Ana's Story

Oct 28, 2008 Laurel rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorite-books, non-fiction

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This book took me awhile to read only because I read it during class. So far this is my favorite book that I have read all year. Ana's Story is a true story and taught me a lot of things. The main thing that I learned was to be happy with everything that I have. Some people aren't as lucky as I am to have the things that I have. Ana really proved that your life can be great no matter what is happening in it. Also I think it would be a great book to read if you are a teen that is pregnant. Ana...more

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This book took me awhile to read only because I read it during class. So far this is my favorite book that I have read all year. Ana's Story is a true story and taught me a lot of things. The main thing that I learned was to be happy with everything that I have. Some people aren't as lucky as I am to have the things that I have. Ana really proved that your life can be great no matter what is happening in it. Also I think it would be a great book to read if you are a teen that is pregnant. Ana got pregnant when she was 16 and she had no clue what she was in for. Ana learned to love her life and that's what I thought was great about the book, that no matter how bad your life is it can always get better.

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Ana's Story made me want to look on the positive side for everything since I finished the book. Ana really went threw some hard times and she stuck threw them like it was nothing. When Ana's mom died when she was little she acted like it was nothing, but she was still truely sad about it. I couldn't even imagine my mom passing away and acting like it was nothing. Ana loved her mom very much and I do too, but I would definitely handle it much diferent. I also liked this book because it is a true story. I like non fiction books because I can relate to it some way.(less)

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Sep 03, 2010 Michelle. Tsunami. rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: loved, want-to-own

This book was very inspiring. It was written like a child would write. Simple and to the point. The author clearly grasped Ana's life and wrote it clearly and lovingly. I really loved it.

The abuse in this book is horrid. Bruises, cuts, scrapes. Touching, feeling, betrayals. The abuse in this book was both ugly and fierce. It's hard to believe these things happen in families and even in life. Though most of the time "stepfathers" or "stepgrampas", in this case, are not the same person as the pers...more

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Oct 31, 2007 Shea rated it 3 of 5 stars

Say what you will about President Bush and his administration, I prefer not to judge a potential author by her familial ties with a politician who I completely disagree with. A lot of people came in asking for this book the week it came out, so I decided to give it a try. First off, it’s aimed at the "young adult" audience, so it was a very short read. I suspect that much of the content was "sanitized" to ensure a sort of PG-13 rating for the core audience of readers. Despite these facts, I felt...more Say what you will about President Bush and his administration, I prefer not to judge a potential author by her familial ties with a politician who I completely disagree with. A lot of people came in asking for this book the week it came out, so I decided to give it a try. First off, it’s aimed at the "young adult" audience, so it was a very short read. I suspect that much of the content was "sanitized" to ensure a sort of PG-13 rating for the core audience of readers. Despite these facts, I felt like it contained a compelling story that is reality for many children and teenagers throughout the developing world that just about anyone could be sympathetic to.

Ana’s Story is narrated in a third person voice from beginning to end. Whatever political leanings Jenna Bush may or may not have thanks to her father’s influence are nowhere to be found throughout the story. She focuses all of her attention on a young woman named Ana who she met while working for UNICEF. Ana was born HIV positive, and grew up in a culture that heavily stigmatized her condition. Despite carefully taking her medications every single day to keep her disease in check, Ana was taught by family members and society alike that she could never openly discuss her condition and that it was a burden she would have to bear alone.

Throughout her childhood, Ana endured many trials and outright abusive situations on top of her growing anxieties over having HIV. Eventually, Ana finds her way into a home for HIV-positive individuals and learns that there is nothing to be ashamed of. However, the story does not end there, and Bush ends her book by describing resources the reader can use to find more information about HIV/AIDS and how the reader can help if he or she wants to (including the obvious UNICEF plug).

