May is Mental Health Awareness Month

 Hooray, May is Mental Health Awareness Month! The comics above are by the fantastic Gemma Correll, whom I do not know and have never met but still feel like I have a deep connection to. As someone who has dealt with anxiety and depression their entire life, Correll's work makes me feel like I am not alone.    Her comics perfectly combine poignancy and humor to depict the reality of living with a mental illness. If you want to feel seen and have a laugh I highly recommend checking out her work.

So, let's talk about some other amazing books to read and/or share this month (and any month really for people struggling with mental illness, it isn't like it ever goes away). I am going to start with picture books, and I know you are probably thinking "why would you need picture books about mental health?"
Well, kids (even ones not in school yet) can have anxiety, stress, sadness, or they may have an adult in their life dealing with these issues which, let's be honest, means they are dealing with it too. There may be incredibly serious issues such as abuse or trauma a child is dealing with, but there could also be more common fears like going to the doctor or dentist, the dark, or going to an unfamiliar place. People are wired differently, and in my opinion that is a great thing, but it also means that all people react in different ways. What one kid doesn't think twice about, might incite nightmares in another. Currently, my first grader is absolutely terrified of fire, tornado, and lock down drills. As this is his first year in public school, I understand that it is something unfamiliar and changes the routine, and they also are drills meant to deal with scary problems. Books provide the perfect segue to a discussion about fears, worries, and how to deal with those feelings.

The first book I want to share with you is The Don't Worry Book by Todd Parr. If you are unfamiliar with Todd Parr he is the author and illustrator of over 60 children's books and I guarantee that once you read one to your child you are going to want to get more. His bold and vivid illustrations and simple text are guaranteed to delight and engage toddlers and preschoolers. I always think of Todd Parr picture books as the Muppet books.  You probably think that this is due to the way he depicts his characters with simple features, crazy colored hair, skin, and clothes. This is definitely a big part of it since I feel like all of Parr's illustrations could exist on Sesame Street. However, I also think of Parr's books as the Muppet books because they are all happy and endeavor to make the world a kinder more loving place to live. In my mind that is the epitome of what Jim Henson stood for. The Don't Worry Book explains what worry is (thinking too much about something that may be scary), what are some things you may worry about (the weather, doctor's appointments, etc.) and what you can do to feel better (hug a stuffed animal, sing a song, or wear underwear on your head). I love that Parr gives concrete examples of what worry is and what kids to do alleviate those feeling all in language that they can understand. If you have a little one that is dealing with that awful W word this is a perfect book to read together so that maybe they can give words to what they are feeling and to work out some strategies to making that worry go away.

The next picture book I want to highlight is probably more for preschoolers and up. Ruby Finds a Worry is part of the Big Bright Feelings series written and illustrated by Tom Percival and published by Bloomsbury out of Great Britain. If you go to the Bloomsbury website they not only have a list of all the books in the Big Bright Feelings series, but also downloadable activities for each book. I confess that I normally do not enjoy picture books with a very specific "message" or "lesson". Don't get me wrong, they can definitely work to prompt discussion with children, but usually the story telling is bit stilted and dull for general audiences and read-aloud sessions.  The Big Bright Feelings series definitely deals with very specific topics but the gentle and enjoyable text combined with enchanting illustrations make these books winners for me. There are a number of topics that these books address (fitting in, jealousy, starting school, etc.) but for this post I want to mention Ruby Finds a Worry which, of course, deals with worry and anxiety. As you can see, Ruby is absolutely adorable and I love the way the worry is actually portrayed as a physical being. The colors of the illustrations particularly make the worry stand out and grow in prominence until Ruby learns to deal with the worry and reduce its prevalence in her life. In the story, young Ruby discovers that a worry has attached itself to her. I love that the worry has taken a physical form and also that it doesn't seem to have any specific cause or association with an event in her life. As far as the reader is concerned, the worry just shows and grows each day until Ruby can't focus on anything but the worry. As you can probably surmise, Ruby's attempts to ignore the worry just make it grow bigger. It isn't until she talks about her worry with a friend that it starts to shrink. I think that it is important to note that the worry does not completely disappear, it is still there, but it no longer interferes with Ruby's daily life. Some people (and I happen to be one of them) are just worriers. I remember my family referring to me as a Nervous Nellie when I was a child. It could be about specific things. I particularly remember a time period where I was petrified of acid rain, but often it was just anxiety that seemed to be about everything and nothing at the same time. 

A book that just came out in 2023 is

When Things Aren't Going Right, Go Left! written by Marc Colagiovanni and illustrated by Peter Reynolds. This is the debut picture book for Colagiovanni, but the style of the illustrations will probably look familiar. Reynolds is the author and illustrator of such classics as Ish and The Dot, as well a being the illustrator of the I Am picture books by Susan Verde (I Am Love, I Am Yoga, I Am Peace, etc.).

This may be a picture book, but I recommend it for readers of all ages.  Colagiovanni has written a charming story about hope and perseverance that is only made better by Reynolds's delightful artwork.  The story is simple enough to entertain young children, but the wit and whimsy will be appreciated by adults. We all have been troubled by doubt, worry, and fear at some point of our lives. Colagiovanni  reminds us  that during those times we can turn in a different direction and leave those burdens behind us

If you want to reach out to an older elementary age student struggling with mental health you cannot go wrong with The Worry (less) Book: Feel Strong, Find Calm and Tame Your Anxiety by Rachel Caine. Graphic novels, of course, are hugely popular with young readers and this one gives solid advice alongside entertaining illustrations and a large dose of humor.

