Mental Health Awareness Month - Youth

May is Mental Health Awareness month and to help destigmatize mental illness we have created some titles to help you learn more.

Updated May 13, 2025
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This makes me sad
Carbone, Courtney
Paper Book
If feeling blue isn't bad enough, it's even worse without your best furry friend. This Makes Me Sad follows a young boy after he accidentally lets his dog, Kit, loose from the yard. Despite his parents' attempt to find her, nothing can cheer up the boy. His favorite things, like a pretty...
Big feelings
Penfold, Alexandra
Paper Book
The newest picture book from the creators of All Are Welcome to help children navigate BIG FEELINGS! In their bestselling picture book All Are Welcome, Alexandra Penfold and Suzanne Kaufman celebrate kindness, inclusivity, and diversity. Now with Big Feelings...
A blue kind of day
Tomlinson, Rachel (Psychologist)
Paper Book
A moving picture book debut about depression, sensory awareness, and the power of listening, from psychologist and author of Teaching Kids to be Kind. Coen is having a sniffling, sighing, sobbing kind of day. His family thinks they know how to cheer him up....
The science of breakable things
Keller, Tae
Paper Book
NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY NPR . THE CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY . KIRKUS REVIEWS The spectacular debut novel from the Newbery Award winning author of When You Trap a Tiger. This is an uplifting story about friendship, family, and the complicated...
How to become a planet
Melleby, Nicole
Paper Book
With the help of new friends and a planetarium hotline, thirteen-year-old Pluto goes on a journey of self-discovery, in this poignant story about mental health from acclaimed middle grade author Nicole Melleby. A Publishers Weekly Best Middle...
The Whatifs
Kilgore, Emily
Paper Book
"Persico's atmospheric illustrations aptly reflect Cora's shifting emotions, and Kilgore successfully balances the whimsical with a tale grounded in reality." -Publishers Weekly "Cora and her Whatifs have a charming appeal beyond their focus on tackling...
Desi, Mami, and the never-ending worries
Mendes, Eva
Way past worried
Adelman, Hallee
Paper Book
Sometimes being worried can keep you from having fun. Brock is worried. Way past worried, with his heart thumping and his mind racing. Today is his friend Juan's superhero party and he's going all by himself. What if nobody plays with him? What if everyone...
Alvin Ho : allergic to girls, school, and other scary things
Look, Lenore.
Paper Book
Here's the first book in the beloved and hilarious Alvin Ho chapter book series, which has been compared to Diary of a Wimpy Kid and is perfect for both beginning and reluctant readers. Alvin, an Asian American second grader, is afraid of everything--elevators, tunnels, girls,...
My mixed emotions : help your kids handle their feelings
Greenwood, Elinor
Paper Book
This thoughtful, engaging book is packed with helpful hints, tips, and techniques for helping children learn to recognize and express their emotions. Feelings can be complicated, and learning to express them is a skill that must be developed. My Mixed Emotions is here to...
Buster
Huett, Caleb Zane
Paper Book
Buster's a therapy dog who needs to take matters into his own paws to help a boy understand his own anxietyeven if it means breaking a few rules. Buster's in big trouble. He's been dragged to Dog Court for breaking one of the most sacred of all dog rules: Never, ever talk to a human, or let a...
All about anxiety
Lewis, Carrie (Children's author)
Paper Book
As youth anxiety levels continue to rise, this engaging guide is an essential resource for preteens looking for the skills and knowledge to help them coexist with their anxiety. Anxiety.It's an emotion that rears its head almost every day, from the normal worries and concerns that most of...
Just roll with it
Durfey-Lavoie, Lee
Paper Book
Starting middle school is hard enough when you don't know anyone; it's even harder when you're shy. A contemporary middle-grade graphic novel for fans of Guts and Real Friends about how dealing with anxiety and OCD can affect everyday life. As long as Maggie rolls...
I am a peaceful goldfish
Chaim, Shoshana
Paper Book
For kids ages 2-6, a gentle and fun introduction to mindfulness and breath awareness. When we are overcome with emotions, our breath--and a bit of imagination--can bring us back to a peaceful place. In I Am a Peaceful Goldfish, two children learn how to settle their...
Iveliz explains it all
Arango, Andrea Beatriz
Paper Book
NEWBERY HONOR AWARD WINNER * In this timely and moving novel in verse, a preteen girl navigates seventh grade while facing mental health challenges. A hopeful, poetic story about learning to advocate for the help and understanding you deserve. "Powerful." --Lisa Fipps,...

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