All in all, Ana’s Story is certainly a very fast and easy read, but I don’t think that detracts too much from the story itself and more importantly, the fact that Ana’s story can be found all over the developing world. I’ve seen reviews where Bush takes a beating for no other reason than the fact that her father is President Bush. This kind of criticism ignores the actual book and exposes the reviewer’s obvious political bias.(less)

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Mar 23, 2009 Bilboislove rated it 3 of 5 stars

I saw an article in the paper one day about Jenna Bush talking about why she wrote this book and her experiences through writing it and it interested me. So the next time I went to the library I decided to check it out. I admit, it wasn't the kind of book I can't put down until I fnish it, but I did enjoy it and was glad that Jenna Bush wrote it to spread the awareness of AIDs. :]

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Mar 21, 2008 Gaby rated it 4 of 5 stars

Ana's Story is based on a true story of a girl living with HIV in a country where HIV is a trivial topic. Ana was led to believe that talking about her disease was wrong and would destroy her reputation; she felt alone and burdened with the secret she was forced to keep.

Jenna Bush writes a compelling story about a girl she met while working with UNICEF in Latin America. The book is aimed for a young adult audience so it's a short and easy read. Despite this, I felt the story was still very good...more

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May 01, 2013 Gail Roshong rated it 4 of 5 stars

Name: Gail Roshong

Citation: Bush, J. (2007). Ana’s story: A journey of hope. New York: Harper Collins Publishing.

Genre: Biography

Awards: Jenna Bush was an Audie Award Nominee of the Audio Publishers Association for her reading of Ana's Story as an audiobook.

Format: print

Selection process: This book was selected because it spoke to adolescents about relevant topics that face them in their complicated and often confusing lives. It was moderately well reviewed by Jillian Engberg in Booklist. Engber...more Name: Gail Roshong

Citation: Bush, J. (2007). Ana’s story: A journey of hope. New York: Harper Collins Publishing.

Genre: Biography

Awards: Jenna Bush was an Audie Award Nominee of the Audio Publishers Association for her reading of Ana's Story as an audiobook.

Format: print

Selection process: This book was selected because it spoke to adolescents about relevant topics that face them in their complicated and often confusing lives. It was moderately well reviewed by Jillian Engberg in Booklist. Engberg (2007) states that “a few jarring passages point to Bush's outsider's view, but the wrenching story, illustrated with a few photos, effectively sends an urgent message: too many children are unsafe and burdened by secrets” (p. 59).

Summary: Based on Jenna Bush’s 2006 internship work with UNICEF in Argentina and inspired by one’s girl’s life, Ana’s Story reflects the stories of many Third World children who lack basic care, education, and support. Bush traces the story of Ana, a young woman born with the HIV/AIDS virus. Her struggles, while trying to protect herself and her younger sister from their abusive grandmother and her lecherous boyfriend, are highlighted. Ana ultimately is sent to a government sponsored residence for those with AIDS, Casa Galilea, in Buenos Aires, where she is treated with respect and offered an education. In the same timeframe, she meets and falls in love with Berto, a young man also infected with HIV/AIDS. Ana becomes pregnant and is forced to leave Casa Galilea as Berto grows much sicker. This story concludes with Ana giving birth to Beatriz, not knowing if her baby is affected by HIV/AIDS, and becoming involved in a healthier romantic relationship. This story has no happy or tidy ending, but promises some hope.
The last section of Bush’s book offers teenagers straight forward information on HIV/AIDS: what it is, how it is transferred, how it is medically/psychologically treated, and protection from contracting it. How to identify and handle various types of abuse is discussed in a sensible and sensitive manner. Ana’s Story may open the eyes of many teens while presenting them with extremely important information/intervensions.

Recommended: Jenna Bush with her youthful, perky personality and political connections may be just the right person to author this book. Although Ana’s Story is not particularly well written or photographed, no one will doubt the sincerity and good intentions with which it is written. There is no question that this Ana’s Story will give teens plenty to mull over.

Engberg, G. (2007, August 1). Ana’s story: A journey of hope [Review of the book Ana’s story: A journey of hope, by J. Bush]. Booklist 103(22), 59.
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Apr 19, 2013 Mary rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Anyone who likes non-fiction

Recommended to Mary by: Bookmooch

Shelves: read-but-unowned, 1990-2009, 90-95, bookmooch, hardcover, non-fiction

Ana's life is a collection of bits and pieces of her past. Infected at birth with HIV, she had lost her mother, her father and youngest sister to AIDS. Ana is unaware of many details from her early childhood, with only blurry memories of her parents and baby sister. Ana and her younger sister Isabel are sent to live with their grandparents, where ten-year-old Ana is informed by her grandmother that she has HIV. She is told to keep her illness a secret from others - just one of the many secrets y...more

