By Donna Galanti
A powerful new middle-grade novel by award-winning children’s book author and resident of Berks County, Donna Galanti, shines a spotlight on kids living with autoimmune disease while delivering heart, humor, and high-stakes friendship. The Secret Winners Club publishes on Tuesday, March 3, with Wild Trail Press, timed to Autoimmune Awareness Month, and is an ideal addition to spring reading coverage.
Thirteen-year-old Sunny Whitlock is tired of being known as “the bald kid.” Living with alopecia, she’s determined to change how others see her — by winning. Teaming up with her best friends, who also live with autoimmune skin conditions, Sunny forms The Secret Winners Club, a top-secret pact to dominate school competitions and finally be recognized for more than their differences.
But as victories stack up, so do the consequences. Feelings get hurt. Lines get crossed. And Sunny must decide what kind of winner she truly wants to be — and what friendship really costs.
The Secret Winners Club speaks directly to:
- Kids living with autoimmune and visible skin conditions
- Young readers navigating identity, visibility, and self-acceptance
- Fans of friendship-driven, coming-of-age stories with STEAM elements
- Readers who love theater, swimming, technology, creative arts, and school competitions
“Since becoming an adult, I’ve acquired five autoimmune conditions that have visible symptoms,” said Galanti. “And I thought: how would it be if kids had these conditions and had to deal with them in middle school? With that came the inspiration for writing a middle-grade book that is about seeking identity, especially when it comes to self-image and self-acceptance. This is something I struggled with as a kid, and I know many kids do.”
This is a time when children need stories that reflect themselves — particularly those with chronic illness and medical conditions — and The Secret Winners Club offers vital representation. Stories like these remind young readers that they deserve empathy, belonging, and the freedom to take up space.
Told in multiple points of view, the novel follows three characters living with alopecia, psoriasis, and vitiligo. Galanti herself lives with multiple autoimmune diseases and brings lived experience to the story, capturing what it feels like to look different — and to want to be seen for who you are beyond your appearance.
“With this story, I also wanted to bring awareness about autoimmune conditions,” Galanti said. “And hopefully show that they can be part of us — but they are not all of who we are. We can be many other things: a friend, a son, a daughter, an artist, a singer, and more.”
Praise for The Secret Winners Club
“A fine weaving of heartache, grit, humor, and the ethics of what it means to get even.” — Joan Bauer, New York Times bestselling author and Newbery Honor Medalist
“You root for this group of friends as they try to figure out what it means to go after their dreams, to seek help from others, and if winning at any cost is really winning at all.” — Wendy Mass, New York Times bestselling author
“An inspiring and heartfelt story about courage, friendship, and the power of self-acceptance… blending humor, tension, and emotion in perfect rhythm.” — Midwest Book Review
“A heart-warming, page-turning read for anyone who has ever felt different. A gift for the misfits and adventurers in us all.” — Sarah Allen, author of Breathing Underwater
About the author
Donna Galanti lives in Berks County, PA, and is the award-winning author of the popular middle-grade Unicorn Island series, Joshua and the Lightning Road series, and Loon Cove Summer, as well as the paranormal suspense Element Trilogy for adults. She has lived in England, Hawaii (where she served as a U.S. Navy photographer), and at her family-owned campground in New Hampshire. An avid outdoor adventurer and nature lover, Donna volunteers with the Old-Growth Forest Network and the National Audubon Society. Learn more at donnagalanti.com.
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