--- product_id: 50730470 title: "The 57 Bus: A True Story of Two Teenagers and the Crime That Changed Their Lives" price: "17193CFA" currency: XOF in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.sn/products/50730470-the-57-bus-a-true-story-of-two-teenagers-crime store_origin: SN region: Senegal --- # The 57 Bus: A True Story of Two Teenagers and the Crime That Changed Their Lives **Price:** 17193CFA **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** The 57 Bus: A True Story of Two Teenagers and the Crime That Changed Their Lives - **How much does it cost?** 17193CFA with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.sn](https://www.desertcart.sn/products/50730470-the-57-bus-a-true-story-of-two-teenagers-crime) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description A NEW YORK TIMES Bestseller Stonewall Book Award Winner A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the 21st Century (So Far) The riveting New York Times bestseller and Stonewall Book Award winner that will make you rethink all you know about race, class, gender, crime, and punishment. Artfully, compassionately, and expertly told, Dashka Slater's The 57 Bus is a must-read nonfiction book that chronicles the true story of an agender teen who was set on fire by another teen while riding a bus in Oakland, California. Two ends of the same line. Two sides of the same crime. If it weren’t for the 57 bus, Sasha and Richard never would have met. Both were high school students from Oakland, California, one of the most diverse cities in the country, but they inhabited different worlds. Sasha, a white teen, lived in the middle-class foothills and attended a small private school. Richard, a Black teen, lived in the economically challenged flatlands and attended a large public one. Each day, their paths overlapped for a mere eight minutes. But one afternoon on the bus ride home from school, a single reckless act left Sasha severely burned, and Richard charged with two hate crimes and facing life imprisonment. The case garnered international attention, thrusting both teenagers into the spotlight. But in The 57 Bus , award-winning journalist Dashka Slater shows that what might at first seem like a simple matter of right and wrong, justice and injustice, victim and criminal, is something more complicated―and far more heartbreaking. More Accolades and Awards for The 57 Bus: A TIME Magazine Best YA Book of All Time YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults Finalist A Boston Globe-Horn Book Nonfiction Honor Book Winner A Los Angeles Times Book Prize Finalist Don’t miss Dashka Slater’s newest propulsive and thought-provoking nonfiction book, Accountable: The True Story of a Racist Social Media Account and the Teenagers Whose Lives It Changed , the YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction Winner which National Book Award winner Ibram X. Kendi hails as “powerful, timely, and delicately written.” Review: A Masterclass in Empathy - Great YA Read - The 57 Bus is a rare achievement. It takes a horrific, headline-grabbing incident—a teenager setting another teen's skirt on fire on a public bus—and peels back the layers to show the human beings on both sides of the flame. Why this stands out: Objective Reporting: Dashka Slater doesn't tell you what to think; she gives you the facts, the history of Oakland, the nuances of the juvenile justice system, and the backgrounds of both Sasha and Richard. Complex Themes: It explores gender identity, race, class, and the "school-to-prison pipeline" without ever feeling like a lecture. It’s a page-turner that also makes you pause and reflect on every page. Restorative Justice: The exploration of whether "punishment" equals "justice" is handled with incredible care. Don’t Stop Here: If you find yourself moved by Slater’s storytelling, I highly recommend her other book, Accountable. It handles similarly difficult themes regarding social media and teen accountability with the same journalistic rigor and heart. Review: You will experience every emotion reading this! - The 57 Bus is one of those books that stays with you long after you finish it. Dashka Slater tells the true story of two teenagers in Oakland whose lives collide on a city bus—Sasha, a white nonbinary student, and Richard, a Black teen from a very different background. One split-second decision changes everything for both of them. What I appreciated most is that this isn’t just about the crime itself. The author takes time to show the humanity of both kids—their families, their struggles, and their hopes for the future. It made me think deeply about issues like race, gender identity, privilege, forgiveness, and what real justice looks like. The chapters are short and easy to follow, so even with such heavy topics, it never feels overwhelming. It’s emotional, thought-provoking, and at times heartbreaking, but also full of compassion and nuance. If you like true stories that make you reflect and see the world differently, this book is absolutely worth reading. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #14,072 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #1 in Teen & Young Adult LGBTQ+ Issues #28 in Censorship & Politics #696 in LGBTQ+ Books | | Customer Reviews | 4.4 out of 5 stars 4,231 Reviews | ## Images ![The 57 Bus: A True Story of Two Teenagers and the Crime That Changed Their Lives - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81ygmVMug9L.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A Masterclass in Empathy - Great YA Read *by K***B on January 2, 2026* The 57 Bus is a rare achievement. It takes a horrific, headline-grabbing incident—a teenager setting another teen's skirt on fire on a public bus—and peels back the layers to show the human beings on both sides of the flame. Why this stands out: Objective Reporting: Dashka Slater doesn't tell you what to think; she gives you the facts, the history of Oakland, the nuances of the juvenile justice system, and the backgrounds of both Sasha and Richard. Complex Themes: It explores gender identity, race, class, and the "school-to-prison pipeline" without ever feeling like a lecture. It’s a page-turner that also makes you pause and reflect on every page. Restorative Justice: The exploration of whether "punishment" equals "justice" is handled with incredible care. Don’t Stop Here: If you find yourself moved by Slater’s storytelling, I highly recommend her other book, Accountable. It handles similarly difficult themes regarding social media and teen accountability with the same journalistic rigor and heart. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ You will experience every emotion reading this! *by J***E on September 17, 2025* The 57 Bus is one of those books that stays with you long after you finish it. Dashka Slater tells the true story of two teenagers in Oakland whose lives collide on a city bus—Sasha, a white nonbinary student, and Richard, a Black teen from a very different background. One split-second decision changes everything for both of them. What I appreciated most is that this isn’t just about the crime itself. The author takes time to show the humanity of both kids—their families, their struggles, and their hopes for the future. It made me think deeply about issues like race, gender identity, privilege, forgiveness, and what real justice looks like. The chapters are short and easy to follow, so even with such heavy topics, it never feels overwhelming. It’s emotional, thought-provoking, and at times heartbreaking, but also full of compassion and nuance. If you like true stories that make you reflect and see the world differently, this book is absolutely worth reading. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Based on a True Story *by T***R on May 5, 2024* The book was good quality, no ripped or folded over pages. The dust jacket had a nice feel to it and I enjoyed reading the physical book. As far as the story goes, it's a research type story. It seems that this is based on a true story (I didn't know anything of it when I purchased it). The book reads well if you like non-fiction. If you don't like stories about teens who are questioning their gender and identity, you probably won't like this book. But, if you want to educate yourself or just read a story about how kids feel/handle peer pressure, this is a good little dive into reality. It takes place in the 21st century and tells the story from both teens points of view. It researches their background and gives the reader a dive into the emotions of those directly and indirectly involved. Did all of the interviews and tidbits relate to the story? Yes. Did the book flow as well as a fiction or historical fiction? No. Am I likely to read this again? Probably not. Would I recommend this to a friend? Only if they were interested in this topic. There are some recollections of the violence that took place and could be a trigger for teens or adults. I would not recommend it to a pre-teen, but would recommend it to a teen or adult. --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.sn/products/50730470-the-57-bus-a-true-story-of-two-teenagers-crime](https://www.desertcart.sn/products/50730470-the-57-bus-a-true-story-of-two-teenagers-crime) --- *Product available on Desertcart Senegal* *Store origin: SN* *Last updated: 2026-09-22*