The 57 Bus
I don't always get around to reading non-fiction but I love reading good non-fiction just as much as I do reading fiction! One of the non-fiction books that has been on my radar for a little while is The 57 Bus by Dashka Slater. I got a chance to read it during the vacation.
Unfortunately, it was so good that I read it in one hour on my 4.5 hour flight and hadn't packed another book and was sad for the rest of the flight. But the book was AMAZING and left me thinking for a long time.
The 57 Bus: A True Story of Two Teenagers and the Crime that Changed Their Lives by Dashka Slater is the story of Sasha and Richard, two teenagers and their lives leading up to and after an incident on the 57 bus as they headed home from their respective schools. With lighter in hand, Richard lights Sasha's skirt on fire in a sudden moment of illogical teenage behavior. It is a fascinating retelling of their lives, the incident itself, and the aftermath of how it affected both of their lives.
One of the things that I really liked about the book was the structure. It was divided into different parts all focusing on a few things. Part 1 is about Sasha's life as an agender teen trying to navigate life not fitting in their own skin. Part 2 is about Richard who struggles with the tough life of an black teen in Oakland, California. Part 3 is about the actual incident on the bus and lastly, Part 4 is about the Richard's trial and the justice that is enacted on Sasha's behalf. I felt like it made a lot of sense to divide the book up in this way so we can see how Sasha and Richard's paths crossed and then became intertwined.
One of my favorite sections of the book is the chapter titled, "Under the Influence of Adolescence" in which Slater explains how the question, "Why would anyone set someone else's clothes on fire?" can be answered at least in small part by understanding teenage brain chemistry. Slater says, "Many people ahve observed that adolescents tend to be more reckless, impulsive, and vulnerable to peer pressure than adults. It turns out that at least part of the explanation for this behavior can be found in the structure of the teenage brain."
As an English teacher, this portion of the book was a good reminder to me that many of my students don't make good decisions and sometimes that isn't entirely their fault. They can only do so much when they are surrounded by peer pressure and hormones telling them to act irrationally. It was a helpful reminder and a way for me to understand my students better.
Lastly, as an English teacher I also enjoyed this book because it is a good example of nonfiction that can be a great fit for my YA students. A lot of teens (and adults!) think that non-fiction is boring and not enjoyable to read. But this book is so accessible for all ages and I found the story so compelling. This is definitely a book that I plan on sharing with my students and I hope that it will serve as an example to some of them that nonfiction can be well-written, engaging, and enjoyable!
I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for YA centered non-fiction, LGBTQ books, and journalistic styled crime books. You can purchase a copy here. The 57 Bus has won several awards for Young Adult literature as well as the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award Nominee for Nonfiction!
Unfortunately, it was so good that I read it in one hour on my 4.5 hour flight and hadn't packed another book and was sad for the rest of the flight. But the book was AMAZING and left me thinking for a long time.
One of the things that I really liked about the book was the structure. It was divided into different parts all focusing on a few things. Part 1 is about Sasha's life as an agender teen trying to navigate life not fitting in their own skin. Part 2 is about Richard who struggles with the tough life of an black teen in Oakland, California. Part 3 is about the actual incident on the bus and lastly, Part 4 is about the Richard's trial and the justice that is enacted on Sasha's behalf. I felt like it made a lot of sense to divide the book up in this way so we can see how Sasha and Richard's paths crossed and then became intertwined.
One of my favorite sections of the book is the chapter titled, "Under the Influence of Adolescence" in which Slater explains how the question, "Why would anyone set someone else's clothes on fire?" can be answered at least in small part by understanding teenage brain chemistry. Slater says, "Many people ahve observed that adolescents tend to be more reckless, impulsive, and vulnerable to peer pressure than adults. It turns out that at least part of the explanation for this behavior can be found in the structure of the teenage brain."
As an English teacher, this portion of the book was a good reminder to me that many of my students don't make good decisions and sometimes that isn't entirely their fault. They can only do so much when they are surrounded by peer pressure and hormones telling them to act irrationally. It was a helpful reminder and a way for me to understand my students better.
Lastly, as an English teacher I also enjoyed this book because it is a good example of nonfiction that can be a great fit for my YA students. A lot of teens (and adults!) think that non-fiction is boring and not enjoyable to read. But this book is so accessible for all ages and I found the story so compelling. This is definitely a book that I plan on sharing with my students and I hope that it will serve as an example to some of them that nonfiction can be well-written, engaging, and enjoyable!
I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for YA centered non-fiction, LGBTQ books, and journalistic styled crime books. You can purchase a copy here. The 57 Bus has won several awards for Young Adult literature as well as the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award Nominee for Nonfiction!
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