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Jun 30, 2012 Marina rated it 4 of 5 stars

Ana’s Story: A Journey of Hope
By: Marina Schweitzer

Her name is Ana, and this is her story of courage, loss, and love. Her story begins with the day she was born with HIV/AIDS, who she got from her mother. She has little memory of her mother because she died when Ana was only three. Ana’s childhood becomes a faint blur of memories, secrets, and the abuse she receives. As her story continues she is shuffled from home to home, when she is sent to a home for teenagers with HIV/AIDS. As Ana is there...more

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Sep 09, 2011 Crystal rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jun 07, 2011 Ciara rated it 4 of 5 stars

As I read the book Ana's Story, I found myself getting lost in a world that seemed so far from my own. I rated this book four stars out of five, because it showed many great difficulties that Ana had to over come and how she got through them. Ana's story is sometimes heart wrenching and other times hopeful. Since this is a non fiction book, it really allows the reader to relate or imagine what it was like to live like Ana. I really enjoyed being able to learn about how common Aids is and how it...more

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Apr 18, 2011 Melanie Fuentes rated it 4 of 5 stars

The novel, Ana’s Story, was written by Jenna Bush, who told the extraordinary journey of a young girl who fought through abuse and dealing with a disease that she would have to live with her whole life. The genre of this story is a biography and I chose this book because I found Ana’s story very inspiring since she had HIV, but continued to live life to the fullest and take care of her younger sister, Isabel. With both of her parents practically absent throughout her whole life, Ana had to endu...more The novel, Ana’s Story, was written by Jenna Bush, who told the extraordinary journey of a young girl who fought through abuse and dealing with a disease that she would have to live with her whole life. The genre of this story is a biography and I chose this book because I found Ana’s story very inspiring since she had HIV, but continued to live life to the fullest and take care of her younger sister, Isabel. With both of her parents practically absent throughout her whole life, Ana had to endure life with an abusive grandmother and even had to live in a center for troubled teens. The protagonist is obviously Ana, but there is no certain antagonist. It could be Ana’s grandmother, her grandmother’s husband or her aunt, but I think it depends on the reader. To me, it would be her grandmother’s husband. The supporting characters are Ana’s sister, Isabel and Berto, Ana’s boyfriend.
There are many central conflicts involving this novel, such as man vs. man because Ana and Ana’s grandmother would constantly argue and there would be physical abuse involved as well. There was also man vs. self since Ana dealt with a lot of internal pain involving her HIV and absence of both her parents. The theme of the book is to not give up on yourself and life so easily because any human being, no matter if you have a defect, could accomplish anything they set their minds to. One symbol in the book was how Isabel turned out to be without Ana in her life and I believe this was a great symbol because this showed how Ana would have turned out in life if she didn’t have any motivation from her boyfriend or self-confidence. Jenna Bush also used many examples of foreshadowing, like when she was explaining how her quincerinara would be in like while she was in the detention center for teenagers. The writing style of the author is very simple and to the point. Jenna Bush does not really use many descriptive words or detailed sentences. The story was easy to read and not complex at all. My critique of the book is that I definitely recommend it to anyone, young or old. As I said before it is very simple to read and the overall message and story that Jenna is attempting to get through is inspirational. Ana’s story motivated me to not take anything I have for granted because there are many individuals who are less fortunate than I am.
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Mar 06, 2011 Bri rated it 2 of 5 stars

Memoir (Non-Fiction)
Ana is a girl who is born with HIV, she received it from her mother who died when she was three and all she has to remember her by is an old blurry photo. Ana has a younger sister and her and her younger sister live her grandparents but when her grandpa and father die dies her evil grand mother sends her and her sister away to live with other family members who sexually assault her and constantly abuse her after that she is shuffled around from home to home. Then she final...more

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Jan 19, 2011 Alissa rated it 3 of 5 stars

