The 57 bus by Dashka Slater, not as good as it could have been

      The 57 bus by Dashka Slater is a chilling true story about two teens, Richard a 16-year-old black man, and Sasha a white nonbinary senior in high school, and how their brief encounter on their bus ride home from school leads to a hospital and a prison. The reason why a hospital and prison are involved is because Richard for an unknown reason set Sasha on fire, for the fact that Sasha is a very masculine looking person and they were wearing a skirt at the time of the fire. The book is based around how back in 2000-10s there was a law that was placed by people in suburban areas that if a child/ teen committed a crime they can be put in adult jail before they turn 18 instead of the juvenile detention center. A sub category in the book is the hate crimes that people in the LGBTQ+ community face and how many people dislike them for the way they were born.

       The first part of the story shows and speaks on everything that led to the devastating fire that was about to occur. They focused on sashas identity and them figuring out they are nonbinary with pronouns they/them. Richards' part of the story was focusing on how he lived a less privileged life then Sasha and how he had a record in prison. In the end of the story, it shows Sasha going to college and their life after the incident. And shows the struggles Richard faces while being held on trial.

       In the beginning the story focuses a significant amount on both characters and the struggles they have had in their lives, and the events leading up to the incident on the bus. The Author gets quotes from friends, family and witnesses describing the two teens and what happened in their life leading up to the incident, during and after. In the middle of the story it mostly is about Richard and what's happening to him, while yes Sasha is still talking they never talk about their feelings and what they are thinking about while in the hospital bed. And in the end of the story it's rarely about any of them, it's only about how corrupt the jail system is and how they are trying to make sure that Richard doesn’t go to an adult jail. What I think would make the story so much interesting if it was in the genre of historical fiction so that they could keep the Sasha and Richard storyline but make some things up along the way so it's more interesting. What I wanted for the end of the story was for Sasha to visit Richard in jail, that would have made the ending much better. I also wished they talked more to the characters to see what their feelings and thoughts were the whole time.

      In conclusion, while the book talks about the struggles black teens and people in the lgbtq+ community faced and the juvenile system, the 57 bus by Dashka Slater, is a true story that would have been better off as a historical fiction book/ fiction. It could have made the story more interesting and more accessible to all ages, while still educating them.