Rad Reading – February

This month I read The 57 Bus by Dashka Slater. The 57 Bus is about the encounter of two teenagers who live completely different lives. They only encounter each other on an eight minute ride on the 57 bus. Sasha is an agender person who lives by they, them pronouns. They like to wear skirts and overalls as their fit. They have friends who are very accepting and loving of Sasha. They go to a fancy private school with not many kids in their grade in the nice part of Oakland. Richard though, lives a different life. He is an African-American boy who lives in the hood with guns and crack running through the streets in the dark part of Oakland. He attends Oakland high school with poor grade which he is trying to bring up until being arrested. He encounters Sasha sleeping on the 57 bus and lights the skirt on fire thinking that Sasha would wake up and put it out for a few laughs. But the skirt erupts into flames giving Sasha third degree burns all over their legs. Richard is arrested with multiple felonies landing him in juvie.

I really liked this book because of the detailed descriptions of everything and the ability to visualize the scenes that happen. The story is kind of dark, but it speaks the truth about the places some people live in. I also like how it describes the story in a place where two people can live completely different lives. I like the diversity of the book.

My favorite character from the book was Richard. Even though he was the antagonist, he isn’t evil. He is just a teenager that made a mistake One quote to prove this is: “I am not a thug, gangster, hoodlum, nor monster. I’m a young African American male who’s made a terrible mistake. Not only did I hurt you but I hurt you’re family & friends and also my family & friends for I have brought shame to them and our country and I shall be punished which is going to be hard for me because I’m not made to be incarcerated.”