Anas story was an extreamly moving and motivational story about a girl that never gave up and never lost faith no matter what obsticles or curve balls life threw at her.(including contracting HIV from her mother at birth) Ana never had a very suitable or "cookie-cut" lifestyle. All her life the only person she had by her side after her mother passed away was her father and her sister, but after falling ill, all she has left is her sister...they go off to live with their grandmother and are faced...more

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May 27, 2010 Alicia Fonseca added it

The book Ana's story is about a young girl who faced many challenges in her life a girl who was born with HIV/AIDS which she got through her mother anna was faced with a young sister who she never met died for AIDS in the hospita as a baby ana mother was devastated and was getting very sick and soon to pass away ana and her little sister isabel was focred to live with their grandma their dad was hardly their but knew he loved his daughters vey much and they loved him too but ana and isable hated...more The book Ana's story is about a young girl who faced many challenges in her life a girl who was born with HIV/AIDS which she got through her mother anna was faced with a young sister who she never met died for AIDS in the hospita as a baby ana mother was devastated and was getting very sick and soon to pass away ana and her little sister isabel was focred to live with their grandma their dad was hardly their but knew he loved his daughters vey much and they loved him too but ana and isable hated living with their grandam because she had a boyfriend who constantly wanted to melest her. Her grandma always abused and always reminded Ana to not tell others that she has HIV/Aids.or they will treat her wrong and call her names so ana kept quiet but was not sure what she was talking about ana tried to tell her grandma that her boyfriend ernesto was melesting her and isable but she never bleieved her she just hit her ana always kept a picture of her mother nearby ana always kept her secrets sge had three main ones about her have HIV/AIDS and about her mother death and about ernesto melesting her she didnt trust very many until she met yolanda her friend she loved going to her it was better then staying at her grandma yolanda mother treated ana like her own daughter which she loved so much finaly the day of ana communion came she wrote a letter to god about what she faces and handed it to the priest the next day a cop knock on ana grandma house they were forced to take ana away but ana ended up in a junivenal dettion center their she met a boy named berto which she liked she even wrote him a letter that she had HIV/AIDS but before she got his respnse he smiled and wrote her in a letter i got it to they are moving me to a different center i will get them to take you to and i promised i wont forget you ana was confused a few weeks passed n a guard told ana its time to go she thought she was going back home to her sister isable but got in a car with a lady named silvia she said welcome ana we are taking you to a hogar home ana was confused she thought she was going home the hogar is a place with people who have HIV/AIDS so once she got in the room she saw people playing cards watching tv but many old people until she saw a teenage boy he turned around and it was berto she couldnt believe it he said i told you they would take so things were going great her berto spend all their time together she even end up being pregant she was forced to leave the hoager and berto got real sick wasnt their to see his daughter ana eventualy lost feelings for him and started hanging out with girl her age around he neighborhood and started to like this other guy.. i really like this book i read it three times and i defitnely want other kids to read it to see what other kids are going through and stuff(less)

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Dec 06, 2011 Claire rated it 4 of 5 stars

In the book “Ana’s Story a Journey of Hope” by Jenna Bush, the author’s main purpose was to tell the story of Ana’s harsh life, make people understand and inform them of HIV/AIDS, and also give them a story that some people might be able to relate to in one way or another. The author started the story with a preface, giving information on how she heard Ana’s story, which leads the reader into the rest of the story where Jenna Bush tells Ana’s life story. Once you enter Ana’s Story, it grabs your...more In the book “Ana’s Story a Journey of Hope” by Jenna Bush, the author’s main purpose was to tell the story of Ana’s harsh life, make people understand and inform them of HIV/AIDS, and also give them a story that some people might be able to relate to in one way or another. The author started the story with a preface, giving information on how she heard Ana’s story, which leads the reader into the rest of the story where Jenna Bush tells Ana’s life story. Once you enter Ana’s Story, it grabs your attention on how hard Ana’s life was and all of the struggles she went through. For example, Ana’s mother had Ana and her little sister at a very young age and died shortly thereafter. Ana’s father wasn’t able to support his two daughters on his own, so Ana and her little sister had to go live with their grandma. A lot of women have children at a very young age and aren’t able to support their kids on their own. They end up relying on family members to care for their children. Sometimes, both parents die. Others might be able to relate to how much Ana misses her mom and dad and would do anything to see her mother and father’s face.

