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Chanda #1
رازهای چاندا
رازهای چاندا یک رمان پر از تعلیق در مورد نوجوانی است که برای نجات افرادی که دوستشان دارد می جنگد. آلن استراتن از طریق داستان سرایی دراماتیک خود، قدرت پایدار وفاداری، تأثیر عمیق از دست دادن، و بی باکی که توسط قلب ایجاد می شود را به تصویر می کشد. مهمتر از همه، این داستان زندگی با حقیقت است
260 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2004
62 people are currently reading
2,235 people want to read
About the author
Allan Stratton
34books211followersALLAN STRATTON is the internationally acclaimed author of CHANDA'S SECRETS, winner of the American Library Association's Michael L. Printz Honor Book, the Children's Africana Book Award, and ALA Booklist's Editor's Choice among others. His first YA novel was the ALA Best Book LESLIE'S JOURNAL. His latest, CHANDA'S WARS, a Junior Library Guild selection, won the Canadian Library Association's Young Adult Canadian Book Award, 2009, and is on the CCBC Best Books List.
The German/South African film version of CHANDA'S SECRETS has been named an Official Selection of the 2010 Cannes International Film festival. the film title is LIFE ABOVE ALL. You can read about Allan's experiences on set on the December posts of his blog.
Allan's new novel, BORDERLINE, a coming-of-age mystery/thriller, came out in March 2010 from HarperCollins with starred reviews in Publishers Weekly and School Library Journal and raves in Booklist, Kirkus Reviews and Quill and quire..
He loves travel, cats and dogs, ice cream, working out, doing readings and workshops -- and, oh yes, meeting readers!
Allan is published in the USA, France, Germany, Korea, China, Japan, Vietnam, the Netherlands, Great Britain, Canada, Australia and Slovenia. You can read more about his books, and visit him online at
The German/South African film version of CHANDA'S SECRETS has been named an Official Selection of the 2010 Cannes International Film festival. the film title is LIFE ABOVE ALL. You can read about Allan's experiences on set on the December posts of his blog.
Allan's new novel, BORDERLINE, a coming-of-age mystery/thriller, came out in March 2010 from HarperCollins with starred reviews in Publishers Weekly and School Library Journal and raves in Booklist, Kirkus Reviews and Quill and quire..
He loves travel, cats and dogs, ice cream, working out, doing readings and workshops -- and, oh yes, meeting readers!
Allan is published in the USA, France, Germany, Korea, China, Japan, Vietnam, the Netherlands, Great Britain, Canada, Australia and Slovenia. You can read more about his books, and visit him online at
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June 27, 2011Hi,
I'm Allan Stratton, the author of CHANDA'S SECRETS. I love meeting readers and would be happy to answer any questions you might have. Just write me c/o this site, or, if you want to see all the foreign edition covers, at my website Also the movie trailer!
It was made into the movie LIFE, ABOVE ALL (a very close adaptation) that premiered at Cannes, spring 2010, and opens in North America through Sony Pictures Classics, July 2011.
CHANDA'S SECRETS is about a young woman who realizes very early on that there is something seriously wrong with her mother. But she's afraid to face what that might mean, since she loves her mama more than anything and can't bear losing her and having to raise her siblings alone. Chanda also has a best friend, Esther, who lost her parents to AIDS, and who has turned to prostitution to earn the money to win back her brothers and sisters who've been scattered around the countryside after their parent's death.
CHANDA'S SECRETS is more than about AIDS, though. At heart, it's about the secrets we all have, about our fears of shame and stigma and losing the love and respect of the people we love. It's about the pain of bereavement. And above all, the courage of living with truth.
I love Chanda and her family very much. I hope you will too.
I'm Allan Stratton, the author of CHANDA'S SECRETS. I love meeting readers and would be happy to answer any questions you might have. Just write me c/o this site, or, if you want to see all the foreign edition covers, at my website Also the movie trailer!
It was made into the movie LIFE, ABOVE ALL (a very close adaptation) that premiered at Cannes, spring 2010, and opens in North America through Sony Pictures Classics, July 2011.
CHANDA'S SECRETS is about a young woman who realizes very early on that there is something seriously wrong with her mother. But she's afraid to face what that might mean, since she loves her mama more than anything and can't bear losing her and having to raise her siblings alone. Chanda also has a best friend, Esther, who lost her parents to AIDS, and who has turned to prostitution to earn the money to win back her brothers and sisters who've been scattered around the countryside after their parent's death.
CHANDA'S SECRETS is more than about AIDS, though. At heart, it's about the secrets we all have, about our fears of shame and stigma and losing the love and respect of the people we love. It's about the pain of bereavement. And above all, the courage of living with truth.
I love Chanda and her family very much. I hope you will too.
September 12, 2015
A very well written novel about the AIDS epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa. It takes place in an imaginary country, in an average African city and shows the scale and all the complexity of the problem. It is narrated by a sixteen-year-old girl any teenager in the developed world could relate to, who is dealing with the enormity of the problem firsthand.
I didn't know that in 2010, Chanda's Secrets was made into the movie Life, Above All. The film, a German/South African co-production, won quite a few prizes and was South Africa's entry for Best Foreign Film at the 2011 Oscars, where it was one of nine finalists.
It's a re-read for me in preparation for Chanda's Wars, a stand-alone sequel to Chanda's Secrets.
Appropriate for ESLD and up. Due to fantastically executed but limited themes, probably better for independent reading than a class novel.
I didn't know that in 2010, Chanda's Secrets was made into the movie Life, Above All. The film, a German/South African co-production, won quite a few prizes and was South Africa's entry for Best Foreign Film at the 2011 Oscars, where it was one of nine finalists.
It's a re-read for me in preparation for Chanda's Wars, a stand-alone sequel to Chanda's Secrets.
Appropriate for ESLD and up. Due to fantastically executed but limited themes, probably better for independent reading than a class novel.
December 28, 2008
This book was heartbreaking. Although I've read about AIDS I don't know anyone personally who has it (or at least that I know has it) so I've never experienced seeing a loved one deteriorate from the disease. This book almost made me feel like it WAS my loved one(s) who were suffering. The descriptions are amazing but it's not overly descriptive (which I don't like.)
The book isn't set in any specific African country, just a fictional Sub-Saharan one. However the way life is depicted in the book is the way life is like in any Sub-Saharan African country.
This is one of those books that is so good you don't know what to say. At this part of the author's website, if you scroll down, you will find more info on the book including what the cover looks like around the world, the background of why the book was written, a YouTube interview with the author, an excerpt of Chapter One, praise, awards and citations, and a teacher's guide. You can also check out the page for the book at it's publisher, Annick Press. Check out the LONG list of Awards and Lists the book has made!
I also learned there is a sequel that just came out called Chanda's Wars (published through HarperCollins instead of Annick Press).
The book isn't set in any specific African country, just a fictional Sub-Saharan one. However the way life is depicted in the book is the way life is like in any Sub-Saharan African country.
This is one of those books that is so good you don't know what to say. At this part of the author's website, if you scroll down, you will find more info on the book including what the cover looks like around the world, the background of why the book was written, a YouTube interview with the author, an excerpt of Chapter One, praise, awards and citations, and a teacher's guide. You can also check out the page for the book at it's publisher, Annick Press. Check out the LONG list of Awards and Lists the book has made!
I also learned there is a sequel that just came out called Chanda's Wars (published through HarperCollins instead of Annick Press).
March 9, 2018
Secrets of Denial - By Kyra, Tori, Matu and Mathew
In the book "Chanda's Secrets" by Allan Stratton, the author uses symbolism and metaphors to show a denial of AIDS, and the negative impact it has on personal lives and society. This book is the story of a girl and the times in her life that is laced with AIDS how she dealt we what other people thought about her and her family. In the story, of this part, the mother goes to Tiro because she didn’t want her children, loved ones and society of her small town to see she had AIDS. She was ashamed of it so she denied that she had AIDS to her children and walked away. The daughter suspects this and goes to Tiro to find her mother. She finds her very sick and brings her home. She dies. After that, on page 189, Chanda and the children see a white stork that they think is their mother after her death, � There perched on the wheelbarrow, was my stork. It craned its neck towards us. Iris and Soly waved. The stork raised it’s right foot as if giving us a blessing. Then it arched it’s back and began to fly, circling the yard three times before disappearing into the night.� Generally, storks are symbols for hope and freedom. From the author’s point of view, she put this scene in to symbolize that the mother is free from denial of her sickness and shame of this disease but also her realizing her mistake. Using that foot as a sign begging for forgiveness. The negative impact it had on personal ones was leaving them motherless and orphans, but the mother realized her mistakes of denial and the author used the stork as a symbol. Judging the mother, she acted out of selfishness to leave her family but is understandable because the population is small and would get the whole town talking about the family in a bad way. Hypothesizing, if the mother didn’t leave her children and society, accepted she had AIDs, they could spend more time with her and lived with that death would have to come and live in peace with that. But netherless, her mother was free from her denial.
