When we were in Kenya, we learned about the AIDS epidemic in Africa. We were told that 47%-- maybe more-- of the Samburu women are infected. There are billboards in the small village of Wamba warning people about AIDS. It has touched every family. And that is what the book Chanda's Secrets is about. Chanda lives in a fictional village in South Africa, but the rest of the story is very real. No one in Chanda's village talks about AIDS, although they are surrounded by it. The disease is a source of shame and families affected by it are shunned. Chanda's Secrets captures the horrific conditions in Africa (which are not fictional), but also offers a story in which loyalty, friendship, family ties, and perhaps also hope, exist as well. This is a gripping story-- I'd say for 8th graders and up, due to the content. There is a teacher's guide available from the publisher at http://www.annickpress.com/forteachers/themes.html. The guide also includes a glossary, which is helpful for understanding some of the African words and expressions included in the story. Proceeds from the sale of Chanda's Secrets are used to support organizations working to better the lives of Africans living with HIV/AIDS.