REVIEW BY LUCY, AGE 10

I love Onjali Q. Rauf’s books because they are about kids helping fix the problems around the world. They inspire young people to look around to see who they can help to be happier and safer with their families. The Night Bus Hero is one of these amazing books that is about a boy who helps save the day for a lot of people with his “frienemy” by his side.

Hector is a bully and is always being mean to people including a homeless man called Thomas. Mei-Li, the teacher’s pet, takes him to a soup kitchen where they help homeless people and that was when he realises he is all wrong. When priceless statues go missing, he is determined to work out who did it and stop the blame getting placed on homeless men.

This book is about caring for other people no matter where they live, what they eat or who they are. Hector learns that he shouldn’t blame people for things they didn’t do and help the people who need it the most. He decides that even if his two bully friends, Katie and Will, aren’t his friends anymore, it doesn’t matter because he has Thomas.

I think that kids in Key Stage Two, high school and adults will love this book just like I did since it is a fairly easy read but still has a lot of meaning and content.

This is an important book because it tells readers that it doesn’t matter if people are homeless or different; they are still people who should be taken care of. It also tells readers that you should help people who are homeless or poor to get some shelter, food and drink.

I think everyone should read this book so that more and more people can learn about how important it is to look after the people of the world.

Thank you to NetGalley & Hatchette Children’s Books for this brilliant book!

I have rarely read character development as immense and utterly realistic as in this book. The main character starts out as a bully, who treats his fellow students horribly and even attacks the homeless man who lives in the local park without an ounce of regret. But over the course of the book, events force Hector to think about the consequences of his actions, and face the people he is hurting. An incredibly written book from an unusual perspective, with an important, heartwarming message. I could not recommend it more!

I loved reading ‘The Night Bus Hero’ and I think it’s my favourite Onjali Q.Raif book I’ve read so far. The themes of this book are so relevant today and as a teacher, I know this book will be important within our PSHE lessons.

Having a narrator who’s a vicious bully could be seen as difficult to enjoy but I was transfixed from the beginning. As the story continues and you start to unpick what makes Hector tick and why, I was desperate to find out more about him and the mysterious events happening around town.

I’ve enjoyed it so much I’ve already preordered a signed copy from Waterstones so that I can read it again with my class!

The homeless bullied protagonist loses his possessions, papers, photographs after they were taken from him. Living alone in a park bench in a park, he has nothing. Suspected of a crime, he becomes wanted by police.
So much action, such a brilliant poignant tale of how our lives can change in the blink of an eye.. My 10 year old was deeply moved by this story and has been talking about it non-stop after we read it together.
I will be sharing this with my class when it is published.
Thanks to #NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ahead of publication in exchange for an honest review

For me, the greatest strength in Onjali’s writing is her ability to tap into an issue seldom dealt with in children’s literature. Refugees, domestic violence and now homelessness are interwoven into the fabric of her stories and the reader is always left richer in knowledge and understanding after diving into one of her books.

The Night Bus Hero explores the world of Thomas, a homeless gentleman, from the perspective of the initially unlikeable protagonist, Hector. Hector is a bully who likes nothing better than to live up to the low expectations that have been set for him. When he sets his sights on Thomas as his next victim, a series of expected events occur.

I felt that The Night Bus Hero offered a fresh perspective on homelessness; it would be very accessible to young readers, helping them to learn more about, and have greater empathy for, this issue. Although the story didn’t quite tie together as effortlessly as I would have liked, the message is still powerful.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book.

This book was excellent I liked the fact that it was told from the perspective of the bully and how he was feeling, he thought everybody through he was no good so lived up to that expectation.

Seeing how Hector changed his views over the course of the book as he learned more about the people and world about him was well written and believable. Throughout the book I liked the character of Hector and could understand where he was coming from in his thinking.

I liked how the book explored and challenged the readers view of homelessness and the different reason people have for being on the streets that it is not a 'one size fits all' approach.

I have been a fan of Onjali Q Raúfs books since seeing her at the 2019 #cheltenhamliteraryfestival
where she discussed both The Boy at the Back of the Class and her second book The Star Outside My Window.
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I was fascinated to hear of her work with Herstory the charity she is a founder of as well.
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So I was thrilled to see that her third book; The Night Bus Hero is coming out on 15th October.
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In her previous books she has written about important subjects such as refugees and domestic violence. Topics that you don't normally read about in childrens fiction. So when I discovered that this book is written from the point of view of Hector, a bully, I knew that she would write about him with sensitivity and honesty.
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When famous statues go missing around London, the homeless community are put under scrutiny. Can Hector work with local homeless man Thomas, from the park near his house, to find out who the thief really is?
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This is a story about second chances and seeing people for who they really are...and why all the trolleys I hear you ask?🛒🛒🛒🛒
Well, you'll have to read the book to find out!

