The Night Bus Hero

Product Information

Raúf’s story really brings it alive and makes it human, something you can touch rather than something that’s hidden in the shadows. Back matter consists of information about bullying and where to find information and resources about dealing with issues of bullying, and well as information about homelessness and where to find information.

Raúf paints an accurate portrait of London when it’s alive and full of people, but also of how eerie it gets when it’s quiet late at night. Despite his bravado and continual misbehaviour it was clear that he just wanted friends and family and love. Il protagonista, un ragazzo aggressivo e noncurante, si confronta con un mondo che gli stava davanti, ma che lui non considerava. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. His teachers don’t seem to like him (he certainly hates them), he particularly dislikes teacher’s pet Mei Lei, and he devotes his time to being mean to other kids and making them give him sweets.This boy isn’t a likeable rogue or the class clown, he’s an annoying bully who thrives on the admiration of his bullying friends. Would open up lots of conversation around how we treat others, stereotypes and just general kindness if shared with a class. The humanising through the characters introduced in her book inculcate a very much needed togetherness and realisation of the common good that many youngsters need to grow up in and around. As with her previous novels, Onjali Rauf addresses important ‘real-world’ topics with open-heartedness and the sense of triumph in knowing that big changes can start with small people.

I loved Hector's character development and although his behaviour was unacceptable, it was clearly a cry for help due to neglect from his busy parents and a need to be liked, no matter whether that is bad or good attention. She is also the founder of O's Refugee Aid Team, which provides support for refugee families surviving in Calais and Dunkirk.

Lancaster is the principal, and sometimes I wonder if the certificates on his wall are really secret awards given to him for being the stupidest and most annoying principal in the country. Hector is a most unlikable protagonist, but then readers see his family's dynamics and the things he does are almost understandable in his need to get some attention his way. And also that someone has been stealing statues and framing the homeless by leaving special marks that only they would understand.

The latter is the main topic of this book, which examines the subject from the perspective of the bully and shows that things are not always as black and white as they might appear.This is the story about how four classmates have a massive impact on the life of Ahmet, a boy that comes to their school as a refugee from Syria. What starts off as an attempt by Hector to avoid the consequences of his actions turns into a thrilling adventure with Thomas and Mei-Li, featuring a daring thief, a case of mistaken identity, a secret code and a growing understanding of not just what life is like for the homeless, but the wildly different circumstances that can lead people to lose everything. Told from the perspective of a bully, this book explores themes of bullying and homelessness, while celebrating kindness, friendship and the potential everyone has to change for the good. But it’s this choice that gives the story so much impact; his growth can be greater because of his starting point. The narrative of the bully opens up another avenue of discussion about actions and consequences and reasons for behaviour.