Children's Book World

About The Fight of Our Lives, AIDS in America

A thoughtful, poignant look at the AIDS crisis in the United States that includes primary source interviews, history, medical research, and cultural touchpoints.

The AIDS crisis in America is complex and composed of countless individual stories of grief, love, and advocacy. Its history shows the power of youth activism, how creativity and community can be vehicles for social change, and how bigotry and misinformation led to inequality in care.

The early days of the AIDS crisis saw LGBTQ+ and other marginalized communities making strides in the fight for equality. As many people in positions of power were slow to act or actively didn’t pay attention until their own communities were affected, the fight for equality turned into a fight for their lives. Grassroots efforts filled in gaps where mainstream medicine and politics failed, and over time, a cultural shift of awareness emerged, which led to more research and more treatments. And while the disease has transitioned from a death sentence to one that people can live full lives with, there are still people dying of HIV/AIDS today because they can’t access the care they need. The fight may have begun decades ago, but is not yet over.

Award-winning author David Levithan and University of Cambridge PhD Gabriel Duckels detail a brief history of the epidemic, touching on key moments and figures, such as Ryan White, ACT UP, Larry Kramer and Anthony Fauci, Pedro Zamora from MTV’s The Real World, and the Names Quilt. Threaded throughout are poems, essays, and other creative works, in addition to first-person interviews and narratives. The most important takeaway is that we must remember. We need to know what happened and why. Our voices are powerful, and they can make a difference.

“Balancing rigorous research with accessibility for teen readers is no small feat, but the co-authors achieve it by drawing on their complementary expertise….Honors the dead and inspires the living.”

–Kirkus Reviews, starred review

“Levithan and Duckels apply their extensive experience in YA to craft an affecting, engaging, and accessible cultural history for teens and adults who want to learn about the AIDS crisis from the people who lived through it.”

–Booklist, starred review

About David Levithan

When not writing during spare hours on weekends, David Levithan is editorial director at Scholastic and the founding editor of the PUSH imprint, which is devoted to finding new voices and new authors in teen literature. His acclaimed novels Boy Meets Boy and The Realm of Possibility started as stories he wrote for his friends for Valentine’s Day (something he’s done for the past 22 years and counting) that turned themselves into teen novels. He’s often asked if the book is a work of fantasy or a work of reality, and the answer is right down the middle—it’s about where we’re going, and where we should be.

About Gabriel Duckels

Gabriel Duckels explores the changing political contexts and social narratives of the AIDS crisis in books published for teenagers, focusing on the lives of LGBTQ+ youth.

About Free Mom Hugs

Free Mom Hugs works to empower the world to celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community. They embrace people of all faiths, backgrounds, ethnicities, genders, and sexual orientations. Their goal is to change the world simply by showing up.

Founded by a fierce advocate and mother, Free Mom Hugs provides visibility, conversation, and education with the hope of reconciling relationships. We sincerely believe that broken family relationships can be restored, and we work to equip family members, friends, and allies with valuable resources so they can love well.