In this book, it seems like even though the author is strictly telling just Ana’s story, it seems like Jenna Bush is trying to get her readers to know that everyone has their own struggles; struggles that they can’t prevent from happening to them, and that people should not judge them because of what they are going through. In the book, Ana has HIV/AIDS that she received from her mother at birth. Ana’s grandmother, her “ abuela” told Ana that she has to keep it a secret from everyone that she has HIV/AIDS. She told Ana that if she told anyone about her HIV/AIDS, that they would treat her differently and would not want to be around her anymore. Even though Ana couldn’t have done anything to prevent herself from getting infected, people did treat her differently because they didn’t understand the facts and didn’t understand what HIV/AIDS was.

This book was told in third person. The chapters of this book were very short, which I found effective because it showed the different times in Ana’s life and it also separated the days of which events took place. Jenna Bush made the book seem like she was there with you telling the story. The book started with Ana being very young; about three years old. It started off where Ana didn’t even know she was infected with HIV/AIDS. All she knew was that she had to take her medicine everyday or she would get really sick. Eventually, Ana found out that she was infected with HIV/AIDS. Her grandmother wouldn’t let her tell anyone, not even her best friend. Eventually, Ana became more open with people about her HIV/AIDS and learned all of the facts she would need to know to keep herself healthy.

I really enjoyed reading this book. At first I didn’t like the thought of reading a non-fiction book, but when I started reading this book, it was so easy to read. The details of this book allowed me to picture what Ana was going through and even where she was at. This book was not only entertaining, but it taught me some lessons. It reminded me that everyone has something going on in their life that makes it hard for them and they shouldn’t be brought down for it. They should be made to feel better about themselves and helped through anything. I loved this book, but the only thing I disliked about it is how it left me hanging at the end! If I could change anything about the book, I would make it last longer so I could find out more about how Ana’s life ended. This isn’t similar to any book I have read because I don’t usually read non-fiction books.
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Dec 01, 2008 Chantal rated it 3 of 5 stars

I first heard about this book while watching a 20/20 episode while Jenna was promoting the book. I was so very impressed with Jenna Bush as a person. She was so incredibly mature, full of compassion and perspective, and so disarming in the face of the media. It was actually quite moving. Needless to say, after that interview, this book has been on my list of books to read for a while.

This book does a great job of putting womens issues in a narrative form. It purposefully very easy to read and s...more

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Nov 28, 2011 Maddy Havens rated it 4 of 5 stars

The authors point to writing this book in my opinion was to inform people of the harms of the disease HIV or AIDS and about child abuse and how harmful it can be to ones life. The theme of the book, Ana's Story is to have love and hope can get you through anything. The author was trying to directly inform you on the harms of abuse and HIV/AIDS through Ana's life story.
This story was written in a narration form because it was about Ana's life and all the events happen to be in chronological or...more

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Jun 13, 2010 Christel Lim rated it 4 of 5 stars

I realised I was living the dream/fantasy of someone else's life.
It is quite a good read except for the fact that the book didn't promote abstinence which very well is the soloution as HIV positive children are having intercourse at an age far too young when they do not even understand themselves well. Therefore, motherhood comes and knocks at their door far too early, in my view.

Emotional hurt, seperation and guilt comes as the price of having motherhood at an early age (teens) and not to ment...more

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Oct 08, 2007 Denise M. rated it 3 of 5 stars

This was a quick but interesting read. It is the journey of a young girl infected with the Aids virus. Jennna Bush seems very sincere in her hopes to help people around the world through Aids awareness. I will quote her" Simple signs of friendship and acceptance can often change the lives of those on the outskirts of society" We can make a difference if we all work together.

