This is a true story based on the
life of a 14-year-old girl who faces her worst nightmare.  It begins with Nancy going to a concert with
her gaggle (as she calls it), of friends. 
She gets lost in a skirmish that occurs during the concert and has an
asthma attack that leads her into the arms of Collin.  Collin is eighteen years old, handsome and charismatic.  To Nancy, he is her knight in shinning armor
until… 

The book is a journal of Nancy’s first encounter
with what she thought was love.  When
Colin rapes her, Nancy finds out that real relationships aren’t built on fairy
tales.   She handles this situation and
the finality of life with more maturity than her years.  She writes about her feelings and how unfair
it is to contract something so horrible as HIV/AIDS from just one sexual
encounter.  The journal becomes more
detailed as it goes on and gives an account of the physical and mental torments
she goes through once she knows she has full blown AIDS. 

Nancy learns a lesson in personal
responsibility that no teenager should have to learn.  She learns that true love is with someone who cares about who you
are as a person.  That was one trait
that Lew had. Lew was a boy Nancy grew up with and not until she was raped did
she know how important Lew would become. 
She tries to keep her disease from her friends.  At first it’s because she’s afraid of what
they would think of her but later as a responsible person.  At a time in her life when she should be
experiencing first kiss, dating, friends etc. she is plagued with all the
manifestations of AIDS.

She realizes that she will never be
a mother, have a career or marry Lew. 
She tries to avoid her friends by visiting with her father in
Arizona.  Her mother covers up for her
for a while until her AIDS becomes full blown and then the truth comes
out.  She thought at school she would be
singled out and made fun of but she is relieved when her friends don’t desert
her.  What is surprising throughout the
book is how well she handles situations. 
Her considerate yet responsible and gentle nature is embedded in her
words.  The most important thing Nancy
talks about in her journal is the love and support she got from her family and
friends.  The author has added a section
in the back of the book, questions and answers about HIV/AIDS.  I highly recommend this book and consider it
a must read.

© 2005 Patricia Ball 

Patricia
Ball, B.A., applies the following descriptions to herself:

• Research Chemist for 23 years
• BA degree in Biology, Elms
  College
• Recent graduate of Institute
  of Children’s Literature
• Wife and Mother of two
• Published Poet/Writer
• Enjoy composing music, art,
  writing, reading
• Interested in Metaphysics,
  Psychology and Science
• Enjoy traveling:  USA,
  Canada and Europe

Categories: Children, Memoirs