رازهای چاندا (کتاب افتخار مایکل ال پرینز (جوایز))

Chanda's mother is not herself, her younger sister is acting out, and her best friend needs help. A powerful story set amid the African HIV/AIDS pandemic. In this sensitive, swiftly paced story, readers will find echoes of TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD as Chanda, a 16-year-old, astonishingly perceptive girl living in the small city of Bonang in Africa, must confront the undercurrents of shame and stigma associated with HIV/AIDS. Through his artful style and dramatic storytelling, Allan Stratton captures the enduring strength of loyalty, the profound impact of loss, and a fearlessness that is powered by the heart. Above all, it is a story about living with truth.

A young adult novel set in modern Africa tells the story of Chandra, a sixteen year old girl who must confront the realities of HIV/AIDS, as well as the corrosive nature of secrets and the healing power of truth.

Amie Rose Rotruck - Children's Literature

When Chandra's little sister Sara dies, it prompts Chandra to discover a horrible truth that must be kept secret: members of her family have AIDS. In the town where she lives in Africa, no one talks about AIDS. All the deaths in the community are instead attributed to cancer, tuberculosis, even hunting accidents. Everyone is affected by this epidemic, however: from Chandra's friend Esther, who has turned to prostitution to support herself and her siblings after her parents die, to Chandra herself, who was molested by one of her stepfathers years ago. When Chandra's mother disappears, leaving Chandra to care for her siblings with the help of a nosy neighbor, Chandra forces the community to confront the reality of the disease. While Stratton's depiction of AIDS in Africa is gripping and heartbreaking, the ending seems forced, overly happy, and, based on the rest of the book, unrealistic. Nevertheless, this book should become required reading in schools to educate children about the AIDS pandemic in Africa. Clark's line drawings at each chapter are sparse yet give a sense of a world that, otherwise, might be difficult for the average American child to comprehend. 2004, Annick Press, Ages 12 up.

A girl's struggle amid the African AIDS pandemic, Chanda, is an astonishingly perceptive girl living in the small city of Bonang, a fictional city in Southern Africa. When her youngest sister dies, the first hint of HIV/AIDS emerges, Chanda must confront undercurrents of shame and stigma. Not afraid to explore the horrific realities of AIDS, Chanda's Secrets also captures the enduring strength of loyalty, friendship and family ties. Above all, this is a story about the corrosive nature of secrets and the healing power of truth A girl's struggle amid the African AIDS pandemic, Chanda, is an astonishingly perceptive girl living in the small city of Bonang, a fictional city in Southern Africa. When her youngest sister dies, the first hint of HIV/AIDS emerges, Chanda must confront undercurrents of shame and stigma. Not afraid to explore the horrific realities of AIDS, Chanda's Secrets also captures the enduring strength of loyalty, friendship and family ties. Above all, it is a story about the corrosive nature of secrets and the healing power of truth. Chanda's Secrets os a suspense-filled novel about a teenager who fights to rescue the people she loves. Through his dramatic storytelling, Allan Stratton captures the enduring strength of loyalty, the profound impact of loss, and a fearlessness that is powered by the heart. Above all, this is a story about living with truth. Sixteen-year-old Chanda Kabelo has secrets. She loves school and dreams of winning a scholarship one day, but people are dying around her. Everyone is afraid to say why, but Chanda knows: it's because of AIDS