This nonfiction book for teens looks at two sides of a hate crime* in Oakland, California. It took place on a bus where an asexual student, Sasha, was riding. Sasha, a white teen, went to a small private school in town and lived in a middle-class neighborhood. It was Sasha’s skirt that caught the eye of Richard and his friends. Richard, a black teen, attended a public high school and was newly back in the community after being in juvenile detention*. Without even considering the impact of his actions, Richard set Sasha’s skirt on fire, which left Sasha severely* burned. What was meant to be a prank* turned into a hate crime and potential life imprisonment.

Written with care and compassion* for both sides, the book illustrates the facts that asexual and gender nonconforming teens and people are vulnerable to violent forms of discrimination and that African-American teens are charged as adults, facing life-altering sentences as a result.

Author Dashka Slater dances what seems at times to be an impossible line, showing the humanity on both sides of the story, explaining the facts that impact the lives of the people involved, and offering an opportunity to look deeply into a case rather than reading the headlines. Written like a novel, the book has dashingly short chapters and features the voices of the two teens whose lives changed in a moment.

The book is available at online bookstores like jd.com.(SD-Agencies)