MY BROTHER HAS AIDS

Lacy Mullins, 13, is a talented swimmer whose brother has AIDS. Although Jack hasn't lived at home since he left for college when Lacy was five, the siblings are close. Whenever he came to visit, he brought her something special, and they corresponded faithfully. Lacy knew Jack was gay and accepted it. But now Jack wants to move back home to spend his last months with his family. His lover, Lincoln, has already died from AIDS, and Jack is sick and lonely. Lacy is glad to have Jack at home, but his sickness is painful for him and his family. Lacy must also, at her parents' request, keep Jack's illness a secret, and that proves too much for her to handle. When she finally tells people, however, they are not all supportive. Even Lacy's best friend, Emma, must overcome her initial fear of AIDS before she and Lacy can continue their close friendship. And Lacy finds that, for the first time in her life, she can't swim. She drops from the team as Jack's condition worsens. When he dies, she lets his tortured body go but feels that he is still with her. She returns to swimming with a new resolve: Now she is swimming for Jack, too. Although oddly distanced at times, newcomer Davis's story is sensitive and informative. Jack is never fully developed as a character, but Lacy will speak to readers who have experience with AIDS patients, fears about the virus, or just want straight answers.