Rachel Caine has also written and illustrated Consent (for Kids!): Boundaries, Respect, and Being in Charge of You, which is a must-read book for all young people. Both this book and The Worry (Less) Book are well-researched and deliver important, age-appropriate information in a format that will engage young people.

Speaking of consent, Rachel Caine is one of the creators of the viral tea consent video which has been promoted by police departments and played by on campuses and to young people around the world. As with her books, Caine employs humor to expertly and concisely convey vitally important information to young people. Seriously, if you have teens or young adults have them watch this video. It is funny and everyone will laugh but it has an imperative and easy to understand message for viewers.

 

Let's move on to some chapter books that deal with mental health. The first book I want to talk about is OCDaniel by Wesley King. As you may have guessed, the main character in this book is a middle school boy suffering from obsessive compulsive disorder. Daniel just wants to be a normal kids and hopes that no one ever finds out about his "zaps", what he refers to his as obsessive need to do certain things such as turning lights on and off a certain number of times. 

King does a remarkable job of writing about serious mental illnesses while making the characters relatable to all readers. Every middle schooler wants to fit in and may have parts of themselves that they wish to hide from their peers. As a coming of age drama, OCDaniel is a great novel, but what makes it exceptional is that King has also threaded a mystery into the story. A fantastic read that will shed light on mental illness for some readers and make others feel seen.

Some Kind of Happiness by Claire Legrand is another juvenile fiction novel that revolves around a young main character coping with mental illness, this time depression and anxiety. Eleven year old Finley is spending the summer at her grandparents' estate while her parents finalize their divorce. In order to cope with her intense emotions, Finley retreats into a fantasy world that she creates. Legrand magically combines fantasy and drama into a beautiful story about, not only juvenile mental health, but also family dynamics.  This is definitely a unique novel that will help young readers see that they are not alone and that reaching out and making connections can help alleviate feelings of overwhelming sadness, fear, or self-doubt.

There are probably an overabundance of young adult novels that are about depression and anxiety. Trust me, I have served on the Michigan Young Adult Award committee (the Thumbs Up) and there is a lot of angst, depression, and trauma in popular books for teens. One that I have found to be particularly memorable is Rainbow in the Dark by Sean McGinty. I am warning you that Rainbow in the Dark is a bit weird (and that is probably why I liked it so much). The main character is a teen named Rainbow whose parents' recent divorce has resulted in moving to a town and home that he hates. Failing in school and feeling isolated and disconnected from his family, Rainbow suddenly finds himself in a video game like world with other teens. Rainbow is now on a quest to discover where he is and how to escape to reality. I warned you that this was an odd book, but McGinty brilliantly deals with serious issues of depression and suicide in a way that will appeal to teen readers. I hate to classify books as being for girls or boys, but many young adult novels that deal with depression and mental health tend to be realistic dramas with female protagonists. Rainbow in the Dark stands out for its incredibly unique storytelling. There are kids out there dealing with depression that will never pick up a drama or nonfiction book about mental health. However, if you offer those teens a novel about a teen who finds himself trapped in a video game...Well, you just may get them to pick it up.

I have already mentioned one graphic novel, and if you are familiar at all with tween and teen readers you know that they gravitate towards this format. As a librarian I get so frustrated with parents who tell their kids that they cannot get a "comic" they have to check out a "real" book. Personally, and professionally, I vehemently disagree with discouraging any child from checking out a book that they want to read. First of all, if you forbid something they are just going to want it more, but if you tell them that certain books do not "count" and they need to read something different they are just going to hate reading. Graphic novels can educate, inspire, and entertain just as much as traditional chapter books. For children that are more visual learners they may even have a greater impact by sticking with them longer. I want to mention two graphic novel memoirs that deal specifically with anxiety, depression, and identity that teens struggling with these issues may find particularly encouraging. The first of these is Everything is Okay by Debbie Tung. Based on the author and illustrator's own struggles with anxiety and depression, this book is beautifully written and illustrated. This quick and easy read will hopefully encourage young people battling with similar afflictions while also making them realize that they are not alone.

The second graphic novel that I want to mention is The Fire Never Goes Out:A Memoir in Pictures by ND Stevenson. Stevenson is a graphic novelist and artist who achieved huge successes right out of the gate.  His first graphic novel, Nimona, went from web comic to best selling and Eisner-winning graphic novel. Stevenson then went on to the reboot of She-Ra on Netflix which was a huge success. In The Fire Never Goes Out Stevenson depicts in a series of comics and essays how they have always struggled with self-confidence, anxiety, and identity. I do want to note here that ND Stevenson (professionally)  now goes by the name, Nate, and chooses the pronouns he/him. Anyone who has struggled with who they are, who they want to be will be able to relate to this stunning memoir.

I know that I never even got to adult books about mental health, but this post has already gotten quite long. I guess for now we will just keep it to teens and younger. I hope that you find some books in this post that will help and encourage whoever you are reading or sharing with them.