The Night Bus Hero by Onjali Q. Rau

What worked:

I haven’t read many books that follow the point of view of a bully. Hector steals money and candy from other students, and he’ll punch them for no reason. He hangs with two intimidating friends, and they have a daily routine to harass their schoolmates. He sometimes regrets bullying others but admitting it to his two friends will go against his reputation. Eventually, Hector becomes involved with the homeless population living in London, and his character slowly, and reluctantly, starts to transform. Readers will be inside Hector’s mind, as he tries to sort through his feelings and plan his actions. His most redeeming character trait is that he doesn’t lie, and that spurs events that will change his life.

The plot gradually shifts from middle school bullying to the mystery of a crime spree spreading across London. Valuable objects are being stolen and graffiti used by the homeless is always found at the scene. The most obvious suspects are all the people living on the streets, but the story immediately creates doubt about that idea. That raises the question of if the homeless aren’t doing the thefts, then who is? Who has the motive and the ability to pull off these crimes without leaving any witnesses? Hector’s little brother is the one who notices an important clue.

The book shines a light on homelessness and the issues that go along with it. The general public doesn’t want the homeless anywhere near their homes or businesses. Hector thinks they’re below his status, and his problems begin when he tries to bully one of them. Ironically, Hector’s father is producing a documentary about the homeless. Hector eventually learns how some of the people became homeless and how they’re often blamed for crimes they didn’t commit. They’re easy targets with little power to defend themselves. Hector learns more from a classmate, a “Teacher’s Pet”, and he discovers all the homeless people in London already know he’s a bully and that he can’t be trusted.

What didn’t work as well:

Hector is a bully, but the reason isn’t clearly explained. He lives in a home with successful parents, a little brother and older sister, and a nanny. Readers can attempt to infer why Hector behaves negatively, and some light is shed near the end of the book, but the story doesn’t give a clear reason for his feelings. It would be nice for his parents to have a longer discussion with him to figure out why he feels so angry.

The Final Verdict:

From bully to hero. It’s surprising that readers can feel any sympathy for a bully, but that’s the magic of this book. It masterfully describes Hector’s dramatic change, albeit reluctantly, into a caring young man his family can be proud of. I highly recommend you read this tale of a unique type of courage.