Courtney: Friendship Superhero

 Published 2020; author Kellen Hertz; illustrators Blake Morrow, Joe Hinrichs, Kelley McMorris, and Heather Tubwon; advisor Victoria A. Harden, PhD, founding director emerita of the Office of NIH Health and Stetten Museum of Health and author of AIDS at 30: A History

Summary

The book opens with Courtney participating in Hands Across America, as the school year winds down. Courtney's mom has lost her bid for mayor, but is still glad she tried. Courtney is looking ahead, planning the greatest summer yet, including adding to her arcade game idea. By August, she's done well enjoying the break from school. One day at the arcade, she meets and befriends Isaac, a fellow gamer fresh from Ohio, and a very good one at that.

The school year isn't off to the best start. For the first time since kindergarten, she won't be in the same class as her best friend, and Kip is also in the other class with Sarah. At least Isaac's in Courtney's class. Courtney invites her friends over for a end-of-summer pool party and everyone gets along great. Isaac has to leave early though, after getting a small cut on his leg. The next school day, Isaac quickly distracts from conversation about his leaving early and instead gets Courtney going on her Crystal Starshooter comic strip (from the game she thought up). Another distraction soon appears: a catalogue from a certain Pleasant Company. Courtney really connects with the Molly doll, and buys Meet Molly as soon as she can.

But after Isaac joins Courtney and their other friends for trick-or-treating, he's absent for a few days. Courtney's mother gets permission from Isaac's to share that he has hemophilia and has been feeling too run down lately to attend school. Furthermore, when Courtney visits Isaac at home, he reveals that a year ago, he contracted HIV through a blood transfusion. His mom quickly explains that it can't be caught through casual contact, so it's safe to visit and be friends with Isaac--but Courtney also knows that Isaac will die from complications of HIV after it progresses into AIDS.

On the way home, Courtney's mom tells her the importance of keeping medical information private. Back in Ohio, Isaac's home was vandalized by people who didn't care to understand HIV/AIDS, and he was banned from school (the ruling was overturned but it took seven months; California doesn't allow such bans). But moments later at home, Tina overhears the conversation and panics, worried that the family will contract the disease. She won't listen to her dad or stepmother, insisted on sleeping on the couch to avoid being near Courtney. The next day at school, Courtney finds it awkward to not tell Kip or Sarah about Isaac, sure they would sympathize rather than ostracize, but does respect Isaac's privacy. However, someone found out--the school has been getting calls insisting Isaac not be allowed to "endanger" the other children. AND it becomes front-page news. HIPAA has yet to be enacted, so the article includes Isaac's name and his medical history. Courtney is appalled, both at the invasion of privacy and Sarah's reaction: she thinks Isaac is dangerous and should be kept out of school. When she finds out that Courtney knew and didn't tell her, it starts a fight between the two best friends.

The whole school is abuzz with gossip. Courtney's teacher tries to defuse the situation, going so far as to sit at Isaac's desk to prove there's nothing to be afraid of. Courtney, previously unable to think of the right thing to say in the moment, finds herself able to stand up to the rumors she encounters, and tries to correct the misinformation swirling around the school. It's no easy task. Tina's still treating Courtney like a pariah, and Courtney's locker is graffitied with "I got HIV from Isaac W."

Kip's still on Courtney's side. He suggests the two of them take Isaac to the arcade. Courtney doesn't feel right about not inviting Sarah, but can't bring herself to call her. At the arcade, two older boys recognize Isaac and try to bully him to leave. Courtney stands up for him, and the arcade manager backs her up. Unfortunately, while Courtney absolutely did the right thing, by not calling Sarah, she lost a chance to remember that they were supposed be in a choir performance for the school. Now Sarah feels shuffled aside by Isaac, like she's being replaced.

Courtney feels at a loss. How can she repair her friendships, and also support Isaac? Talking with her dad on their monthly visit gives her an idea: he helps her research HIV and AIDS, and print up informational flyers. Courtney's encouraged when Tina's panic subsides after reading one. Her class is open to the information, too. While many other students as well as the media are still spreading lies and misinformation, at least the people in Courtney and Isaac's class will welcome him back (following a Thanksgiving stint in the hospital). 

If he even wants to go back. News crews are camped out at Isaac's house and catch Courtney visiting. Now some parents wants Courtney kept out of school, too. The principal calls for an all-school assembly to address the misinformation. Courtney is asked to give the presentation she gave her class to the whole school.

Courtney's parents--all three of them--make a great decision to have Courtney spend an extra weekend with her dad, away from the news crews and protesters. Courtney is able to settle her thoughts, prompting making up with Sarah and figuring out how to best present to the assembly. Plus, her dad gives her an early Christmas present: a Molly doll.

When Courtney returns, she, Sarah, and Kip visit Isaac. Kip brings his video camera and they record an interview with Isaac. They play it at the assembly, so the people gathered can see Isaac as a person, not an abstraction or a disease. A health expert also talks to assuage fears. Isaac is confident he can soon return to school, once cleared by his doctor. 

When Isaac comes back to school, he's again greeted by a crowd. But not of protestors: of friends welcoming him.

Inside Courtney's World

The historical section talks about the AIDS crisis as it emerged in the 1980s, first met with fear and misunderstanding. People dismissed it as a "gay disease" and research funding was difficult to find, while discrimination was rampant. But with perseverance, some of that misinformation has been dismantled, and research has led to a higher quality of life for people with HIV and AIDS. There's still a LONG way to go in understanding the disease and halting its spread, especially in places like Africa, but people are gradually learning the correct steps needed to stay safe rather than panicking. 

Misc

Hertz dedicates her book to "my mother, who taught me not to be afraid to stand up for what is right; for Sarah, who stood up with me; for Jennifer, Teri, and Elizabeth, who stand with me now; and for May, whose future, I hope, will be full of standing up."

I like that Kip both thinks of asking Isaac to join him and his friends at lunch on the first day of school, and also checks with Courtney and Sarah first. He's being both welcoming of a new friend and considerate of his old friends.

Apparently there's been criticism of HIV being contracted a "good way" rather than having the character with it be someone who got it through sex or drug use. Neth at American Girl Outsider has an interesting perspective how the way it's presented here works well for the intended audience (and lots of other great perspectives on a variety of American Girl topics).

Seventeen shows up a few times. Courtney makes 17 copies of her flyer to pass out to her classmates, meaning there could be 17 students (not sure if Courtney kept one or gave one to the teacher), Courtney goes 17 days without talking to Sarah.