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  • Chanda’s Secrets

  • Written by: Allan Stratton
  • Narrated by: Suzy Jackson
  • Length: 6 hrs and 5 mins
  • 5.0 out of 5 stars (3 ratings)

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Chanda’s Secrets

Written by: Allan Stratton
Narrated by: Suzy Jackson
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Publisher's Summary

Printz Honor Book, 2005

A girl's struggle amid the African AIDS pandemic.

"As soon as I get back from the shabeen, I go next door to see Mrs. Tafa. I have to ask to use her phone to let our relatives know about Sara. I'm nervous. Mrs. Tafa would like to run the world. Since she can't run the world she's decided to run our neighborhood."

So speaks 16-year-old Chanda, an astonishingly perceptive girl living in the small city of Bonang, a fictional city in Southern Africa. While Mrs. Tafa's hijinks are often amusing, the fact is that Chanda's world is profoundly difficult. When her youngest sister dies, the first hint of HIV/AIDS emerges.

In this sensitive, swiftly paced story, listeners will find echoes of To Kill a Mockingbird as 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.

Through the artful style of acclaimed author Stratton, the determination and resilience Chanda embodies will live on in listeners' minds.
©2004 Allan Stratton (P)2011 Audible, Inc.
Difficult Situations Literature & Fiction
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What the critics say

"[T]he tense story and the realistic characters - caring, mean, funny, angry, kind, and cruel - will keep kids reading and break the silence about the tragedy.” (Booklist)

"[T]he strong, respectful writing makes this crucial and broadly relevant story unfailingly human." (Kirkus Reviews)

What listeners say about Chanda’s Secrets

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Profile Image for Leanne Fournier

A wonderful surprise

This was my first book by Allan Stratton and I will be reading more. In Chandra the story of the Aids epidemic in Africa became real and she a true hero waging her own war to reclaim and preserve family, decency and hope. A remarkable book.

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