People are afraid of AIDS and that has made them afraid of anyone knowing in someone in their family has AIDS or if they have AIDS, so people stay hidden and keep secrets instead fo fixing up this messed up society. On page 192 � The secrets keep us hiding behind the curtain. The welcome center throws back that curtain.� The welcome center is a place where people with AIDS all meet and talk about their lives. It helps the people their get the weight of their shoulders, but the society thinks that when you go there you are a dirty and a bad person. Chanda goes anyway and finds that if is like a home and the people there understand them. Normally, when people are afraid of something they will deny it. But here in this story Chanda faces the problem of that her best friend and mother have AIDS, and she is faced with the shame; although, people shun her she keeps fighting for what's right and fights for her mother. The society is denying the truth about AIDS because they are scared, but in this story we learn denial only makes it worse. This related to the quote “Don’t deny what’s obvious to see� by picture quotes. The author use this metaphor to show that when you say the truth you feel so much better about yourself. Chanda realizes that if she stands up for what's right than you could change anything. I think that Chanda is a good person because she wants to show people that AIDS isn’t something to be afraid of; in fact, it is something that the community should face together. They should not snub people who have AIDS instead they should help and esteem people who have AIDS so that they can feel welcomed and people don’t have to feel shamed about their families. Chanda belief in doing what’s right and accepting AIDS really has had a good affect on the community around her, and people were finally able to admit that either they had AIDS or someone in their family did; as a result, the community was more open, and didn’t snub people who did have aids. This taught us a good life lesson, when we face the truth we feel better and more complete, but if we deny it and stint the people who need help than we will never feel like everything is ok. So face the truth. Fight for what's right. Don’t be like everyone else!
On page 178 � Everything’s still, except for a circle of large black birds hovering overhead.� She had come in search of her mother who had left to see her family in Tiro, but really her mother had left so that she could die away from her children and save them the shame of her having AIDS. And when Mrs Tafa supports them in front of the public and welcomes them home, not letting the fact that they have AIDS affect how she treats them, she realizes the secret that she Most people think that when someone is near death you should leave them to die in peace, alone. But Chanda didn’t give up even after the black bird sign. Black is the color of death, dreary and bad things. The black birds show death and bad luck, just like the stork gave them a blessing, the black birds are giving her a curse. Chanda doesn’t give up or back down; even though she’s lost and scared and her mother has AIDS. She finds the strength in herself by accepting the truth and doesn’t let what others think, see or do affect her, like how she doesn’t get affected by the black birds. We learn that people fight for what they love and this shows her strength to accept AIDS and not deny it. She changes. People deny AIDS and let it take a negative impact on them, but Chanda doesn’t deny it and she doesn’t let others affect her. This author talks about the denial of AIDS; but also, about how it affects people lives� and the society around them negatively; in fact, just like a criminal not admitting his crimes. He does this by using symbolism and metaphors.
In the book "Chanda's Secrets" by Allan Stratton, the author uses symbolism and metaphors to show a denial of AIDS, and the negative impact it has on personal lives and society. This book is the story of a girl and the times in her life that is laced with AIDS how she dealt we what other people thought about her and her family. In the story, of this part, the mother goes to Tiro because she didn’t want her children, loved ones and society of her small town to see she had AIDS. She was ashamed of it so she denied that she had AIDS to her children and walked away. The daughter suspects this and goes to Tiro to find her mother. She finds her very sick and brings her home. She dies. After that, on page 189, Chanda and the children see a white stork that they think is their mother after her death, � There perched on the wheelbarrow, was my stork. It craned its neck towards us. Iris and Soly waved. The stork raised it’s right foot as if giving us a blessing. Then it arched it’s back and began to fly, circling the yard three times before disappearing into the night.� Generally, storks are symbols for hope and freedom. From the author’s point of view, she put this scene in to symbolize that the mother is free from denial of her sickness and shame of this disease but also her realizing her mistake. Using that foot as a sign begging for forgiveness. The negative impact it had on personal ones was leaving them motherless and orphans, but the mother realized her mistakes of denial and the author used the stork as a symbol. Judging the mother, she acted out of selfishness to leave her family but is understandable because the population is small and would get the whole town talking about the family in a bad way. Hypothesizing, if the mother didn’t leave her children and society, accepted she had AIDs, they could spend more time with her and lived with that death would have to come and live in peace with that. But netherless, her mother was free from her denial.
People are afraid of AIDS and that has made them afraid of anyone knowing in someone in their family has AIDS or if they have AIDS, so people stay hidden and keep secrets instead fo fixing up this messed up society. On page 192 � The secrets keep us hiding behind the curtain. The welcome center throws back that curtain.� The welcome center is a place where people with AIDS all meet and talk about their lives. It helps the people their get the weight of their shoulders, but the society thinks that when you go there you are a dirty and a bad person. Chanda goes anyway and finds that if is like a home and the people there understand them. Normally, when people are afraid of something they will deny it. But here in this story Chanda faces the problem of that her best friend and mother have AIDS, and she is faced with the shame; although, people shun her she keeps fighting for what's right and fights for her mother. The society is denying the truth about AIDS because they are scared, but in this story we learn denial only makes it worse. This related to the quote “Don’t deny what’s obvious to see� by picture quotes. The author use this metaphor to show that when you say the truth you feel so much better about yourself. Chanda realizes that if she stands up for what's right than you could change anything. I think that Chanda is a good person because she wants to show people that AIDS isn’t something to be afraid of; in fact, it is something that the community should face together. They should not snub people who have AIDS instead they should help and esteem people who have AIDS so that they can feel welcomed and people don’t have to feel shamed about their families. Chanda belief in doing what’s right and accepting AIDS really has had a good affect on the community around her, and people were finally able to admit that either they had AIDS or someone in their family did; as a result, the community was more open, and didn’t snub people who did have aids. This taught us a good life lesson, when we face the truth we feel better and more complete, but if we deny it and stint the people who need help than we will never feel like everything is ok. So face the truth. Fight for what's right. Don’t be like everyone else!
On page 178 � Everything’s still, except for a circle of large black birds hovering overhead.� She had come in search of her mother who had left to see her family in Tiro, but really her mother had left so that she could die away from her children and save them the shame of her having AIDS. And when Mrs Tafa supports them in front of the public and welcomes them home, not letting the fact that they have AIDS affect how she treats them, she realizes the secret that she Most people think that when someone is near death you should leave them to die in peace, alone. But Chanda didn’t give up even after the black bird sign. Black is the color of death, dreary and bad things. The black birds show death and bad luck, just like the stork gave them a blessing, the black birds are giving her a curse. Chanda doesn’t give up or back down; even though she’s lost and scared and her mother has AIDS. She finds the strength in herself by accepting the truth and doesn’t let what others think, see or do affect her, like how she doesn’t get affected by the black birds. We learn that people fight for what they love and this shows her strength to accept AIDS and not deny it. She changes. People deny AIDS and let it take a negative impact on them, but Chanda doesn’t deny it and she doesn’t let others affect her. This author talks about the denial of AIDS; but also, about how it affects people lives� and the society around them negatively; in fact, just like a criminal not admitting his crimes. He does this by using symbolism and metaphors.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 21, 2017
Like a criminal not admitting his crimes, in the book "Chanda's Secrets" by Allan Stratton, the author uses symbolism and metaphors to show a denial of AIDS, and the negative impact it has on personal lives and society. This book is the story of a girl and the times in her life that is laced with AIDS how she dealt we what other people thought about her and her family. In the story, of this part, the mother goes to Tiro because she didn’t want her children, loved ones and society of her small town to see she had AIDS. She was ashamed of it so she denied that she had AIDS to her children and walked away. The daughter suspects this and goes to Tiro to find her mother. She finds her very sick and brings her home. She dies. After that, on page 189, Chanda and the children see a white stork that they think is their mother after her death, � There perched on the wheelbarrow, was my stork. It craned its neck towards us. Iris and Soly waved. The stork raised it’s right foot as if giving us a blessing. Then it arched it’s back and began to fly, circling the yard three times before disappearing into the night.� Generally, storks are symbols for hope and freedom. From the author’s point of view, she put this scene in to symbolize that the mother is free from denial of her sickness and shame of this disease but also her realizing her mistake. Using that foot as a sign begging for forgiveness. The negative impact it had on personal ones was leaving them motherless and orphans, but the mother realized her mistakes of denial and the author used the stork as a symbol. Judging the mother, she acted out of selfishness to leave her family but is understandable because the population is small and would get the whole town talking about the family in a bad way. Hypothesizing, if the mother didn’t leave her children and society, accepted she had AIDs, they could spend more time with her and lived with that death would have to come and live in peace with that. But netherless, her mother was free from her denial.
