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Books For Youth - Nonfiction - History - World History
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Ana’s Story: A Journey of Hope.
Bush, Jenna (author).
Oct. 2007. 304p. illus. HarperCollins, hardcover, $18.99 (9780061379086). Grades 8-11. 362.
REVIEW.
First published August, 2007 (Booklist).
First Daughter Jenna Bush worked as an intern with UNICEF throughout Latin America, and in her first book, she focuses on the life of a young woman she befriended during her travels. Infected with HIV/AIDS at birth, Ana loses both parents to the disease. After suffering abuse at relatives’ homes, she finds a caring center for those living with HIV/AIDS, where she falls in love and eventually gets pregnant. Her child is born without the virus, and at the story’s close, Ana has found a peaceful home where she can plan a new life for herself and her baby. The pace is brisk: chapters are only a few pages long, and the accessible language and simple sentences will pull reluctant readers. A few jarring passages point to Bush’s outsider’s view (a comparison between Ana and “the exotic subjects in Gaugin’s Tahiti paintings” stands out), but the wrenching story, illustrated with a few photos, effectively sends an urgent message: too many children are unsafe and burdened by secrets. Classroom-ready resources include discussion questions and suggestions for volunteering.— Gillian Engberg
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