Leigh, who is half asian and half white, travels to taiwan to meet her maternal grandparents for the first time. Books about mental health and mental illness can be wonderful tools to destigmatize, educate, or make you feel less alone. Mental health awareness would be woefully incomplete. Not only are we not supposed to talk about how were feeling or what were going through, were expected to showcase our best selves on. Oct 10, 2019 in addition to featuring mental health stories written by those who have personal experience with mental illness, the world of ya mental health representation is enriched by its inclusivity. May 10, 2019 in case you werent aware, may is mental health awareness month and, well, can we all just give a round of applause for that. Mental health in ya novels the little contemporary corner. Ya mental health resources published may 24, 2016 you may be familiar with ya fiction books that deal with mental health issues, but in honor of it being mental health month, im highlighting mostly nonfiction ya resources with a few new or forthcoming fiction titles. World suicide prevention day was september 10 to honor this, my classroom library display and all my book talks for the month focus on mental illness, wellness. If youre looking for books to help a teen whos struggling or to increase your own understanding of mental health issues, these books can get you started. Mar 31, 2020 for adults, the booksoften written with immediacy and emotional intensitycan have a transportive quality.
Mental health in ya books as authors, we owe it to our readers to present a realistic, inclusive world. Its far too easy to get caught up in stereotypes, misinformation, and stigmatization. The protagonist, mira, is a new student at saint francis prep in attempts to be normal and have a new start. At the child mind institute weve contacted publishers all over to call in books that address mental health and learning disorders and other common challenges, like dealing with painful experiences and coping with strong emotions. Thank you so much, anna, for allowing me to be part of this roundup. Mental health in ya books kate foster professional. Find the top 100 most popular items in amazon books best sellers. Titles and resources over on school library journal, a guide to nuanced and thoughtful approaches to mental health in ya lit. Mosquitoland isnt a book thats fully about mental health. Whether youre new on my blog or a regular here, you have to know that mental health is a topic very, very dear to my heart and, if i can scream about some young adult books dealing with mental health, i. Jan 29, 2019 we received a mix of answers, including childrens books, young adult and adult books.
Marie book discussions anxiety, anxiety rep, book bloggers, book discussion, book list, book recommendations, contemporary, mental health, ya books 144 comments i dont and wont talk about it a lot, because it is just the kind of person i am and, if you dont ask, i wont tell, but for the sake of this blog post, im going to say it. Changing minds on mental health is the goto guide for teenagers who want to know about mental health, mental illness, trauma and recovery. I would appreciate it if you could give me the names of the publishers of the novels in your article, 5 young adult novels featuring teens with mental health challenges. Alice and the fly is a ya book about a teen with schizophrenia. Tell us which ya book totally nailed struggling with mental. As mental health books continue to appear on ya book shelves and more young people are talking about it, here are some of the best teen books about depression. Mental health book recommendations from those who struggle. May 24, 2016 ya mental health resources published may 24, 2016 you may be familiar with ya fiction books that deal with mental health issues, but in honor of it being mental health month, im highlighting mostly nonfiction ya resources with a few new or forthcoming fiction titles. I am looking for a publisher for my novel about surviving the bipolar sixties. Last month i posted about a sponsored read i was doing in memory of my brother.
Ya mental health mustreads of 2019 written word worlds. Books with characters that have mental health issues have the ability to help readers on an individual basis. When colleagues ask me for nonfiction books to recommend to teens to help. Best eating disorder books, ya involving mental health issues 2000present, books worth reading on depression fiction and nonfiction, gr. One thing that can help make it a little easier are ya novels that deal with mental health.
Common sense media editors help you choose books that feature characters dealing with mental illness. Turtles all the way down by john green, its kind of a funny story by ned vizzini, all the bright places by jennifer nive. Oct 10, 2017 theres always been a stigma around mental health. Jun 06, 2014 issues of mental health are tricky enough to understand in life. This ya book combines a comingofage tale with a mystery novel. But, the sheer level of empathy that arnold takes when it comes to approaching mental illness is what makes this one of the best ya books about mental health. Ya books featuring characters with mental illness by stepha89 a communitycreated list. I only discovered this recently, but im glad it exists. Mental health is a topic that is finally receiving the attention it deserves with more people talking about it. Score a books total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it and how highly those voters ranked the book.