People are afraid of AIDS and that has made them afraid of anyone knowing in someone in their family has AIDS or if they have AIDS, so people stay hidden and keep secrets instead fo fixing up this messed up society. On page 192 � The secrets keep us hiding behind the curtain. The welcome center throws back that curtain.� The welcome center is a place where people with AIDS all meet and talk about their lives. It helps the people their get the weight of their shoulders, but the society thinks that when you go there you are a dirty and a bad person. Chanda goes anyway and finds that if is like a home and the people there understand them. Normally, when people are afraid of something they will deny it. But here in this story Chanda faces the problem of that her best friend and mother have AIDS, and she is faced with the shame; although, people shun her she keeps fighting for what's right and fights for her mother. The society is denying the truth about AIDS because they are scared, but in this story we learn denial only makes it worse. This related to the quote “Don’t deny what’s obvious to see� by picture quotes. The author use this metaphor to show that when you say the truth you feel so much better about yourself. Chanda realizes that if she stands up for what's right than you could change anything. I think that Chanda is a good person because she wants to show people that AIDS isn’t something to be afraid of; in fact, it is something that the community should face together. They should not snub people who have AIDS instead they should help and esteem people who have AIDS so that they can feel welcomed and people don’t have to feel shamed about their families. Chanda belief in doing what’s right and accepting AIDS really has had a good affect on the community around her, and people were finally able to admit that either they had AIDS or someone in their family did; as a result, the community was more open, and didn’t snub people who did have aids. This taught us a good life lesson, when we face the truth we feel better and more complete, but if we deny it and stint the people who need help than we will never feel like everything is ok. So face the truth. Fight for what's right. Don’t be like everyone else!
On page 178 � Everything’s still, except for a circle of large black birds hovering overhead.� She had come in search of her mother who had left to see her family in Tiro, but really her mother had left so that she could die away from her children and save them the shame of her having AIDS. And when Mrs Tafa supports them in front of the public and welcomes them home, not letting the fact that they have AIDS affect how she treats them, she realizes the secret that she Most people think that when someone is near death you should leave them to die in peace, alone. But Chanda didn’t give up even after the black bird sign. Black is the color of death, dreary and bad things. The black birds show death and bad luck, just like the stork gave them a blessing, the black birds are giving her a curse. Chanda doesn’t give up or back down; even though she’s lost and scared and her mother has AIDS. She finds the strength in herself by accepting the truth and doesn’t let what others think, see or do affect her, like how she doesn’t get affected by the black birds. We learn that people fight for what they love and this shows her strength to accept AIDS and not deny it. She changes. People deny AIDS and let it take a negative impact on them, but Chanda doesn’t deny it and she doesn’t let others affect her. This author talks about the denial of AIDS; but also, about how it affects people lives� and the society around them negatively; in fact, just like a criminal not admitting his crimes. He does this by using symbolism and metaphors.
People are afraid of AIDS and that has made them afraid of anyone knowing in someone in their family has AIDS or if they have AIDS, so people stay hidden and keep secrets instead fo fixing up this messed up society. On page 192 � The secrets keep us hiding behind the curtain. The welcome center throws back that curtain.� The welcome center is a place where people with AIDS all meet and talk about their lives. It helps the people their get the weight of their shoulders, but the society thinks that when you go there you are a dirty and a bad person. Chanda goes anyway and finds that if is like a home and the people there understand them. Normally, when people are afraid of something they will deny it. But here in this story Chanda faces the problem of that her best friend and mother have AIDS, and she is faced with the shame; although, people shun her she keeps fighting for what's right and fights for her mother. The society is denying the truth about AIDS because they are scared, but in this story we learn denial only makes it worse. This related to the quote “Don’t deny what’s obvious to see� by picture quotes. The author use this metaphor to show that when you say the truth you feel so much better about yourself. Chanda realizes that if she stands up for what's right than you could change anything. I think that Chanda is a good person because she wants to show people that AIDS isn’t something to be afraid of; in fact, it is something that the community should face together. They should not snub people who have AIDS instead they should help and esteem people who have AIDS so that they can feel welcomed and people don’t have to feel shamed about their families. Chanda belief in doing what’s right and accepting AIDS really has had a good affect on the community around her, and people were finally able to admit that either they had AIDS or someone in their family did; as a result, the community was more open, and didn’t snub people who did have aids. This taught us a good life lesson, when we face the truth we feel better and more complete, but if we deny it and stint the people who need help than we will never feel like everything is ok. So face the truth. Fight for what's right. Don’t be like everyone else!
On page 178 � Everything’s still, except for a circle of large black birds hovering overhead.� She had come in search of her mother who had left to see her family in Tiro, but really her mother had left so that she could die away from her children and save them the shame of her having AIDS. And when Mrs Tafa supports them in front of the public and welcomes them home, not letting the fact that they have AIDS affect how she treats them, she realizes the secret that she Most people think that when someone is near death you should leave them to die in peace, alone. But Chanda didn’t give up even after the black bird sign. Black is the color of death, dreary and bad things. The black birds show death and bad luck, just like the stork gave them a blessing, the black birds are giving her a curse. Chanda doesn’t give up or back down; even though she’s lost and scared and her mother has AIDS. She finds the strength in herself by accepting the truth and doesn’t let what others think, see or do affect her, like how she doesn’t get affected by the black birds. We learn that people fight for what they love and this shows her strength to accept AIDS and not deny it. She changes. People deny AIDS and let it take a negative impact on them, but Chanda doesn’t deny it and she doesn’t let others affect her. This author talks about the denial of AIDS; but also, about how it affects people lives� and the society around them negatively; in fact, just like a criminal not admitting his crimes. He does this by using symbolism and metaphors.
April 16, 2024
i was pleasantly surprised by this book. i thought i wouldn’t like it because im reading it for a club, but it was actually pretty good
May 13, 2013
What a tragic, encouraging, contemporary and moving book! Read this in my high school book club and I was completely blown away by it. At the center of it is a sixteen-year old sub-Saharan African girl struggling to get a higher education and move up in the world. The main fear Chanda has is of contracting AIDS which is a very real and damaging disease in that part of the world. I admire Chanda for the drive and courage within her. She represents the many children of Africa, especially those trying to support families themselves when they are still kids in need of help themselves. Chanda's bold and self-less acts in helping and taking in her friend Esther, who resorted to prostitution and contracted AIDS and the odyssey Chanda embarked on to find her mother were what I liked most about the book. Chanda did not give up on two people she loved and cared for and despite superstition and ridicule from others- Chanda did not ler them break her. I watched half of the film "Life, Above All" adapted from the novel and I say it does follow the book quite closely. It definitely deserved to be selected for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 83rd Academy Awards. The ending of the film was the most touching moment when Chanda's neighbors, once prejudiced to her family and people who had AIDS recognized the strength and love Chanda had for her mother and her quest to bring her home, come together and sang when her mother passes on moved me to tears. It reminded mee that the fight for life is never ending, how precious it is, and that even in terrible and inescapable situations there is always hope. This is a story of bravery and heart all people should read. It transcends time and cultures and a illness people in many countries such as Chanda's do not fully understand, struggle to cure and look upon as taboo.
May 9, 2013
Stratton, A. (2004). Chanda's secret. Toronto: Annick.
Genre: Multicultural
Awards:
Michael L. Printz Honor Award 2005
Independent Publisher Book Awards Winner( IPPYs ) 2005
ForeWord Magazine Book of the Year Awards Winner 2004
CLA Young Adult Book Award Nominee 2005
Nominated to several state book award lists in 2007
Format: Print -paperback
Selection Process: YALSA Teen Book Finder, Bowker Books in Print
Review:
Chanda's Secrets is a gripping tale of 16 year old Chanda, who must deal with more secrets than she can handle -her secrets, her family's secrets, her culture's secrets. Until she can overcome the fear of secrets, Chanda knows that her family and people of her village will not protect themselves and heal. A deadly disease too scary to talk about is killing people and the mere mention of it has people shunned and abandoned while others are either too fearful or ignorant to admit the truth. Chanda and everyone close to her could be next. Stratton does a superb job of mixing the cultures of an imaginary sub-saharan Africa, where he let's Chandashow us the complexities of dealing with how people of her culture perceive the medical profession and the educational system that are out to save them but embedded beliefs make it difficult to come to grips with their wrongs. Readers will share this village with Chanda and her family and friends as she experiences little joys and huge sorrows as she stands up for her family and friends to show that an educated society can save its people. Highly Recommended.