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Jan 18, 2011 Claire rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: devistating-but-life-changing

i thought this was a very good book. It may help people who are infected with hiv's feel better about them selfs. it would give them some confidence. To some of the childeren that also have some very unfortunate life this gives them a chance to pursue a better life.i feel that she helped alot of people by writing this book, she put on a good attitude .anna was put through a lot of complex situations when your that young and have to deal with so much it just makes a kid want to hid in a shell and...more

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Mar 30, 2013 Mary rated it 5 of 5 stars

Wow, would have thought Jenna Bush such a gifted author. This story is about many individuals who live in poverty but Jenna focuses on a young girl, gaining her trust gradually to tell her story. She is a teen aged pregnant girl with HIV/AIDS, and wise beyond her years. Through Ana's story you can hear the stories of at least thousands of people in terrible poverty and terrible circumstances. And yet, Jenna DOES make it a story of hope. She was working for the UN as an intern during this time an...more

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Aug 08, 2010 Kristin (Kritters Ramblings) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: kritter-reviewed-2010

A quick read due to very very short chapters and easy language. This book may have been a quick read, but it was intense due to the very subjects that are the heart of the book.

Written from Jenna Bush's experiences interning with UNICEF, this book is the narrative of one of the lives of a girl she spent time getting to know. In reading, you could tell that Bush made a huge effort to delve deep into this girl's experience to share a true story about a young woman living with HIV in a very diffic...more

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Nov 02, 2012 Heli Desai rated it 5 of 5 stars

This story is about a girl named, Ana, dealing with HIV/AIDS and physical abuse. At the beginning of the book Ana is living her grandma who is abusive to her and her sister. She also has to live with her grandmas boyfriends who sexually offend her and her sister. Her grandma has told her to keep her HIV/AIDS a secret because otherwise people would think of her as different and try to stay away from her because they thought she was contagious. And so she listened to her grandma and kept it a secr...more This story is about a girl named, Ana, dealing with HIV/AIDS and physical abuse. At the beginning of the book Ana is living her grandma who is abusive to her and her sister. She also has to live with her grandmas boyfriends who sexually offend her and her sister. Her grandma has told her to keep her HIV/AIDS a secret because otherwise people would think of her as different and try to stay away from her because they thought she was contagious. And so she listened to her grandma and kept it a secret, but she lived under this constant concern, what if someone found out? The only sourse of happiness she had was her dad who couldnt take care of them because he was not wealthy enough. Ana's dad also has HIV/AIDS and get sick and eventually dies. Ana is moved out of her grandma’s house and into another relative’s house who also abuses her. She then has to go to a home for girls and boys like her who have nowhere to go. He stays there for a long time and soon gets moved to a different home, especially for people with HIV/AIDS. She later finds out she was recommended there by a boy that she met at the other home that had also been moved there. They fell in love. Ana later finds out that she is pregnant and is so happy to be a mother. But then her boyfriend gets sick and is not there to help her and she decides to breakup with him because she doesn’t have the same feelings for him as she did before. She gets an opportunity to move in with her favorite aunt who would never abuse her and accepts Ana and her baby now that she can afford it. Ana’s life has just started and still continues today.

The author of this book,Jenna Bush, organizes this book like a novel wiht chapters.I think that thisorganization does create an enjoyable text becuase it doesnt make it feel like non-fiction at all, it makes it feel like a normal novel. Also, another reason why the organization makes it enjoyable is becuase it is not set up like a bbiography were they are just listing facts about the person. Instead the author shares the story through Ana's eyes.

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Nov 22, 2011 Justin Vance rated it 4 of 5 stars

Justin Vance 10/1/11 I think this is a good book because of how Ana struggles during her childhood.This book made me realize that when you have sex unprotected sex and you have a baby the next generation will be predisposed with the same disease as you.This book reminds me of teen pregnancy because Ana's mother had her when she was sixteen years old.Ana is predisposed with HIV and is living with her abuela and padre. Her father didn't think he could take care of two toddlers alone so they moved...more Justin Vance 10/1/11 I think this is a good book because of how Ana struggles during her childhood.This book made me realize that when you have sex unprotected sex and you have a baby the next generation will be predisposed with the same disease as you.This book reminds me of teen pregnancy because Ana's mother had her when she was sixteen years old.Ana is predisposed with HIV and is living with her abuela and padre. Her father didn't think he could take care of two toddlers alone so they moved in with his mother.The importance of this book is that you should never have unprotected sex because you're incresing the risk of getting HIV and/or AIDS.Ana had to continuously take a pill that could keep her from getting sick.Ana didn't understand why or what happened to her mother.I'd recommend this book to everybody because this is a true story and could happen to you if you make the same
mistake as Ana's mother did.