Teen books about depression to better understand the illness. From brutally honest to shockingly hilarious, these books get it. Find the top 100 most popular items in amazon books best. These have been marked with a mind your head by juno dawson, with illustrations by gemma correll. Here i discuss some of the things to remember when writing about mental illness, and what ya books are currently out there.
Feb 21, 2017 young adult authors arent pulling any punches in 2017. Mental health archives girl plus book ya book blog. Mental health in ya books blogger roundup paper pizza. Young adult authors arent pulling any punches in 2017. Written by a high school special education teacher who has had to deal with mental illness herself, this ya novel explores the story. Disorienting at times and emotionally poignant at others, this awardwinning novel will make you ponder the complexities of mental illness.
Its an area that is becoming more present in peoples lives whether it be directly or indirectly, and this has seen a rise in literature representing it within their. A deeply hopeful ya novel about living with mental illness thats perfect for fans of girl in pieces. Whether we have an own voices story to tell, or our experience comes from research, it is important that readers can see themselves in a book. In her most emotionally wrenching, lyrically written book since the multipleawardwinning speak, laurie halse anderson explores lias descent. Mental illness is one of the most pressing health concerns of the modern age, and ya literature has a role to play in opening up the conversation on this longtabooed subject. We rounded up a list of authors who we think get it right. Growing up is hard for everyone, but for someone with a mental illness, it can seem impossible. Kids and teens work out depression, anxiety, and more in these compelling stories.
May 31, 2016 growing up is hard for everyone, but for someone with a mental illness, it can seem impossible. Mental health representation in young adult literature is extremely important but not as important as getting it done the right way. Young adult fiction is known for tackling issues that young people can relate to and recently a great number of ya authors have begun tackling mental health, as the conversation surrounding mental health grows and becomes less taboo. Januarys teen book club was all the bright places by jennifer. This lyrical, profound contemporary novel takes an honest. Welcome back to another edition of yas that get it right, in which pros weigh in on ya books they think nailed an aspect of the human experience. Books with thoughtful portrayals of characters who encounter mental health issues can offer middle grade readers comfort, connection, and inspiration. Such a great book surrounding ocd and mental illness.
Exploring mental illness in ya literature rebecca alasdair. When her mother died by suicide, she turned into a bird. Thanks to anna, she gathered up a bunch of bloggers including moi to talk about ya books with great mental health rep. Ya novels that get real about mental health hellogiggles. Bitesized chapters, lists, and anecdotes make it a perfect book to keep in your back pocketjust in case. As the ya category has grown, weve seen more and more ya books about mental illness and mental health hit shelves. Since may is mental health awareness month, i asked some of my favorite authors of mental health ya, as well as and including authors who are also mental health professionals, to share their favorite mental health yas that get it right. Because, unfortunately, there is still a stigma surrounding mental health. From classics to contemporary romance, dystopia, and fantasy, theres a book for everyone.
Oct 10, 2017 memoirs aside, perhaps the genre that best nails mental health stories is young adult. Books can bring comfort to those suffering from mental illness and increase awareness among family, friends, and peers. But when i read ya novels that not only handle mental. Book recommendations mental health awareness week duration. For some of us, talking about mental health and mental illness is hard.
If you didnt know, today october 10 is mental health day. Mental health is something that i personally am very passionate about and am not afraid to talk about in the slightest. A lot of the time though, it can be difficult to find characters and storylines you directly relate to. Ya involving mental health issues 2000present 359 books. However, the ones we did find are amazing and we highly recommend adding the following childrens books about mental health into your bedtime routine. The plan was simple, to read five ya novels in five weeks that tackled mental health and substance abuse issues. Oct 01, 2017 check out last years videos for mental illness awareness week check out my new channel dedicated to psychology and mental health h. Many staff members across our 100 branches are participating, and recently we asked them what their picks and recommendations are for a book about mental health. Thats why it can be completely magical when you find a book that shows what its like to live with a chronic illness, disability or mental health condition. We received a mix of answers, including childrens books, young adult and adult books. October also happens to be national bully prevention month with the 11th being national depression screening day. Our fave genre portrays mental health in incredible ways.
