Play Book Tag discussion

An afternoon ride on the 57 bus became the scene of a crime that would change the lives of two teens forever. Sasha, who identified as 'agender' and used the pronoun 'they', had fallen asleep in the back of the bus. They were a white teen who attended a private school and could often be seen on the bus with a book in their hand. Richard, a 16-year-old black boy, was on his way home from a large public school in the crime-ridden town of Oakland, California. He does not know why he held a lighter to the hem of Sasha's skirt but he felt compelled to do so. Sasha's horrific burns on her legs would keep them in the hospital for over 3 weeks undergoing multiple surgeries and painful skin grafts. Richard, a sweet young man, would soon find himself behind bars accused of 2 hate crimes with the possibility of life in prison without parole. This book details the lives of both teens before they met on that fateful day, the ensuing trial and the future awaiting both Sasha and Richard. It is also a commentary on the judicial system especially when it deals with teens. It is a difficult book but a very interesting one.