Jenna Bush's Hiv Book

As makeovers go, the transition this week of Jenna Bush, daughter of the president, from Texan wild child into a literary champion of oppressed women in the world ranks as impressive.

Eighteen months ago Ms Bush was best known for sticking her tongue out at reporters, and for being charged with possession of alcohol as a minor.

Fast-forward to this week and a very different Jenna Bush is on display. After traveling through South America last autumn with Unicef, the United Nations children's fund, she has published a book, Ana's Story: a Journey of Hope.

It relates the life of a Latin American teenager with HIV. In 102 short chapters it tells in pared-down language how the girl's mother died of Aids when she was three, and how she was abused by foster parents and became pregnant at 16. Ms Bush says it is based on a real Ana, but hints it is an amalgam of personal tales.

The book will be welcomed by many campaigners for backing the use of condoms as protection against HIV. She mentions abstinence - the anti-Aids policy controversially favoured by her father - but says "the best way to protect yourself from HIV is to be faithful to your partner and use a condom".