discover the truth behind a school shooting?

·         Jonathan Margolies—superintendent of education

o   Inclusive manner but manipulative (89)

·         Victoria Lash—FBI threat analyst

o   Use condescending language (86, 89)

·         Franklyn Bonner—spectrum group

o   Use clinical language (108, 110)

·         William Beach Mosley—sheriff

o   Be frank & inviting; admit your inexperience (123)

Bibliotherapeutic Usefulness

This would a great book to use for those who have experienced a school shooting. It also may be helpful to teens who live with abusive and/or neglectful parents.

Reading Level/Interest Level

Reading Level: 4^th/5^th grade

Interest Level: 9^th-12^th grade

These levels are according to AR Bookfinder

Challenge Issues

This book includes the following potentially controversial elements:

·         Abuse of the justice system

·         Bullying

·         Marijuana use

·         Neglectful mother

·         Physically abusive father

·         Prescription drug abuse

·         School shooting

·         Suicide

·         Vandalism

·         Verbally abusive father

Librarians can point out that this reading this book with your teenager can lead to many deep discussions such as how and why school shootings can happen, the proper role of parents as well as the authorities, peer pressure, and bullying.

Why Was This Included?

I read this because it was recommended on my 267 reading list and I had never read a book about school shootings. I chose this specific school shooting novel because I was impressed with Walter Dean Myers’ Monster and I enjoy epistolary novels.