We asked members of the buzzfeed community to tell us about their favorite ya books that deal with mental health and mental illness. Young adult murder mystery romance thistle cove book 4. Weve also included other categories these books could be used for. We were quite disappointed to see that there are very few childrens book about mental health or that teach them a valuable lesson. I put together this piece as a tool for helping find high quality, inclusive, and intersectional mental health experiences. But there are also some real gems, and we have faith in ya to keep it real. As society grows in its understanding of mental illnesses, their effects and treatments, were seeing more ya narratives tackle these subjects. Ally watkins, librarian and cocoordinator of mhyalit.
A list of young adult books featuring characters with. May is mental health awareness month and we find that books can not only help us understand or sympathize, but can often help us talk about difficult topics. This is a fantasy novel that just happens to star characters who struggle with mental health issues, particularly ptsd. May 18, 2016 this book brilliantly explores family, friendship, first love, creativity, and mania. Ya books featuring characters with mental illness by stepha89 a community created list. One thing that can help make it a little easier are ya novels that deal with mental health issues. If you have already read a book about mental health, all of these books can be used for a book recommended to you by library staff. Women and mental illness fiction and nonfiction, best eating disorder books, ya involving mental health issues 2000present, borderline.
Its may and with it comes mental health awareness month. Book riot drawing on her own teen experiences, parker adroitly touches upon matters of respectability and presentableness, stigmas against discussing mental health issues in the black community and among young adults, and internalized and societal racism. Books, especially ya novels, possess the ability to provide comfort to those who find representation of themselves in a character with a mental illness, as well as to educate readers who find. Leigh chen sanders is absolutely certain about one thing. They are telling stories that are not only diverse, they are tackling serious issues. These books traverse all aspects of mental health and mental illness, and theyre both fiction and nonfiction. These books help kids name and understand feelings and experiences they may be struggling with. Turtles all the way down by john green aza is trying. Ya books for mental health awareness the educators room. Ya books featuring characters with mental illness the seattle. This young adult book explores firsthand what its like to have an eating disorder and, just a heads up, could be triggering to those struggling or in recovery. But when a book does get it right, it can be a literal lifesaver. Ya novels with characters who have chronic or mental.
Young adult novels are some of the most popular types of books. Ya books dealing with issues relating to mental health and clinical psychology, first published in 2000 or later. Ahead, a selection of some of the best ya books for teens and adults. The books listed below center on teens from a multitude of socioeconomic, racial, and ethnic backgrounds. Ya books about mental illness and mental health book riot. Nov 07, 2017 fans of the impossible life is one of many depression books i considered listing here. Ya books about mental health young adult books about anxiety, ocd, depression, eating disorders, self harm, etc. Their books give us literally all the feels, and we can relate to their characters even if it might be painful to do so. Score a book s total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it and how highly those voters ranked the book. Mental health is very important to me, as i deal with social and general anxiety on a regular basis. The nuances of mental health can be hard to nail in fiction, but these novels do it perfectly. During mental health month, try one of these kidrecommended books that tackle mental health in a way that is relatable to young people. There are books about addiction, eating disorders, depression, schizophrenia, and more, as experienced by the teen main characters.
This book describes what depression is like, and calls out the ridiculousness of existing stigmas about mental illness. Nov 10, 2016 tell us which ya book totally nailed struggling with mental health. Posted in chat, sarah, thoughts by thelittlecontemporarycorner. This week, october 7, is mental illness awareness week. May 02, 2019 as society grows in its understanding of mental illnesses, their effects and treatments, were seeing more ya narratives tackle these subjects. Aug 22, 2011 young adult literature features a number of depictions of mentally ill characters, from authors who both bother to do their homework and take the time to present their work well and authors who dont seem to feel that research and sensitivity are necessary. This right here is hands down the best book about living with depression and anxiety. Books that feature characters dealing with mental illness. Im definitely a little biased because of my own experiences, but some of my favourite books are queer and have mental illness representation because thats me. Here are 16 of our favorite books that address mental health topics in their stories.
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