Quicksand: HIV/AIDS in Our Lives »

What is it like to be affected by HIV/AIDS? A moving first-person account offers insight — and basic facts.

ONE DAY I FOUND OUT THAT SOMEONE I KNOW — MY BROTHER-IN-LAW, JAY — HAD HIV/AIDS. AT THE MOMENT I HEARD HIS DIAGNOSIS, I REALIZED THAT I HAD STEPPED INTO THE QUICKSAND OF A NEW AND TERRIBLE WORLD — AND I WAS SINKING FAST.

Weaving together her own story with straightforward questions and answers, the author explains the real ways that HIV/AIDS can be transmitted and explores the common experiences and emotions that might be encountered by friends and family members of someone who has the virus. She also discusses why HIV/AIDS is often still kept a secret and the importance of treating this condition like any other. With up-to-date medical information that has been thoroughly vetted by experts, this first-person narrative offers an invaluable look at what it is like to watch someone you know battle HIV/AIDS.

VOYA

The anonymous author explains her motivation for writing this book by telling readers that ten years ago, when HIV/AIDS was still considered a taboo subject, her brother-in-law was diagnosed with the disease. She writes in a truthful, open manner, addressing common questions about HIV/AIDS and providing easy-to-understand and honest advice. Chapters follow Jay's diagnosis and treatment, and the author answers common questions that relate to each chapter. Perhaps most helpful to the young reader is that the book is not written by a doctor but by someone who has been personally affected by AIDS. The author's personal insight is what makes this book an important addition. Topics address everything from the history of HIV/ AIDS to how to protect oneself from the disease. She also provides suggestions on how to cope with hearing that a family or friend has HIV/AIDS. Perhaps the best advice is given in the chapter called Lifelines: Still Be a Friend. The author states, "If you find out that someone you know has HIV/AIDS, the first and most important thing of all is to still be a friend." The book's glossary, index, and list of Web sites for more information are extensive. The author's focus on how the disease affects all people, whether they have contracted HIV/ AIDS or not, makes this book a must-have for all teen collections. Reviewer: Sarah Sogigian