Justin Vance 10/5/11

In this book Ernesto would physically rape her when no one is around.Ana would try to tell her grandmother but she would'nt even believe her.So she decided to tell her dad nd he said"Ana,if he ever,ever touches you or Isabel(her lil' sister) again.I will kill him." So a few days later Isabel would go to the bathroom when Ana was sleeping still and her grandmother went to work he would take advantage and physically rape her.I think Ernesto ahould go to jail because he was illegally raping two little girls who are smart and intelligent.I don't like there grandmother because she didn't believe in her own grand children that they was getting rape from Ernesto. I'd recommend this book to any female because you should be able to defend yourself rom any male or female sexual abuse.This also goes for males because there are some females or even homosexuals because they will do the same thing. (less)

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Oct 19, 2010 Brittany rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book was a very good book. I really thought that hearing about her life would be amazing. As I read through the pages and got through a few chapters, I discovered that her life was hard and it was not the best thing of her life. She was abused as a child. I can not tell you by who because that is a mystery to you but not to me. The setting is in mexico. They speek spanish. Through out the book, Anna goes through a really tough time. She has a sickness called HIVS/AIDS. She got it from her p...more

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Apr 10, 2009 Louise rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: biographies

Ana's story is a bare-bones and startling look at one young womans journey of hope, courage, rebuilding and learning to LIVE WITH HIV, NOT DIE from it.

Ana's life has been wrought with abuse, rape, secrets and death. All equally horrible and tragic events to befall such a young girl by the tender age of seventeen.

Infected with HIV at birth, Ana is forced to keep her infection secret. Following the death of her mother when Ana was barely five-years-old, and her father a few years later, she was le...more

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Mar 07, 2011 Abigail rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Everyone 16 and over

Shelves: nook-color

Educational and inspirational! This book is a work of narrative non-fiction. It reads like a novel even though it is a true story. It is the very personal and real account a young women who is living with HIV/AIDS. The story is unique, but many children around the world share similar experiences to Ana's. The book provides insight into the organization that is known as UNICEF. Ana's story puts a face on the children and families that UNICEF reaches out to. It is a story of hope, strength, and re...more

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Apr 10, 2010 Marsha rated it 5 of 5 stars

Jenna Bush is former President George Bush's daughter. She wrote about a young woman that she met in Latin America who was born with the HIV virus, infected by her mother. Her mother and father both eventually died of AIDS and Ana goes to live with a strict grandmother. Her grandfather sexually abuses Ana and her younger sister. She tries to break away from this. After being moved around a few times, she ends up living in a home for foster and misplaced children, and it is there that she meets a...more

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Jul 27, 2010 Emily rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: audible

I listened to this book while working and had to warn my coworkers that I might be a little teary.... and I certainly was. Ana's parents died of AIDS, she was born HIV positive, her grandmother beat her, she was sexually abused andshe was separated from her sister. So this book is not the cheeriest. Despite all that, the message Jenna is trying to convey is clearly one of resilience. I'm rooting for Ana, who seems to have a great head on her shoulders. At the end of the book, she is back in scho...more

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Sep 28, 2010 Astin rated it 4 of 5 stars

If you want a prodigiously footnooted account of how poverty, abuse, social status, and AIDS are all intertwined to affect women worldwide, read some of Paul Farmer's books. If you want a picture of what this looks like...a story that describes this in a way you'll never forget, read this book. Written as tiny chapters,this book tells the story of a teenage girl, born with AIDS, orphaned, abused, and passed around to family members who resented the additional financial burden. It also tells the...more

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Aiossa's 14/15 Se...: book review 5	1	2	Feb 07, 2013 11:06am
Aiossa's 14/15 Se...: Book Review #4	1	2	Dec 18, 2012 08:58pm
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ana's baby	4	45	Aug 28, 2011 12:36pm

title link	preview: Ana's Story: A Journey of Hope
avg rating	preview: Ana's Story: A Journey of Hope Goodreads rating: 3.61 (1271 ratings)
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BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1457464.Ana_s_Story?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1348967933l/1457464.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1457464.Ana_s_Story?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Ana's Story: A Journey of Hope by Jenna Bush[/url]

Ana's Story: A Journey of Hope

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