The 57 Bus by Dashka Slater is based on an actual event occurring in California.
Richard is a black sixteen year old who sets a gender fluid person’s skirt on fire while riding the city bus. Sasha is the victim who suffers from serious burns across their legs following the incident.
Slater does an excellent job giving both Richard and Sasha’s backgrounds/personalities before detailing the horrific prank. The book provides the rehabilitation, publicity and legal processes following the incident. Richard is being tried as an adult for his crime. Interviews/information is included from both of their family and friends.
This book is eye opening and discussion worthy in many respects: gender, race, society, our justice system, media, and more deeply about empathy and forgiveness.
Read, Review, Repeat 