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A review by seventhchariot
The 57 Bus: A True Story of Two Teenagers and the Crime That Changed Their Lives by Dashka Slater
The 57 Bus is a true story.
For those who aren't aware, this is the synopsis:
One teenager in a skirt.
One teenager with a lighter.
One moment that changes both of their lives forever.
If it weren't for the 57 bus, Sasha and Richard never would have met. Both were high school students from Oakland, California, one of the most diverse cities in the country, but they inhabited different worlds. Sasha, a white teen, lived in the middle-class foothills and attended a small private school. Richard, a black teen, lived in the crime-plagued flatlands and attended a large public one. Each day, their paths overlapped for a mere eight minutes. But one afternoon on the bus ride home from school, a single reckless act left Sasha severely burned, and Richard charged with two hate crimes and facing life imprisonment. The case garnered international attention, thrusting both teenagers into the spotlight.
What I enjoyed:
• The importance of this novel: teaching of pronouns and different terms for gender,sexuality,etc.
• The multimedia format that shows everyone's side of the story
Other things that I would have personally liked to have seen:
• More of an emotional punch (the writing style wrote in a detached style)
Recommended for:
• Everyone
• For those who identify as, and for those who want to learn/understand pronouns and terminology mainly genderqueer, will find something important in this novel.
For those who aren't aware, this is the synopsis:
One teenager in a skirt.
One teenager with a lighter.
One moment that changes both of their lives forever.
If it weren't for the 57 bus, Sasha and Richard never would have met. Both were high school students from Oakland, California, one of the most diverse cities in the country, but they inhabited different worlds. Sasha, a white teen, lived in the middle-class foothills and attended a small private school. Richard, a black teen, lived in the crime-plagued flatlands and attended a large public one. Each day, their paths overlapped for a mere eight minutes. But one afternoon on the bus ride home from school, a single reckless act left Sasha severely burned, and Richard charged with two hate crimes and facing life imprisonment. The case garnered international attention, thrusting both teenagers into the spotlight.
What I enjoyed:
• The importance of this novel: teaching of pronouns and different terms for gender,sexuality,etc.
• The multimedia format that shows everyone's side of the story
Other things that I would have personally liked to have seen:
• More of an emotional punch (the writing style wrote in a detached style)
Recommended for:
• Everyone
• For those who identify as, and for those who want to learn/understand pronouns and terminology mainly genderqueer, will find something important in this novel.