Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for giving me access to the advanced copy of this book to read.

Ahh, I loved this little middle-grade. Not only was it cozy and cute (which is what I look for in most middle grades) but it was jam-packed with lessons that are so important for many young readers!

Tender, tough and heartbreaking. This MG book should be on classroom shelves. Tackling bullying, compassion, and homelessness, this is a vitally important novel that captures the challenges of middle=schoolers while shinning a lens on homelessness.

This book is a bit difficult to review because the main character is so unlikeable. He does some truly awful things. But what I liked about the book is that (eventually) Hector tries to change his bullying ways. I appreciated that the author showed both sides - the bully and the people being bullied. It would certainly be a good conversation starter on topics related to bullying, homelessness, and empathy.

What an interesting middle grade novel that reminded me of Restart by Gordon Korman because it shows the perspective of the bully, which we rarely see in MG fiction.

Hector, 10-years-old and a middle child, has always been a bully and a prankster. And subsequently spending a lot of time in the principal's office. From the beginning, it's clear that Hector thinks very little of most people, and often does what he does just to annoy them. For example, as the book opens, Hector is about to drop a second rubber snake into the school's lunch soup, and even as the principal warns him not to, Hector defiantly does it anyway, knowing he will be in trouble. He always to derive satisfaction knowing he's ruin something for someone with his pranks. But, for him, it's ok, after all, his friends Will and Katie always think his antics are funny.

On their way home, Will and Katie tease Hector about being slow and getting caught. Angered by the teasing, Hector decides to show them how wrong they are. Seeing a homeless man asleep on a bench next to his trolley full of what appears to be trash, Hector decides to steal the hat the old man always wears. But when he wakes up and catches at them, they run off with the hat.

Angry at the world, Hector decides to run off with the homeless man's trolley after school the next day. But the trolley quickly gains momentum and when Hector loses control, the trolley lands in the lake and sinks. Unfortunately, Mei-Li, the smartest girl in Hector's class, witnesses the whole thing, as does a woman walking her dog. Even though his friends think the cruel stunt is great, Hector can't celebrate - his plan went wrong, and that had never happened before.

Meanwhile, at home, Hector learns his father is working on a new film about homeless people. And also that someone has been stealing statues and framing the homeless by leaving special marks that only they would understand.

Skateboarding around Piccadilly Circus with a friend on afternoon, Hector decides to stay longer by himself, when his sees the homeless man, whose trolley he'd sunk and whose name he has learned is Thomas, suddenly appear and break into a run. Naturally, when another statue goes missing, Hector is convinced it's Thomas doing it, and decides to find him and turn him over to the police. And to do that, he needs to enlist the help of Mei-Li, but will she help someone who she clearly does not like? And together can Mei-Li and Thomas help Hector overcome his need to be bad?

There's a lot going on in this novel as Raúf tackles themes of bullying, homelessness, behavior, family dynamics, and a mystery. But Raúf is such a adept writer that none of these themes overwhelms the others, and never blurr Hector's selfish, cruel behavior. In fact, they all contribute to his redemption in such a believable way that it all happens almost unconsciously, for the reader and for Hector. And all the while, events inform reader and Hector of what it is like to live rough, to live where you aren't wanted, to feel the consequences of another person's cruel prank.

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 while you may feel some empathy, it only lasts momentarily, as he commences his bad acts again. But, Hector is a boy who is and does deserve redemption. A clever artist who needs his talents redirected.

I find that I am becoming quite a fan of Raúf. Her writing is refreshingly breezy and pulls the reader in immediately and compels them to stay to the end, to see what will become of her protagonists. 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. She has also included The Homeless Code, which may be different in Britain that in the US, symbols used by thieves, and an Author's Note.

I found out after I had requested this book that the author is a transphobe, so I won't be supporting her work. Such a bummer because her books seem to have good messages. Too bad that even though she knows what it means to be marginalized, she marginalizes against others.

Another book by the talented Muslimah @onjalirauf , and I truly love every single one of her books. Though not necessarily books about Muslims, (some books do seem to contain possible side muslim characters though it is never clear) her books are universal and can be enjoyed by everyone. And they ALWAYS have a learning moral to every book, inspired by her own advocacy work, which is so powerful and inspiring!

Genre: MG
Ages: 9-12

Screening: quite a bit of bullying done by the main character, a statue of a greek god, the word stupid is used a lot, and stealing done by bad guys.

