The 57 Bus: A True Story of Two Teenagers and the Crime That Changed Their Lives by Dashka Slater

Sasha and Richard are both high school students living in Oakland, California. Because of their hometown’s vast diversity, their worlds could not be more different. Sasha is a genderqueer, middle-class student attending a private high school. Richard lives in the lower class area and attends a large public school. Every day, their paths overlap while they ride the 57 bus. One afternoon, Richard commits a reckless act that leaves Sasha severely burned, and him charged with two hate crimes and possible life in prison. The simple matter of right and wrong becomes so much more complicated as both teenagers are thrust into the international spotlight. This true story is appropriate for high school students, as it contains some mature and possibly triggering topics. Slater does a great job of portraying the average life for a gender nonconforming student while still describing the different struggles that both teens face.

-Freya (Teen Reviewer)