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A review by misterbelcher
The 57 Bus: A True Story of Two Teenagers and the Crime That Changed Their Lives by Dashka Slater
5.0
Truly exceptional. A non-fiction novel that presents two totally different sides of justice. It offers a great story line involving two different characters, both on the road to finding their own selves and being comfortable with who they are. I was completely, but pleasantly, surprised by the ending of this book. Human rights, self-identity, and punishment are themes presented in this book, which make it such a great read. If there was anything I did not care about this book it would definitely be the way the chapters were organized. Too short, and sometimes felt like I was left with nothing!
As a future educator, I think this is a book that should be in every single classroom. This novel presents justice in a way I never though possible. You have an unthinkable crime against a member of the LGBTQ community, but then, justice prevails for the boy who committed this awful crime. I think this book would offer up some great discussion in the classroom. Ideas are presented in this book, such as different genders and sexualities, that are not very known to many youth today. Reading this book would give the chance to educate students on the LGBTQ community, as well as the struggles it is still facing. Secondly, it also is a great way to educate students on the idea of justice, and what it really means. Did Sasha really receive any justice? Did Richard really receive any justice? I LOVE considering these questions, especially when using them in the classroom! One thing I think may be difficult for young adult readers and this book is the number of characters in this book. At the beginning, there are many characters introduced and it is easy to lose track of who is who. This could be a potential problem, as you could miss parts of the story line. However, I think it is something that could easily be worked around in the classroom.
Overall, this is an essential text to use in a classroom. The fact that it is non-fiction does not allow for any "What Ifs" regarding the plot, but only careful consideration of everything that happened. I think it is important for texts like this to be taught in our classrooms, especially to help educate students on topics like the LGBTQ+ community, and justice for convicted felons.
As a future educator, I think this is a book that should be in every single classroom. This novel presents justice in a way I never though possible. You have an unthinkable crime against a member of the LGBTQ community, but then, justice prevails for the boy who committed this awful crime. I think this book would offer up some great discussion in the classroom. Ideas are presented in this book, such as different genders and sexualities, that are not very known to many youth today. Reading this book would give the chance to educate students on the LGBTQ community, as well as the struggles it is still facing. Secondly, it also is a great way to educate students on the idea of justice, and what it really means. Did Sasha really receive any justice? Did Richard really receive any justice? I LOVE considering these questions, especially when using them in the classroom! One thing I think may be difficult for young adult readers and this book is the number of characters in this book. At the beginning, there are many characters introduced and it is easy to lose track of who is who. This could be a potential problem, as you could miss parts of the story line. However, I think it is something that could easily be worked around in the classroom.
Overall, this is an essential text to use in a classroom. The fact that it is non-fiction does not allow for any "What Ifs" regarding the plot, but only careful consideration of everything that happened. I think it is important for texts like this to be taught in our classrooms, especially to help educate students on topics like the LGBTQ+ community, and justice for convicted felons.