Hector is a bully. He trips people, steals their money, and is mean to everyone. His biggest prank involves hurtling a homeless man’s only possessions into a lake. But when he witnesses a thief stealing from a statue in London, he needs to reach out to those he has wronged to become a hero and prove he really isn’t as bad as everyone says.

I am often amazed at how this brilliant author addresses important issues in her books but seamlessly weaves it together with a middle-grade story, perfect and authentic to the age group and oh so heartwarming and innocent.

This well-written book addresses the important issue of homelessness and how the homeless are often dehumanized and not treated well by society. The ending of the book had lots of resources about homelessness and real “night bus heroes” in the UK.

The book also addresses how bullies can and may change, and what it is like to be a bully, often stemming from insecurities a bully might have about his/her own life.

I enjoyed this book and recommend it as another wonderful book by Onjali Rauf.

I really enjoyed this book. It's a story about a bully who finds another way. He learns how to empathize with and understand people, no matter who they are or how they live. It has adventure, mystery, and found family.

Hector is mean, aggressive, and doesn't have an ounce of remorse. He is what the playground kids call a bully. Throwing classmates' lunches away, shoving kids to their knees, all while daring his teachers to give him detention. Onjali Q. Raúf has truly created an unlikeable character that enrages the reader while also saddening them as they remember that Hector is 11. A protagonist that makes you cringe is unique. While Onjali could have just focused on the reformation of a bully she instead, brings in the discussion of the invisibility of homeless people. So quickly this story of a terror becomes an education about the importance of soup kitchens and the humanization of homeless people. While the mystery of the stolen ideas was interesting I wish the reader could have been provided the clues to figure out 'whodunit.' Children will end up taking away a powerful message about social issues and kind treatment to others. The extensive resource list at the end also gives this book bonus points.

Thank you to #NetGalley, Onijatli Q. Rauf, and the publisher for the ARC copy of "The Night Bus Hero". A sweet story that teaches a bully how to be kind and sympathetic to those less fortunate than him.
Hector is a troublemaker who causes trouble not only for his family but for his classmates and friends as well.
Hector soon hears about a string of robberies and how the homeless are being blamed. Hector soon meets an unlikely friend to work with to try and help solve the mystery of who's behind the robberies.
This book is deals with homelessness, friendship, and kindness. It also shows that people can change for the better!

The homeless are looked upon wit scorn by most people. Even those who don’t want to remove them from the streets, but balk when plans are made to house them in neighborhoods. This book humanizes the street people, showing some underlying issues they face.
The Night Bus Hero has an unlikely main character, Hector. He and his friends, Will and Katie, terrorize their school. Punishment is laughable to them and doesn’t deter them from continuing to bully their fellow students.
Hector decides one day to torment a homeless man, Thomas, for fun. His bullying escalates into tragedy for Thomas, a homeless man who spends most of his time in the park. That moment changes Hector’s life with the help of a classmate, Mei-Lei.
By the end of the story, the reader learns about the lives of some homeless people. They have a community that has its own language and that supports and protects its members. The book sheds some light on why people become homeless; however, it can only do so much. Therefore, the author gives links to groups that can provide more insight into homelessness and to more information about bullying.
The Night Bus Hero is a good tool to teach lessons about cooperation, friendship, and perseverance. It is also a way to teach about character development. I would definitely recommend this book as part of the curriculum.

Hector and his two friends seems to enjoy bullying others. Hector gets blamed for everything and says grownups only help people they like. One day Hector takes Thomas’, a homeless man, trolley and when Hector loses control of it, it lands in the lake. Mei-Li, a schoolmate, was a witness to what Hector did. One night Hector accidentally sees a thief steal something and leave his mark. Hector thinks it was Thomas because the thieves are blaming the homeless for the thefts. Hector tells the police, and they make wanted poster. Mei-Li tells Hector how it can’t be Thomas. When they realize what happened, Hector and Mei- Li work with Thomas to find the real thief. Can they find him?

This is a book about a boy named Hector. The story is told from first-person point of view and Hector is an engaging but unreliable narrator as he details and defends his daily bullying and taunting of this classmates. In a childish act of revenge, one day Hector extends his bullying to a homeless man named Thomas. The aftermath leads to a wild series of events and eventually, a change of heart for Hector. This book is likely to be of the most interest to 5-7 graders and has strong themes about empathy and friendship while still being entertaining. Potentially a good option for reluctant readers as it's easy to read but still has a lot of action.