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October 19, 2016Chanda’s Secrets successfully “puts a human face to the AIDS pandemic� (Stratton, 2007).
Allan Stratton’s suspenseful and moving novel Chanda’s Secrets, takes a unique perspective on a global outcry of poverty and its main consequence in this novel is, contracting the disease -- AIDS. The novel is explored through the lens of a young sixteen year old girl named Chanda living in a fictional country, most likely located in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Throughout the book, Chanda’s life is filled with illness and death in her family, often accompanied by shame as she lives in a society where AIDS is looked down upon. In poverty, her and her loved ones endeavour a constant struggle with the a lack of health care and lack of education. The story includes constant powerful scenarios where the characters experience drastic events in their life which leave them vulnerable. Chanda puts in all her efforts to save her family from illness and from judgment and shame.
I really enjoyed this novel as it’s raw emotion portrayed through the characters captivated me and allowed me to build ties with the characters. Although fictional, Allan Stratton successfully drew light to the controversial issue of AIDS - it’s spreading and affect on millions of people around the world.
I would highly recommend this book to young adults as it could enlighten them about the importance of worldwide illnesses such as AIDS and inspire them to attempt to make changes even as teenagers or young adults - just as Chanda did.
Allan Stratton’s suspenseful and moving novel Chanda’s Secrets, takes a unique perspective on a global outcry of poverty and its main consequence in this novel is, contracting the disease -- AIDS. The novel is explored through the lens of a young sixteen year old girl named Chanda living in a fictional country, most likely located in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Throughout the book, Chanda’s life is filled with illness and death in her family, often accompanied by shame as she lives in a society where AIDS is looked down upon. In poverty, her and her loved ones endeavour a constant struggle with the a lack of health care and lack of education. The story includes constant powerful scenarios where the characters experience drastic events in their life which leave them vulnerable. Chanda puts in all her efforts to save her family from illness and from judgment and shame.
I really enjoyed this novel as it’s raw emotion portrayed through the characters captivated me and allowed me to build ties with the characters. Although fictional, Allan Stratton successfully drew light to the controversial issue of AIDS - it’s spreading and affect on millions of people around the world.
I would highly recommend this book to young adults as it could enlighten them about the importance of worldwide illnesses such as AIDS and inspire them to attempt to make changes even as teenagers or young adults - just as Chanda did.
July 5, 2010
Excellent book about a sixteen-year-old girl who struggles to keep her dream alive of a scholarship and career while living in sub-Saharan Africa in a home that doesn't have electricity nor running water and with the pallor of AIDS overshadowing everything. Despite the hardship and depressing nature of the subject, the heroic character traits of the main character are inspiring. The author did a great job highlighting the dignity amidst a world of sustenance living and hardships we can barely imagine.
February 27, 2009
Thils book was very interesting story of a young girl who was forced to grow up too soon. With her mother dying of AIDS and her best friend resortin to prostitution for survival, Chanda is forced to grow up and raise her younger siblings. The thought of even knowing someone with the AIDS virus is looked down upon by her community, resulting in ostrasization or death. I reccomend everyone to read this story.
June 10, 2016
It was about a girl that was really strong to support the dead of her sister and she was moving stuff with a funeral man to make a funeral for her sister.I did like the book cause i like scary story"s but it was"t that scary at all.What i also like from her is that she was really brave one example is she also took care of her friend that was sick and maybe she was going to die.I will recommended to the people that like scary story"s but don't like it that scary.
January 12, 2012
This book is about a 16 year old young lady growing up in Southern Africa during the time of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Chanda fights to save and keep her family together. This is my first book by this author and the first book in the Chanda series, I will continue to read this series to see Chanda grow into a strong woman.
January 22, 2014
I absolutely LOVED this book. Even though it is very tragic it was thoroughly written and made me feel all the emotions Chanda was going through. I rated this book 5 stars because it has a great plot, shows a lot about what Africa is like with the HIV virus, and shows courage and true bravery. This book was a great read, anyone who shows interest in this book should definitely read it.
January 15, 2019
This was an interesting read. It opened up my eyes on AIDS and HIV, which I didn't know about until I read this book. As expected, it was a very sad book, and it made me uncomfortable at times. The protagonist in this novel, Chanda, is a strong, independent 16-year-old, and younger readers should definitely look up to her.
September 20, 2007
About AIDS in Africa, a very unique topic for YA lit. Extremely well written, but very depressing.
October 12, 2013
Interesting and different. I've been on a kick lately of listening to audiobooks about teens in rougher parts of the world, and this certainly hits topics that are overlooked in the West.
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March 1, 2017Secrets of Denial
Like a criminal not admitting his crimes, in the book "Chanda's Secrets" by Allan Stratton, the author uses symbolism and metaphors to show a denial of AIDS, and the negative impact it has on personal lives and society. This book is the story of a girl and the times in her life that is laced with AIDS how she dealt we what other people thought about her and her family. In the story, of this part, the mother goes to Tiro because she didn’t want her children, loved ones and society of her small town to see she had AIDS. She was ashamed of it so she denied that she had AIDS to her children and walked away. The daughter suspects this and goes to Tiro to find her mother. She finds her very sick and brings her home. She dies. After that, on page 189, Chanda and the children see a white stork that they think is their mother after her death, � There perched on the wheelbarrow, was my stork. It craned its neck towards us. Iris and Soly waved. The stork raised it’s right foot as if giving us a blessing. Then it arched it’s back and began to fly, circling the yard three times before disappearing into the night.� Generally, storks are symbols for hope and freedom. From the author’s point of view, she put this scene in to symbolize that the mother is free from denial of her sickness and shame of this disease but also her realizing her mistake. Using that foot as a sign begging for forgiveness. The negative impact it had on personal ones was leaving them motherless and orphans, but the mother realized her mistakes of denial and the author used the stork as a symbol. Judging the mother, she acted out of selfishness to leave her family but is understandable because the population is small and would get the whole town talking about the family in a bad way. Hypothesizing, if the mother didn’t leave her children and society, accepted she had AIDs, they could spend more time with her and lived with that death would have to come and live in peace with that. But netherless, her mother was free from her denial.
People are afraid of AIDS and that has made them afraid of anyone knowing in someone in their family has AIDS or if they have AIDS, so people stay hidden and keep secrets instead fo fixing up this messed up society. On page 192 � The secrets keep us hiding behind the curtain. The welcome center throws back that curtain.� The welcome center is a place where people with AIDS all meet and talk about their lives. It helps the people their get the weight of their shoulders, but the society thinks that when you go there you are a dirty and a bad person. Chanda goes anyway and finds that if is like a home and the people there understand them. Normally, when people are afraid of something they will deny it. But here in this story Chanda faces the problem of that her best friend and mother have AIDS, and she is faced with the shame; although, people shun her she keeps fighting for what's right and fights for her mother. The society is denying the truth about AIDS because they are scared, but in this story we learn denial only makes it worse. This related to the quote “Don’t deny what’s obvious to see� by picture quotes. The author use this metaphor to show that when you say the truth you feel so much better about yourself. Chanda realizes that if she stands up for what's right than you could change anything. I think that Chanda is a good person because she wants to show people that AIDS isn’t something to be afraid of; in fact, it is something that the community should face together. They should not snub people who have AIDS instead they should help and esteem people who have AIDS so that they can feel welcomed and people don’t have to feel shamed about their families. Chanda belief in doing what’s right and accepting AIDS really has had a good affect on the community around her, and people were finally able to admit that either they had AIDS or someone in their family did; as a result, the community was more open, and didn’t snub people who did have aids. This taught us a good life lesson, when we face the truth we feel better and more complete, but if we deny it and stint the people who need help than we will never feel like everything is ok. So face the truth. Fight for what's right. Don’t be like everyone else!
On page 178 � Everything’s still, except for a circle of large black birds hovering overhead.� She had come in search of her mother who had left to see her family in Tiro, but really her mother had left so that she could die away from her children and save them the shame of her having AIDS. And when Mrs Tafa supports them in front of the public and welcomes them home, not letting the fact that they have AIDS affect how she treats them, she realizes the secret that she Most people think that when someone is near death you should leave them to die in peace, alone. But Chanda didn’t give up even after the black bird sign. Black is the color of death, dreary and bad things. The black birds show death and bad luck, just like the stork gave them a blessing, the black birds are giving her a curse. Chanda doesn’t give up or back down; even though she’s lost and scared and her mother has AIDS. She finds the strength in herself by accepting the truth and doesn’t let what others think, see or do affect her, like how she doesn’t get affected by the black birds. We learn that people fight for what they love and this shows her strength to accept AIDS and not deny it. She changes. People deny AIDS and let it take a negative impact on them, but Chanda doesn’t deny it and she doesn’t let others affect her. This author talks about the denial of AIDS; but also, about how it affects people lives� and the society around them negatively; in fact, just like a criminal not admitting his crimes. He does this by using symbolism and metaphors.
