Somebody on this Bus Is Going to Be Famous by J. B. Cheaney*

I am considering utilizing Mrs. Cheaney's writing curriculum next year so I wanted to read something she wrote (I already have read reviews and articles by her on The Redeemed Reader blog and World News magazine.). 
This book was very well developed and the plot urged me to keep reading outside of my normal reading time!! 
What do nine individuals have in common?  They ride the bus together each day.  Slowly the characters share about their home lives, secrets and struggles.  Some of them ponder the strangeness of their bus driver stopping at a bus stop where no one waits each morning; others disregard the unusual routine.  Throughout the year a few of the students begin to piece various clues together to discover a decades old secret that involves quite a few of their families.  Then an accident occurs requiring them to bond on a whole different level.
This story is about discovery of one's self and being confident in who you are.  I liked how I gradually became acquainted with the characters and how my opinions about them evolved as I gained more information.  One character really annoyed me and I never grew to like her.  Other characters I liked the more I learned about their life stories and struggles.  Some characters I grew to respect.  My opinions and feelings toward the characters reveal how well Mrs. Cheaney developed authentic characters. 
*Highly recommend (for 5th grade and up).
-Borrowed from the library.