Name: It Happened to Nancy
ISBN: 9780784817087

Anonymous Teenager

Nancy Sparks

Biography, autobiography, and memoir is among the best ways to teach students to appreciate nonfiction reading.

It Happened to Nancy

Beatrice Sparks

The editor of the classic GO ASK ALICE has compiled the poignant journals of a 14-year-old date-rape victim who contracted AIDS and died.

By an Anonymous Teenager, A True Story from Her Diary

Lacy W

This was another book that I read in my early highschool years and I adored it. I thought it was incredibly sad and heartbreaking to have a younger person's life taken away so quickly by AIDS. I am so incredibly sensitive to those that suffer. I just wonder what that person is going through and how they are able to overcome it. That's one of the reasons why I won't watch the Saw movies. 

Reading it now as a 24 year old, I realized that this book isn't what it's all cracked up to be. Let me explain. Because I sound like a horrid person. 

This book is sad. Don't get me wrong, it's incredibly sad. Because this kind of thing happens everyday. There are thousands of "Nancy's" whose lives are cut short by this incurable disease. They never get to grow up and have their dream jobs with the 2.5 kids, a house and a dog. You know, the American Dream and all. Sure, some live for years after the initial diagnoses but often times, they don't or they just suffer too much.

I think what my problem was is that Nancy was incredible immature. I feel like an ass saying that because she did have AIDS at such a young age. How is she supposed to deal with that when her body and mind are still growing up? I think the reason why I say that she sounded incredibly immature is because I had a really hard time believing that this was an actual teenager writing these entries. 

I admit, when I kept a journal, I tried to sound more grown up. I had this weird idea that when I became rich and successful, that I would release my journals as books so people can see the struggles that I went through. In all honesty, the most struggles that I dealt with was crippling anxiety and a severe fear of public speaking but I didn't have a damaging childhood or anything like that. But even with my journals, I still sounded like a child. Even my high school journals were childish to a point. I often had run on sentences and would bounce from topic to topic to topic. 

Nancy's journal entries were childish to the extreme but then they had really big words and words that children wouldn't use in everyday life. Like quarrelling, for example. Most people would say fight. It was just little inconsistencies like that that made me rate the book 3 stars. 

I think this book has a really powerful message behind it, however. AIDS is a terrible illness and I sincerely hope that we one day find a cure. The message, I think, that is behind this book, is that just because someone has AIDS doesn't mean they are any different. They are still that same person; they just have a horrible disease and precautions have to be taken but they are still that person you know and love. I think if you can get past the inconsistencies that I mentioned, this could be a good book to learn and understand what it's like for an actual AIDS sufferer. 

On a final note I just wish I could find out who Nancy actually is. From the other reviews that I have read and the quick Google searches, I have been unable to actually find anything. I guess I will never know.

Izzy Huddleston

Stephanie Honour

Anonymous

The actual journals of a 14-year-old date-rape victim who contracted AIDS and died. Compiled by the editor of the timeless classic, Go Ask Alice.

It Happened to Nancy

Reviews

Highlights