Like a criminal not admitting his crimes, in the book "Chanda's Secrets" by Allan Stratton, the author uses symbolism and metaphors to show a denial of AIDS, and the negative impact it has on personal lives and society. This book is the story of a girl and the times in her life that is laced with AIDS how she dealt we what other people thought about her and her family. In the story, of this part, the mother goes to Tiro because she didn’t want her children, loved ones and society of her small town to see she had AIDS. She was ashamed of it so she denied that she had AIDS to her children and walked away. The daughter suspects this and goes to Tiro to find her mother. She finds her very sick and brings her home. She dies. After that, on page 189, Chanda and the children see a white stork that they think is their mother after her death, � There perched on the wheelbarrow, was my stork. It craned its neck towards us. Iris and Soly waved. The stork raised it’s right foot as if giving us a blessing. Then it arched it’s back and began to fly, circling the yard three times before disappearing into the night.� Generally, storks are symbols for hope and freedom. From the author’s point of view, she put this scene in to symbolize that the mother is free from denial of her sickness and shame of this disease but also her realizing her mistake. Using that foot as a sign begging for forgiveness. The negative impact it had on personal ones was leaving them motherless and orphans, but the mother realized her mistakes of denial and the author used the stork as a symbol. Judging the mother, she acted out of selfishness to leave her family but is understandable because the population is small and would get the whole town talking about the family in a bad way. Hypothesizing, if the mother didn’t leave her children and society, accepted she had AIDs, they could spend more time with her and lived with that death would have to come and live in peace with that. But netherless, her mother was free from her denial.
People are afraid of AIDS and that has made them afraid of anyone knowing in someone in their family has AIDS or if they have AIDS, so people stay hidden and keep secrets instead fo fixing up this messed up society. On page 192 � The secrets keep us hiding behind the curtain. The welcome center throws back that curtain.� The welcome center is a place where people with AIDS all meet and talk about their lives. It helps the people their get the weight of their shoulders, but the society thinks that when you go there you are a dirty and a bad person. Chanda goes anyway and finds that if is like a home and the people there understand them. Normally, when people are afraid of something they will deny it. But here in this story Chanda faces the problem of that her best friend and mother have AIDS, and she is faced with the shame; although, people shun her she keeps fighting for what's right and fights for her mother. The society is denying the truth about AIDS because they are scared, but in this story we learn denial only makes it worse. This related to the quote “Don’t deny what’s obvious to see� by picture quotes. The author use this metaphor to show that when you say the truth you feel so much better about yourself. Chanda realizes that if she stands up for what's right than you could change anything. I think that Chanda is a good person because she wants to show people that AIDS isn’t something to be afraid of; in fact, it is something that the community should face together. They should not snub people who have AIDS instead they should help and esteem people who have AIDS so that they can feel welcomed and people don’t have to feel shamed about their families. Chanda belief in doing what’s right and accepting AIDS really has had a good affect on the community around her, and people were finally able to admit that either they had AIDS or someone in their family did; as a result, the community was more open, and didn’t snub people who did have aids. This taught us a good life lesson, when we face the truth we feel better and more complete, but if we deny it and stint the people who need help than we will never feel like everything is ok. So face the truth. Fight for what's right. Don’t be like everyone else!
On page 178 � Everything’s still, except for a circle of large black birds hovering overhead.� She had come in search of her mother who had left to see her family in Tiro, but really her mother had left so that she could die away from her children and save them the shame of her having AIDS. And when Mrs Tafa supports them in front of the public and welcomes them home, not letting the fact that they have AIDS affect how she treats them, she realizes the secret that she Most people think that when someone is near death you should leave them to die in peace, alone. But Chanda didn’t give up even after the black bird sign. Black is the color of death, dreary and bad things. The black birds show death and bad luck, just like the stork gave them a blessing, the black birds are giving her a curse. Chanda doesn’t give up or back down; even though she’s lost and scared and her mother has AIDS. She finds the strength in herself by accepting the truth and doesn’t let what others think, see or do affect her, like how she doesn’t get affected by the black birds. We learn that people fight for what they love and this shows her strength to accept AIDS and not deny it. She changes. People deny AIDS and let it take a negative impact on them, but Chanda doesn’t deny it and she doesn’t let others affect her. This author talks about the denial of AIDS; but also, about how it affects people lives� and the society around them negatively; in fact, just like a criminal not admitting his crimes. He does this by using symbolism and metaphors.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 6, 2022
“New cemeteries overflow as fast as they open. Officially it's because of pneumonia, TB, and cancer. But that’s a lie, and everyone knows it� (Stratton 35). 16 year old Chanda is currently planning the funeral for her recently deceased 1 year old sister. She is pressured to plan the events of the funeral before the week ends, because next week the funeral facilities will be overfull. Allan Stratto’s, Chanda’s Secrets, follows the life of fictional Chandra Kabele, living through the AIDS epidemic in Africa in the 1980. Chanda’s life is full of death and disease, yet she persevered in the most inspirational way.
Throughout the story Chanda and many people in South Africa endured terrible hardships. The story’s main focus is the AIDS epidemic, and the stigma surrounding it. Early in the story we follow a series of events of a family affected by the disease. Later in the story we learn how AIDS affects Chanda's life. Because Chandas’s mother is grieving the loss of her daughter, the responsibility of caring for 2 younger children is forced upon Chanda. She has a hard time balancing her new role in the family with school, and eventually drops school to care for her family. Then a major life changing event happens and she has to make a decision that will affect her whole family’s future.
Throughout the book Chanda makes difficult choices to stand up for the people in her life that are continuously looked down upon by others. An example of this is how she takes care of her best friend, Esther. Chanda says to herself, “She won’t forgive me. Not until I get rid of Esther. And I won’t do that, ever� (Stratton 151). For context, Chanda refuses to abandon her friend, Esther, after she is seriously injured even though Chanda is being shunned by an important adult figure in her life. Chanda accepts the consequences and cares for her friend. I found Chanda’s bravery to be very inspiring.
One thing I like about Chanda's Secret’s is the amount of attention written into each page. The story is written in what I like to think as brief detail. It's enough to give a vivid picture of the scene, but not too long that it becomes draining. The details provided a clear picture, and the story moved quickly.
Chanda’s Secrets is a fictional story that reads as non fiction. When I choose to read books about personal struggle and hardships, I usually prefer to read nonfiction. In my personal experience, fiction seems too fake. Fiction books that I have read can have dramatic plots that can be hard to relate back to the real world. Chanda's Secrets, for the most part, felt extremely realistic.
Throughout the whole story everything seemed to fit together perfectly. But, the ending, on the other hand, felt forced. Most of the book consists of death and hardships. Her sudden happiness at the end is inspiring, but doesn’t seem very realistic. Maybe some people can bounce back from hard times quickly, but I don't feel like Chanda would have this fast. The ending just felt “cheesy�, which was a different turn from the rest of the book.
This story isn’t just about Chanda, and how she dealt with grief. It's meant to represent the millions of people in Africa affected by AIDS. I enjoyed the story, and it opened my eyes to a huge problem in the world that I never have really thought about. I recommend anyone who is interested in world history to read this book. After reading the story, I felt more grateful for things I normally take for granted.
Throughout the story Chanda and many people in South Africa endured terrible hardships. The story’s main focus is the AIDS epidemic, and the stigma surrounding it. Early in the story we follow a series of events of a family affected by the disease. Later in the story we learn how AIDS affects Chanda's life. Because Chandas’s mother is grieving the loss of her daughter, the responsibility of caring for 2 younger children is forced upon Chanda. She has a hard time balancing her new role in the family with school, and eventually drops school to care for her family. Then a major life changing event happens and she has to make a decision that will affect her whole family’s future.
Throughout the book Chanda makes difficult choices to stand up for the people in her life that are continuously looked down upon by others. An example of this is how she takes care of her best friend, Esther. Chanda says to herself, “She won’t forgive me. Not until I get rid of Esther. And I won’t do that, ever� (Stratton 151). For context, Chanda refuses to abandon her friend, Esther, after she is seriously injured even though Chanda is being shunned by an important adult figure in her life. Chanda accepts the consequences and cares for her friend. I found Chanda’s bravery to be very inspiring.
