Hope for Ryan White: The book introduces us to a teenager who contracted HIV after undergoing hemophilia surgery

SAN FRANCISCO – This Pride month, ABC7 News features LGBTQ authors who are publishing new books about their communities and the issues affecting them. Dano Moreno is our first writer on the series. His first children’s book, Hope For Ryan White, available to pre-order June 22, is about an Indiana teenager who contracted HIV after undergoing surgery to treat hemophilia. The AIDS scare in 1984 was so great that White and his family had to fight his school district to allow him to attend classes.

“I hope this story continues to inspire kids to stand up for themselves and each other,” Moreno told ABC7 News host Reggie Aqui. “It teaches children about a time when misinformation was rampant. This is certainly a relevant topic today.”

Moreno’s second children’s book (pre-order for September) is even closer. “Our Wish For You” is inspired by Moreno’s own son.

“It’s a love letter to adoptees and all parties involved in open adoption,” Moreno said. “This is a universal story about the desires parents have for their children, including birth parents and adoptive parents.”

You can watch the full interview as part of Reggie’s Exclusive VIP-Only Pride Vate Book Club (where everyone is invited) by watching the video above.

If you’re using the ABC7 News app, click here to watch live