I was so excited to get.a copy of this book as I have loved the author's previous books. This one didn't disappoint. The story follows a boy who terrorises other children, taking their sweets and money and how he becomes involved with a series of thefts being blamed on local homeless people. This is a fab book that will be enjoyed by many children.

Hector is the school bully. Aided by his two accomplices, they bully other pupils into handing over their treats every day. Hector thrives on dares thrown at him by his side kicks. On their walk home through the park they frequently pass a homeless man sitting on the same bench, with his trolley of belongings next to him. Wouldn’t it be fun to highjack the trolley and hide it where the man has to search?
But this ‘fun’ gets out of hand when the trolley ends up in the park lake.
In the meantime, over a series of evenings, strange events have been happening around London, with valuable parts of statues stolen, yet no clue as to who the thief could be.
As Hector has a prick of conscious and finds himself drawn into the world of the homelessness, the finger of suspicion is also pointed towards the homeless community for the thefts with Hector adding his contribution.
But things are never simple. Is all the prejudice warranted? Can people change their thinking?
Onjali Rauf has produced another strong novel to make readers consider their position and feel the empathy for her characters.

I was very interested to read this book as we featured both Onjali Rauf's previous 2 books in our library children's book club. At first, albeit well written, I was slightly unsure as it felt slightly like a Horrid Henry book, but as I continued the main character although still not a pleasent young man, fleshed out into a more rounded character. The focus on homeless issues were really nicely done for the age range intended and will certainly make readers start to ask questions and be curious. I think once again we will feature this author in the book club as it tackles very important issues:homelessness and bullying. It will certainly be a great starting point for a topic of conversation and hopefully the readers will become more aware of homeless issues. Thank you for advance copy.

A real page turner. Onjali Q. Rauf has a talent for making controversial and sensitive topics accessible and relatable for upper primary aged children who need exposure to real life issues happening in the world around them. Very few books do this with such sensitivity and dignity and that’s what makes myself and the children in my class read her books as soon as I can get my hands on them.
Hector is a very relatable character and I’m sure many teachers will have their own ‘Hectors’ that they have taught over the years in the mind whilst reading this book, I know I did!
I’m hoping that when my children read this book they realise that, no matter what they have done in the past, they can change for the better.

I read this in one nail biting sitting. Torn between being afraid and worried and happy, my emotions were in tatters at the end.
A plight to raise awareness of and another side of humanity to understand. Onjali has an innate ability to create a personal tale that sensitively brings to light a topic many shy away from or disregard as unimportant. Heralded as a voice for the people, her books are heart warming, honest and brave.
Hector is a bully, egged on and encouraged by his friends. They lord over the playground taking what they want and doling out unfair punishments. Hector carries a lot of anger and is always intent on revenge. When a bout of revenge on a homeless man goes horribly wrong, Hector begins to feel differently- if only for a short time. When opportunity knocks again, Hector leaps with both feet, not knowing the damage he has caused until it is almost too late.
A huge ring of thefts are plaguing a part of London known for its homeless population. Believing he sees one man commit the crime, Hector reports to the police, As time goes on, Hector is called a hero for helping police to find the culprits, However, Hector has serious doubts about what he saw and reported and needs to find a solution,
Asking for help from the teachers pet and the very man he framed, Hector learns some serious lessons.
An exciting but dangerous adventure. One where Hector must prove himself to be more than just a bully.
Superb storytelling and twists kept me reading and before I knew it, the book was done and I was left wanting more!

Congratulations Onjali on writing another brilliant issue highlighting book. Keep them coming!

Another brilliant read from Onjali Q Rauf, though I expected nothing less! A wonderful group of characters, I particularly loved Thomas and Catwoman and even Hector started growing on me towards the end - though that is undoubtedly the intention of the book. The excitement near the end when they start to figure things out had me reading as fast as I could to find out what happened. It didn’t pack quite as much of an emotional punch as previous books but still sends readers important messages about bullying and kindness.