One thing I like about Chanda's Secret’s is the amount of attention written into each page. The story is written in what I like to think as brief detail. It's enough to give a vivid picture of the scene, but not too long that it becomes draining. The details provided a clear picture, and the story moved quickly.
Chanda’s Secrets is a fictional story that reads as non fiction. When I choose to read books about personal struggle and hardships, I usually prefer to read nonfiction. In my personal experience, fiction seems too fake. Fiction books that I have read can have dramatic plots that can be hard to relate back to the real world. Chanda's Secrets, for the most part, felt extremely realistic.
Throughout the whole story everything seemed to fit together perfectly. But, the ending, on the other hand, felt forced. Most of the book consists of death and hardships. Her sudden happiness at the end is inspiring, but doesn’t seem very realistic. Maybe some people can bounce back from hard times quickly, but I don't feel like Chanda would have this fast. The ending just felt “cheesy�, which was a different turn from the rest of the book.
This story isn’t just about Chanda, and how she dealt with grief. It's meant to represent the millions of people in Africa affected by AIDS. I enjoyed the story, and it opened my eyes to a huge problem in the world that I never have really thought about. I recommend anyone who is interested in world history to read this book. After reading the story, I felt more grateful for things I normally take for granted.
September 6, 2022
How does one deal with shame? In the book Chanda’s Secrets, the main character, Chanda, is struggling through the transition between adolescence and adulthood in the time of the Aids epidemic in Africa. Throughout the story, Allan Stratton, author of Chanda’s Secrets, weaves together a story filled with shame and sorrow, but also, love and life.
The book opens with Chanda in a funeral service office after her sister had passed. Though this seems like a stark beginning to a book, the reader soon comes to learn that this is one of the many deaths to take place, which opens the reader up to one of the biggest themes in this story: dealing with the death of a loved one. After the funeral held for her sister, Chanda’s mother becomes ill. She is unable to get out of bed and has constant migraines. The town begins to talk, and they gossip about what they think the illness actually is. Chanda soon becomes the caregiver to her two siblings, Iris and Soly, with the help of her nosy neighbor, Mrs. Tafa.
While Chanda is caring for her family, she and her friend Esther still dream of a better life for themselves after highschool. Unknowingly to Chanda, Esther becomes a prostitute in an attempt to gain money so she can reunite her and her siblings. This is incredibly dangerous to do during the AIDS epidemic, but she believes she has no other choice. She is shamed by her community because of her work.
Somehow in only 193 pages, Allan Stratton takes his time building these characters in a way that makes the reader really understand and feel for them. Such as the time Iris had been mean to Chanda throughout the entire story, causing a disconnect between them. Even then, something traumatic happens to Iris, Chanda still comforts her, “It's okay, I love you, it's okay.�(Stratton, 157). Their relationships start to feel like our own, causing us to understand why they fight and forgive so easily.
Chanda’s Secrets is a story about living with the truth. The truth about this book is that it is wonderful. Allan Stratton puts together a story not many can relate to, in such a relatable tone that the reader can completely understand each character's point of view. This story is inspiring because it leaves the reader with hope for what's to come, despite what has happened before. As Chanda puts it, “We can't change the past, but we can change the future.�(Stratton, 191).
The book opens with Chanda in a funeral service office after her sister had passed. Though this seems like a stark beginning to a book, the reader soon comes to learn that this is one of the many deaths to take place, which opens the reader up to one of the biggest themes in this story: dealing with the death of a loved one. After the funeral held for her sister, Chanda’s mother becomes ill. She is unable to get out of bed and has constant migraines. The town begins to talk, and they gossip about what they think the illness actually is. Chanda soon becomes the caregiver to her two siblings, Iris and Soly, with the help of her nosy neighbor, Mrs. Tafa.
While Chanda is caring for her family, she and her friend Esther still dream of a better life for themselves after highschool. Unknowingly to Chanda, Esther becomes a prostitute in an attempt to gain money so she can reunite her and her siblings. This is incredibly dangerous to do during the AIDS epidemic, but she believes she has no other choice. She is shamed by her community because of her work.
Somehow in only 193 pages, Allan Stratton takes his time building these characters in a way that makes the reader really understand and feel for them. Such as the time Iris had been mean to Chanda throughout the entire story, causing a disconnect between them. Even then, something traumatic happens to Iris, Chanda still comforts her, “It's okay, I love you, it's okay.�(Stratton, 157). Their relationships start to feel like our own, causing us to understand why they fight and forgive so easily.
Chanda’s Secrets is a story about living with the truth. The truth about this book is that it is wonderful. Allan Stratton puts together a story not many can relate to, in such a relatable tone that the reader can completely understand each character's point of view. This story is inspiring because it leaves the reader with hope for what's to come, despite what has happened before. As Chanda puts it, “We can't change the past, but we can change the future.�(Stratton, 191).
May 4, 2019
Chanda's Secrets was recommended to me in a class, and I'm glad that I decided to read it. It takes place in a setting that I know little about, a small town in AIDS-ridden Africa. The author does a good job of directing our attention to the characters who are setting themselves up to get AIDS, so that we're surprised when we find out how many innocents get it too. AIDS is a tough subject to write and talk about, yet this author makes the subject approachable and easier to discuss. I would recommend this book to all teens 16 and up, and any teens who are sexually active.
This would be a good book to use in a sex-ed or health class in high school. It does a good job of showing how easy it is to pass this contagious disease to innocent people and how refusing to talk about it only endangers more people. I remember a demonstration in my health class where we each had a cup half-full of water and we had to pour our cup into four different cups and then split the liquid in half to pour back into our own cups. The teacher then squirted something clear into each of our cups. Some of them stayed clear, some of them turned a dark...green or blue, I think. I was shocked when my cup turned green. The last person I shared water with had been "infected." I had no way of knowing, and she had no way of knowing that she was infected. This was a good wake-up call for me, and I think the shocking outcome of this book would be an equally good wake-up call to teens about sexually transmitted diseases.
-This book is about AIDS and the gruesome way people die from it.
-This book references who has had sex with whom in the book (some non-consensual) without describing the details of the actual acts.
-There is a little bit of bad language.
This would be a good book to use in a sex-ed or health class in high school. It does a good job of showing how easy it is to pass this contagious disease to innocent people and how refusing to talk about it only endangers more people. I remember a demonstration in my health class where we each had a cup half-full of water and we had to pour our cup into four different cups and then split the liquid in half to pour back into our own cups. The teacher then squirted something clear into each of our cups. Some of them stayed clear, some of them turned a dark...green or blue, I think. I was shocked when my cup turned green. The last person I shared water with had been "infected." I had no way of knowing, and she had no way of knowing that she was infected. This was a good wake-up call for me, and I think the shocking outcome of this book would be an equally good wake-up call to teens about sexually transmitted diseases.
-This book is about AIDS and the gruesome way people die from it.
-This book references who has had sex with whom in the book (some non-consensual) without describing the details of the actual acts.
-There is a little bit of bad language.
March 1, 2018
This is one of the saddest, and best, books I’ve read this year. It’s a big theme book: AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa. But my favorite moments are the more detailed observations of the 16-year-old narrator, Chanda Kabelo. “Next door to the Tafas was a kind old barber named Mr. Dube. He had rotten teeth, but he kept the smell down by gargling hair tonic.�
“When Mama was pregnant with Sara, (the father) was still making money doing odd jobs. But since Sara’s birth and Mama’s miscarriages, he’s mainly just stayed at the shebeen getting drunk on shake-shake. That’s where he is now, I’ll bet.�
The threat and evidence of death is everywhere, but even then, the details matter. “We pull up to the site. We’re not alone. There’s a row of eight fresh graves, the earth piled high at the head of each hole. Mr. Bateman says we’re the third one down. Funerals are already in progress on either side. In the distance I see the dust of other processions driving through the gates. Mourners hop off pickup trucks and search for their dead. A fight breaks out over who’s supposed to be in holes five and six.�
I have two favorite characters, Chanda and Mrs. Tafa, the neighborhood busybody. “Her voice was all honey � sticky for dirt. She’s queen of the scab-pickers, that one.� But Mrs. Tafa has a good heart, even if it takes some searching to locate.
Chanda’s heart is big enough to burst, and her suffering is almost too much to bear. It’s even more devastating to recognize that, in today’s world, there must be millions more like her.
