In a hospital bed in the living room of his apartment in New York City in 1987, Iris’s beloved father is dying of AIDS. Though she thinks about it constantly (“Dad. Is. Dying. Dad. Is. Dying.”), Iris (white) keeps her father’s illness a secret, knowing that the virus instills fear and prejudice in so many. The secret keeps her two friends, Will and Toby, at arm’s length, though she does confide in an understanding new friend, Julian. While her dad’s partner, J. R., is gentle and kind, Iris is stubbornly determined not to like him too much. Her parents divorced after her dad came out as gay, but her obstetrician mom still helps care for him. Iris and her father have long written and exchanged acrostic poems; she takes comfort in these during his final days. After her dad’s passing, Iris wants to take action, to help educate the public, to help prevent further spread of AIDS. J. R. introduces her to his community of AIDS activists, and she and Julian—with the unexpected but welcome support of Iris’s other friends—attend ACT UP protests. Heartbreaking and vivid in its depiction of grief and anger, this novel is an eye-opening glimpse into the human tragedy of the AIDS epidemic. Informative back matter provides additional context about the AIDS epidemic and ACT UP. (Ages 10-13)