Jenna Bush hopes new book inspires

First daughter Jenna Bush will be in Tampa and Brandon on Thursday to promote her new book, Ana’s Story: A Journey of Hope, the story of an abused girl living with HIV in Latin America.

Speaking by phone from Miami with The St. Petersburg Times this morning, Bush said she hopes the book sheds light on “the way kids live globally,” helps young people living with abuse and illness to find strength, courage and the help they need, “and that kids who do have the time to give back are inspired by Ana’s story to help boys and girls like her in their communities around the world.”

After visiting Freedom High School in New Tampa for a student-only event Thursday morning, Bush is set to appear at the Books-A-Million in the Westfield Brandon mall at noon.

Books-A-Million suggests arriving early — the line for the event will start at 7 a.m. — to allow for screening and leaving all backpacks, large handbags and other prohibited items at home or in the car.

Everyone who passes through the checkpoint, including children, will be given a wristband which must be worn at all times for security identification purposes.

Attendees will have the opportunity to meet Bush in person and get copies of Ana’s Story signed — three copies maximum per person with no personalization. Bush will not sign memorabilia, videos, DVDs and the like. Photographs are permitted, but posed photos will be prohibited.

Ana’s Story was birthed from Bush’s internship with UNICEF, which started in the fall of 2006 when she was tasked with documenting the lives of children and young adults living in poverty. The book is a narrative about the struggles of a 17-year-old HIV-positive single mother that Bush met at a community support event. Bush spent six months with the young girl, interviewing her about her past of abuse and neglect, but also her future hopes.

Ana’s Story is also built around the stories of other children in similar circumstances who Bush met during her time abroad.

“A lot of conversations we had that were really difficult,” Bush said. “But they’re living with such optimism and such hope ... they just want the same things as many of us.”

According to UNICEF, some 2.3-million children worldwide are living with HIV/AIDS, and millions more suffer from abuse, poverty and neglect.

A portion of the proceeds from the book will benefit the U.S. Fund for UNICEF.

---Amber Mobley, Times staff writer

Comments

Trying to claw her way out from under daddy's reputation. D'oh! Sorry it just slipped out. Good luck with your efforts, Jenna.

[hoshi]

I am glad that you are doing someting dear to your heart but what about American kids - there are plenty of abused and starving kids right here under our noses. Just like Bill Gates wants American to get behind him with his efforts for 3rd world malaria but I am an American and believe our efforts should start at home.