“When Mama was pregnant with Sara, (the father) was still making money doing odd jobs. But since Sara’s birth and Mama’s miscarriages, he’s mainly just stayed at the shebeen getting drunk on shake-shake. That’s where he is now, I’ll bet.�
The threat and evidence of death is everywhere, but even then, the details matter. “We pull up to the site. We’re not alone. There’s a row of eight fresh graves, the earth piled high at the head of each hole. Mr. Bateman says we’re the third one down. Funerals are already in progress on either side. In the distance I see the dust of other processions driving through the gates. Mourners hop off pickup trucks and search for their dead. A fight breaks out over who’s supposed to be in holes five and six.�
I have two favorite characters, Chanda and Mrs. Tafa, the neighborhood busybody. “Her voice was all honey � sticky for dirt. She’s queen of the scab-pickers, that one.� But Mrs. Tafa has a good heart, even if it takes some searching to locate.
Chanda’s heart is big enough to burst, and her suffering is almost too much to bear. It’s even more devastating to recognize that, in today’s world, there must be millions more like her.
April 5, 2018
In the novel Chanda's Secrets by Allan Stratton there are many different stories being told about the AIDS epidemic going on in africa. The main character Chanda grew up in a small house in a small village with two brothers sister and parents until she lost her brothers and father to an accident at work. Chanda mother then leaves when she gets sick in order to keep the sickness away from chand and chanda realizes this and goes out to bring her mother home from dying of AIDS.
Because this novel is fiction it contains different elements of fiction one being the point of view. This story is told in 1st person by the main character. I know because it uses the pronouns I,Me,ect. You can recognize this in the first sentence of the book when she says, “Im alone in the office of batemans Eternal Light Funeral services�. Because she said Im that means she's telling the story therefore making it first person protagonist.
Another element of fiction that is present in the book is the main character she is very brave and loving for her family and would do anything she could for them. She says, “Save your anger to fight injustice. Forgive the rest.� She will do anything to fight for what's right.
Because this novel is fiction it contains different elements of fiction one being the point of view. This story is told in 1st person by the main character. I know because it uses the pronouns I,Me,ect. You can recognize this in the first sentence of the book when she says, “Im alone in the office of batemans Eternal Light Funeral services�. Because she said Im that means she's telling the story therefore making it first person protagonist.
Another element of fiction that is present in the book is the main character she is very brave and loving for her family and would do anything she could for them. She says, “Save your anger to fight injustice. Forgive the rest.� She will do anything to fight for what's right.
May 17, 2019
This book was recommended to me by my professor. I had no idea how much I would love it and was not initially interested in reading it. I find myself delighted and surprised by the beauty of the story. Stratton's ability to express complex ideas regarding complicated issues such as AIDS through the perspective of a young African woman is deeply affecting. I think nearly anyone could learn to love this book for the emphasis it places on resilience, family ties, and overcoming social norms.
I think this book would be a great one to utilize in a classroom setting. The main character, Chanda, is a good role model for youth as she is education-minded and family oriented. While this story takes place in a made up country in Africa, it provides powerful opportunities for insight into various African cultures. In class, students could discuss key topics from the book such as social systems and friendship.
WARNINGS:
- Instances of violence, disease, and death.
- Substance abuse (especially alcoholism) is present.
- Sexual themes are present but not explicit. For example, the book discusses AIDS, prostitution, and other sexually related things but does so in a subtle manner.
- Very minimal cussing (perhaps one instance.)
- Includes religious ideas such as possession.
I think this book would be a great one to utilize in a classroom setting. The main character, Chanda, is a good role model for youth as she is education-minded and family oriented. While this story takes place in a made up country in Africa, it provides powerful opportunities for insight into various African cultures. In class, students could discuss key topics from the book such as social systems and friendship.
WARNINGS:
- Instances of violence, disease, and death.
- Substance abuse (especially alcoholism) is present.
- Sexual themes are present but not explicit. For example, the book discusses AIDS, prostitution, and other sexually related things but does so in a subtle manner.
- Very minimal cussing (perhaps one instance.)
- Includes religious ideas such as possession.
July 15, 2019
This book is very intense, and very good. My friend lived in South Africa for a while and she recommended this book to me, and I am very glad she did. I would recommend this book to just about everyone. I would be very sensitive towards those who have dealt with the HIV or AIDS in their lives, and I would be very careful about sharing this book to someone who would not ready to read about Chanda's friend going into the world of being a prostitute. I would also be sensitive and carful about giving this book to someone who would not want to rad about parents and family dying. This book is very heavy, but great in its execution.
I think this would be an incredible book to teach in a classroom for high school. I would start by giving a brief history of the HIV and AIDS, and how it was affecting South Africa. I would then discuss the book itself and focus on the characters of Chandra, her mother, and Esther. Each of these characters are drastically different, and bring different discussion topics and questions to the surface that focus on the ethics and morality of their decisions. I would make sure that the themes of injustice, judgment, truth, and family were are addressed in class.
Warnings
-Esther goes into the prostitution buisness
- Family members dying often due to AIDS
I think this would be an incredible book to teach in a classroom for high school. I would start by giving a brief history of the HIV and AIDS, and how it was affecting South Africa. I would then discuss the book itself and focus on the characters of Chandra, her mother, and Esther. Each of these characters are drastically different, and bring different discussion topics and questions to the surface that focus on the ethics and morality of their decisions. I would make sure that the themes of injustice, judgment, truth, and family were are addressed in class.
Warnings
-Esther goes into the prostitution buisness
- Family members dying often due to AIDS
September 13, 2021
Chanda's Secret by Allan Stratton is an extremely suspenseful read. This book expresses loyalty and shows what love can drive someone to do. Chanda is the main character, and she is a teenager trying to do everything right for the people she loves. The story is fictional, but Stratton talks about very serious real world topics. The main topics in this book are death, truthfulness, forgiveness, and family. The setting of most of the story is a small sub-Saharan city in Africa.
Although Chanda is so young, she has a very mature personality. She has gone through losing many loved ones, and throughout the story you can see her character develop into a more outspoken strong woman. This book touches on the serious topic of AIDS, and you can see how it affects individuals, families, and everyone in their small town. It is truly heartbreaking to read about watching your closest family members deteriorate from such a horrible disease. Chanda was really forced to grow up too fast. Once her family members got sick, she was stuck taking care of her siblings, doing household chores, and juggling school work. I would recommend anyone to read this book.
Although Chanda is so young, she has a very mature personality. She has gone through losing many loved ones, and throughout the story you can see her character develop into a more outspoken strong woman. This book touches on the serious topic of AIDS, and you can see how it affects individuals, families, and everyone in their small town. It is truly heartbreaking to read about watching your closest family members deteriorate from such a horrible disease. Chanda was really forced to grow up too fast. Once her family members got sick, she was stuck taking care of her siblings, doing household chores, and juggling school work. I would recommend anyone to read this book.
March 25, 2021
Secrets of Denial
Like a criminal not admitting his crimes, in the book "Chanda's Secrets" by Allan Stratton, the author uses symbolism and metaphors to show a denial of AIDS, and the negative impact it has on personal lives and society. This book is the story of a girl and the times in her life that is laced with AIDS how she dealt we what other people thought about her and her family. In the story, of this part, the mother goes to Tiro because she didn’t want her children, loved ones and society of her small town to see she had AIDS. She was ashamed of it so she denied that she had AIDS to her children and walked away. The daughter suspects this and goes to Tiro to find her mother. She finds her very sick and brings her home. She dies. After that, on page 189, Chanda and the children see a white stork that they think is their mother after her death, � There perched on the wheelbarrow, was my stork. It craned its neck towards us. Iris and Soly waved. The stork raised it’s right foot as if giving us a blessing. Then it arched it’s back and began to fly, circling the yard three times before disappearing into the night.� Generally, storks are symbols for hope and freedom. From the author’s point of view, she put this scene in to symbolize that the mother is free from denial of her sickness and shame of this disease but also her realizing her mistake. Using that foot as a sign begging for forgiveness. The negative impact it had on personal ones was leaving them motherless and orphans, but the mother realized her mistakes of denial and the author used the stork as a symbol. Judging the mother, she acted out of selfishness to leave her family but is understandable because the population is small and would get the whole town talking about the family in a bad way. Hypothesizing, if the mother didn’t leave her children and society, accepted she had AIDs, they could spend more time with her and lived with that death would have to come and live in peace with that. But netherless, her mother was free from her denial.
