Do you sometimes have trouble finding suitable family reads? Fortunately, help is available from many well-respected review sites. Here’s a list of the American and Canadian websites that Menderist consulted for the accompanying article, Books on Mental Health for Parents and Children to Read Together, Spring 2025.
2025 Youth Media Award winners, American Library Association
Canadian Children’s Book Centre
How can you build hope after navigating serious health issues related to Covid? Teacher Linda Peters shares a personal story about working through health challenges and regaining hope for the future.
“I learned to look beyond my current situation so I could hold on to life’s joys instead of just surviving fog-filled days.”
An educator shares positive findings about monarch butterflies, and explains the parallels she has seen in teen readers at the public library where she works.
“Butterflies in groups remind me of teenagers in groups. They move in ways that seem both joyful and chaotic, with sudden bursts of energy.”
Menderist is pleased to introduce its preliminary list of 10 mental-health themed books that children aged 4+ and their parents can read and discuss together. The titles are in the running for our final list of 20 books, to be released for summer 2026.
We chose these books in recognition that an estimated 13 to 20 percent of mental health problems begin by the early adolescent years of 11 to 14.
“Finn Connelly is nothing like his dad, a star athlete and firefighter hero who always ran toward danger….” (from a review of ‘The Trouble With Heroes’)
Empathy and community are living on in young people, explains a school librarian. She shares an example of teens supporting each other through messages in a popular book.
“I left the words of real teens where it was – to keep their feeling of connection through story and life alive.”
The strength of trees can teach us many lessons about overcoming challenges, a writer explains. She shares how features of a local forest have increased her sense of hope.
“Where no growth would seem possible, this tree took root and now grows strong….”
What does an inspiring school library look like? An educator shares favorite memories of children’s reactions to the fun environment she and other librarians created.
“Elementary students dashed into the library and ran to their favorite sections, looking at the new signage and posters….”
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Every few weeks, people share encouraging essays, anecdotes, and stories about moments that turned their day around.
