The 57 Bus by Dashka Slater

This nonfiction book looks at a crime that some called a hate crime from multiple viewpoints. Sasha, a white private school student, wore a gauzy skirt on an Oakland city bus. Richard, an African American student, pulled out a lighter and set Sasha on fire, badly burning Sasha. Slater looks at both of their lives--Sasha, privileged in some ways, but living with Aspberger's syndrome and choosing not to be defined by male or female pronouns, and Richard, trying to make something of himself in spite of his socioeconomic status and with friends in and out of the justice system. This story is resonating with 8th grade readers who are seeing things from multiple perspectives. Recommended for readers who are tackling books such as The Hate U Give and Speak (the graphic novel). #readwoke #projectLIT