Book Review of The Secret Winners Club
The Children’s Book Review
The Secret Winners Club
Written by Donna Galanti
Ages: 10+ | 310 Pages
Publisher: Wild Trail Press (2026) | ISBN: 978-1-7363162-9-0
The Secret Winners Club is a middle-grade novel about three friends living with autoimmune disorders who form a secret club focused on winning competitions and recognition to overcome their insecurities.
The story introduces Suneil “Sunny” Whitlock, who has alopecia; Trevor “Trev” Fitch, who has scalp psoriasis; and Vittoria “Vee” Bonfiglio, who has vitiligo. These three eighth graders begin the “Secret Winners Club” with the mission to achieve “massive success” in their respective competitions (junkbot, school play, and swim team) to prove themselves to their peers and to the world that they are more than their medical conditions. They set seven rules for their classified club, including doing “whatever it takes” to win and helping each other achieve their goals.
Donna Galanti’s writing effectively handles serious topics—including autoimmune disease, emotional anxiety, loss of parents, and bullying—while maintaining a pace appropriate for middle-grade readers. She uses relatable internal struggles, such as Sunny’s desire to stand out for her talent rather than her appearance, Trev’s fear of developing his father’s debilitating psoriatic arthritis, and Vee’s wish to be seen as a “spot-free girl”. The dialogue and internal narration are strong, featuring motivational quotes from characters’ heroes like Frank Sinatra. Galanti provides an authentic voice to the story as she relates to the characters’ struggles, as she also has “several autoimmune conditions, and some visible”.
The Secret Winners Club is an emotionally resonant read for children aged 10 and up who are dealing with identity, friendship drama, and coming to terms with feeling “different”.
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About the Authors
Donna Galanti is the award-winning children’s book author of the Unicorn Island series, Joshua and the Lightning Road series, and Loon Cove Summer, as well as the bestselling Element Trilogy thrillers for adults. She has lived in fun locations, including England, her family-owned campground in New Hampshire, and Hawaii, where she served as a U.S. Navy photographer. Donna is an avid outdoor adventurer and nature lover. She volunteers for the Old-Growth Forest Network and with the National Audubon Society.
For details on her books, events, and school programs, visit her at donnagalanti.com.
