Dashka Slater is a New York Times Bestseller, Stonewall Book Award Winner, California Library Association Beatty Winner, and winner of many more. Slater is a writer and journalist, who teaches at Hamline University and lives in Oakland, California.
In The 57 Bus, Slater showed two sides of a horrific story and taught all who were reading a lesson from it. This book has helped spread awareness of the LGBTQ+ communities and the struggles they face. Also, the book shows the struggles of different ethnicities. This is shown by The Horn Book stating, “…a powerful story of class and race (Sasha is white), gender and identity, Justice and mercy, love, and hate. Slater has crafted a compelling true crime story with ramifications for our most vulnerable youth.”
Kate Terbush from The LA Times writes about The 57 Bus stating, “This book challenged my views and it started a conversation in my house that I thought I’d never have. We all changed, at least in my house, because of the book.” This is similar to what we see in the book Accountable.
Like The 57 Bus, Accountable was another heart-wrenching story about the effect of social media if used incorrectly, and in this book’s case, you see this through racial hate on the internet. The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books stated, “…perhaps Slater’s greatest feat is how successfully this nonfiction narrative informs about social media, racism, white supremacy, and restorative justice without veering into preachiness.”
Slater does not only educate others but also makes us as readers think of what this world is becoming and how many people, especially kids, are being affected by it. By putting this true event into the form of a book, Slater spread awareness of these events and helped them to be prevented. This is shown by Shelf Awareness, which says, “ … This is a moving book with the power to make readers look deep within themselves for ways they can contribute to the solutions and keep from becoming a part of the problem.
Slater is an impactful, powerful, and influential writer, journalist, and teacher. Being able to write vast amounts of topics for all types of groups. From books for kids to books like the ones written here in this article. Her versatility and flexibility make her an amazing writer and teacher. This is why Oakmont is pleased to have her come in on October 2. To talk to students and book signings. So go get your books Oakmont! Mrs. Slater will also be holding a journalism workshop for journalism students! Any Interested Journalism students reach out to Mr. Nevard.
Special thanks to Mrs. Jenna Morin, the Ashburnham Cultural Council, and the Westminster Cultural Council, Logical agencies supported by the Mass Culture Council, a state agency. Thank you also to the Ashburnham Westminster Foundation for Academic Excellence Without you this would not be happening. Huge thank you to you Mrs. Slater and your assistants. Oakmont is excited to have you.
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