People are afraid of AIDS and that has made them afraid of anyone knowing in someone in their family has AIDS or if they have AIDS, so people stay hidden and keep secrets instead fo fixing up this messed up society. On page 192 � The secrets keep us hiding behind the curtain. The welcome center throws back that curtain.� The welcome center is a place where people with AIDS all meet and talk about their lives. It helps the people their get the weight of their shoulders, but the society thinks that when you go there you are a dirty and a bad person. Chanda goes anyway and finds that if is like a home and the people there understand them. Normally, when people are afraid of something they will deny it. But here in this story Chanda faces the problem of that her best friend and mother have AIDS, and she is faced with the shame; although, people shun her she keeps fighting for what's right and fights for her mother. The society is denying the truth about AIDS because they are scared, but in this story we learn denial only makes it worse. This related to the quote “Don’t deny what’s obvious to see� by picture quotes. The author use this metaphor to show that when you say the truth you feel so much better about yourself. Chanda realizes that if she stands up for what's right than you could change anything. I think that Chanda is a good person because she wants to show people that AIDS isn’t something to be afraid of; in fact, it is something that the community should face together. They should not snub people who have AIDS instead they should help and esteem people who have AIDS so that they can feel welcomed and people don’t have to feel shamed about their families. Chanda belief in doing what’s right and accepting AIDS really has had a good affect on the community around her, and people were finally able to admit that either they had AIDS or someone in their family did; as a result, the community was more open, and didn’t snub people who did have aids. This taught us a good life lesson, when we face the truth we feel better and more complete, but if we deny it and stint the people who need help than we will never feel like everything is ok. So face the truth. Fight for what's right. Don’t be like everyone else!
On page 178 � Everything’s still, except for a circle of large black birds hovering overhead.� She had come in search of her mother who had left to see her family in Tiro, but really her mother had left so that she could die away from her children and save them the shame of her having AIDS. And when Mrs Tafa supports them in front of the public and welcomes them home, not letting the fact that they have AIDS affect how she treats them, she realizes the secret that she Most people think that when someone is near death you should leave them to die in peace, alone. But Chanda didn’t give up even after the black bird sign. Black is the color of death, dreary and bad things. The black birds show death and bad luck, just like the stork gave them a blessing, the black birds are giving her a curse. Chanda doesn’t give up or back down; even though she’s lost and scared and her mother has AIDS. She finds the strength in herself by accepting the truth and doesn’t let what others think, see or do affect her, like how she doesn’t get affected by the black birds. We learn that people fight for what they love and this shows her strength to accept AIDS and not deny it. She changes. People deny AIDS and let it take a negative impact on them, but Chanda doesn’t deny it and she doesn’t let others affect her. This author talks about the denial of AIDS; but also, about how it affects people lives� and the society around them negatively; in fact, just like a criminal not admitting his crimes. He does this by using symbolism and metaphors.
Like a criminal not admitting his crimes, in the book "Chanda's Secrets" by Allan Stratton, the author uses symbolism and metaphors to show a denial of AIDS, and the negative impact it has on personal lives and society. This book is the story of a girl and the times in her life that is laced with AIDS how she dealt we what other people thought about her and her family. In the story, of this part, the mother goes to Tiro because she didn’t want her children, loved ones and society of her small town to see she had AIDS. She was ashamed of it so she denied that she had AIDS to her children and walked away. The daughter suspects this and goes to Tiro to find her mother. She finds her very sick and brings her home. She dies. After that, on page 189, Chanda and the children see a white stork that they think is their mother after her death, � There perched on the wheelbarrow, was my stork. It craned its neck towards us. Iris and Soly waved. The stork raised it’s right foot as if giving us a blessing. Then it arched it’s back and began to fly, circling the yard three times before disappearing into the night.� Generally, storks are symbols for hope and freedom. From the author’s point of view, she put this scene in to symbolize that the mother is free from denial of her sickness and shame of this disease but also her realizing her mistake. Using that foot as a sign begging for forgiveness. The negative impact it had on personal ones was leaving them motherless and orphans, but the mother realized her mistakes of denial and the author used the stork as a symbol. Judging the mother, she acted out of selfishness to leave her family but is understandable because the population is small and would get the whole town talking about the family in a bad way. Hypothesizing, if the mother didn’t leave her children and society, accepted she had AIDs, they could spend more time with her and lived with that death would have to come and live in peace with that. But netherless, her mother was free from her denial.
People are afraid of AIDS and that has made them afraid of anyone knowing in someone in their family has AIDS or if they have AIDS, so people stay hidden and keep secrets instead fo fixing up this messed up society. On page 192 � The secrets keep us hiding behind the curtain. The welcome center throws back that curtain.� The welcome center is a place where people with AIDS all meet and talk about their lives. It helps the people their get the weight of their shoulders, but the society thinks that when you go there you are a dirty and a bad person. Chanda goes anyway and finds that if is like a home and the people there understand them. Normally, when people are afraid of something they will deny it. But here in this story Chanda faces the problem of that her best friend and mother have AIDS, and she is faced with the shame; although, people shun her she keeps fighting for what's right and fights for her mother. The society is denying the truth about AIDS because they are scared, but in this story we learn denial only makes it worse. This related to the quote “Don’t deny what’s obvious to see� by picture quotes. The author use this metaphor to show that when you say the truth you feel so much better about yourself. Chanda realizes that if she stands up for what's right than you could change anything. I think that Chanda is a good person because she wants to show people that AIDS isn’t something to be afraid of; in fact, it is something that the community should face together. They should not snub people who have AIDS instead they should help and esteem people who have AIDS so that they can feel welcomed and people don’t have to feel shamed about their families. Chanda belief in doing what’s right and accepting AIDS really has had a good affect on the community around her, and people were finally able to admit that either they had AIDS or someone in their family did; as a result, the community was more open, and didn’t snub people who did have aids. This taught us a good life lesson, when we face the truth we feel better and more complete, but if we deny it and stint the people who need help than we will never feel like everything is ok. So face the truth. Fight for what's right. Don’t be like everyone else!
On page 178 � Everything’s still, except for a circle of large black birds hovering overhead.� She had come in search of her mother who had left to see her family in Tiro, but really her mother had left so that she could die away from her children and save them the shame of her having AIDS. And when Mrs Tafa supports them in front of the public and welcomes them home, not letting the fact that they have AIDS affect how she treats them, she realizes the secret that she Most people think that when someone is near death you should leave them to die in peace, alone. But Chanda didn’t give up even after the black bird sign. Black is the color of death, dreary and bad things. The black birds show death and bad luck, just like the stork gave them a blessing, the black birds are giving her a curse. Chanda doesn’t give up or back down; even though she’s lost and scared and her mother has AIDS. She finds the strength in herself by accepting the truth and doesn’t let what others think, see or do affect her, like how she doesn’t get affected by the black birds. We learn that people fight for what they love and this shows her strength to accept AIDS and not deny it. She changes. People deny AIDS and let it take a negative impact on them, but Chanda doesn’t deny it and she doesn’t let others affect her. This author talks about the denial of AIDS; but also, about how it affects people lives� and the society around them negatively; in fact, just like a criminal not admitting his crimes. He does this by using symbolism and metaphors.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 17, 2018
Chanda’s secrets is the story of a 16 year old girl living in Africa who has endured many trials. Her step dad is a drunk and her baby sister died when she was just 1 and a half years old. Chanda takes on the burden of preparing her funeral and is a hero to her family. On top of that, Chanda learns she has AIDS and it shows her battle and journey dealing with that.
This book was really sad as you saw everything that Chanda had to go through. But it was very real and raw and had so many emotions. Any teenager in Africa can relate to Chanda’s character and to her story. It’s a very touching book and makes the reader want to read on to find out what happens.
This book was really sad as you saw everything that Chanda had to go through. But it was very real and raw and had so many emotions. Any teenager in Africa can relate to Chanda’s character and to her story. It’s a very touching book and makes the reader want to read on to find out what happens.
December 17, 2018
Taking place during the HIV/AIDS pandemic, Chanda’s Secrets follows the story of a young woman, Chanda Kabelo, as she struggles through the hardships associated with the terrible plague being spread throughout her community. Chanda’s Secrets, overall, is a good book. The suspense-filled storyline keeps the reader engaged in the story from the very beginning to the very end. I personally was unable to make any connections to any characters in the book, but the plot of the story is one that millions could relate to. The book focuses on the experiences people face regarding the HIV/AIDS virus whether it be losing a loved one to the disease or falling victim to the disease. I would definitely recommend this novel to teens and/or young adults. If I were to give this book a score, it would receive an 8 out of 10.
February 15, 2019
Pff wat een heftig boek. In een wereld waar AIDS op de loer ligt als een monster in het donker dat onverwacht mensen uit het leven wegrukt, probeert de 16-jarige Chanda haar familie en beste vriendin zo veel mogelijk te steunen. Wat torst deze tiener veel op haar schouders! Mijn complimenten voor de buurvrouw, mevrouw Tafa, wat een verschrikkelijk irritant en toch bewonderenswaardig personage. Ik was verontwaardigd over het plebse geroddel en het bijgeloof dat in de wereld van Chanda aan de orde van de dag is. Wat kan dat veel stukmaken, nog bovenop de gevaren van AIDS.
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