Thankfully, there are so many MG books being written about mental health. Some of these books are about children struggling with mental health issues and some are about a family member.  They help the kids see themselves in the story or their family in the story, as well as help  middle graders develop a better understanding and empathy for those who are struggling with a mental illness.  Here are some of my favorites from the past. These are older books – books sure to be on your library’s shelves.

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FINDING PERFECT

By Elly Swartz         

Molly is a twelve year old girl who is a poet, a friend to many, a great student and a caring sister. However, she has a secret. Everything in her life must be perfect. Her glass animal collection must be spaced evenly on her desk, her hair must be combed an even amount of times, her food can’t touch another food, she washes her hands ten times before she eats and she silently counts everything by fours. (more)

 

OCD

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NEST

By Esther Ehrlich

I couldn’t put this touching book down and finished it easily in a day. Miss Ehrlich’s beautiful descriptions of the marshes made me feel like I was trudging through the woods and climbing the dunes with Chirp, the main character. more

grief

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Things that Surprise You

By Jennifer Maschari 

Emily is about to begin middle school and is feeling all of the usual angst that goes along with that. However, Emily has a lot of other issues to deal with and they all involve change.. Her parents have recently gotten divorced, her mother is working a lot more hours, her best friend is suddenly only interested in being on the field hockey team with lots of new friends and her older sister is living in a residential facility to help with her eating disorder. more

Sister with an eating disorder

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My LIfe in the fish tank

By Barbara Dee

Zinny is one of four children in a perfectly normal family who is living a perfectly normal life. Her brother Gabriel is 18 and about to begin college. Her sister Scarlett is 16, and then there’s her little brother Aiden who is in the third grade. Summer is ending, Gabriel is moving into his college dorm and the rest of her family is about to begin the new school year. Zinny and her two best friends (girls she’s been best friends with for years) walk to school together, talk about boys together and eat lunch together. So all is normal, until the night the phone call changes her family’s life to anything but normal. It’s the night they learn Gabriel wrecked his friend’s car and is in the hospital. It’s the night they learn he’s shouting crazy things in the ambulance and the emergency room. And it’s the night when, just maybe, he wrecked the car on purpose. And finally it’s the night Zinny’s family’s life became very, very different. more

Brother with bipolar depression

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the Science of breakable Things

By Tae Keller

This memorable middle grade book about friendships, family, science and mental illness is Natalie’s story about surviving seventh grade, finding a second best friend and most of all, gaining a better understanding of her mother’s depression. She helps us understand the fear that she may never find her old mom again and her desperation to do so. more

Mom with depression

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Bea is for Blended

By Lindsey Stoddard

Bea and her mom refer to themselves as Team Ember. It’s always just been the two of them in their townhome, plus Grandma Bea who takes care of Bea when her mom is at work, Aunt Tam (Bea’s second mom) who lives next door and Maximilian, her best friend. more

Anxiety

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THE SUMMER OF JUNE

By Jamie Sumner

June will be starting middle school in the fall, but first she has the magical summer ahead of her. June has been struggling with extreme anxiety for many years, but she’s determined to move on with the help of a caring counselor and a supportive, understanding mom. She knows she doesn’t want to be “the girl who pulls out her hair because of the anxious thoughts in her head or the nervous mouse girl who is scared all the time and runs from everything”. more

Anxiety

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No Fixed Address

By Susin Nielsen

Felix’s story will grab you from the very first page. We immediately feel his fear about being in a police station and being questioned by a kind, but nonetheless a police officer, about his iffy living arrangements and about his quirky, but loving mom. We learn about his astute P.O.O. (powers of observation) that help him to better understand the world around him. And then we learn a little more of Felix’s story about he and his mom have been living in a stolen van for the past four months more

Parent depression

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THINGS YOU CAN’T SAY

Parent suicide

Lasagna Means I Love you

Between the Lighthouse and You

grief

Where the Watermelons Grow

Parental schizophrenia

Sidetracked

Child with anxiety

Kat Greene Comes Clean

Parent with OCD

The War That Saved My Life

Child with PTSD

Each Tiny Spark

The True History of Lyndie B. Hawkins

Parent with PTSD

The Magical Imperfect 

Parent with depression; child with selective mutism

Good Enough

Child with eating disorder

Taking Up Space (Disordered Eating)

Child with disordered eating pattern; parent recovering from eating disorder

The Battle of Junk Mountain

Grandparent with hoarding disorder 

BREATHING UNDERWATER

OPERATION FROG EFFECT

vilonia beebee takes charge

THE YEAR WE FELL FROM SPACE

Family member’s depression

 

It’s July, and your kids have another month for summer reading (and maybe even time this fall!).They may be searching for some new titles and I just might have a solution. Instead of books from long ago, I’m focusing on books from the recent past. These titles are books I’ve reviewed and adored, but because they are older, you may not know about them. You may know the authors from their more recent books, but their earlier ones are books you’ll also want to know (and books you’ll find on your library’s shelves!). What are some of your favorites from the past? Please let us know in the comments.

The Space Between Lost and Found This story helps us to understand those diagnosed with Alzheimers, and how it affects everyone in the family.

The Boy at the Back of the Class a book that will help all who read it to understand the meaning of what a refugee truly is and how important it is that refugees are treated with respect and kindness

Dan Unmasked a story about comic books, superheroes, baseball, grief and most of all the power of friendship.

The Lonely Hearts of Maybelle Lane a story about friendship, family and gaining the understanding that taking care of someone else not only helps the recipient, but also yourself.

We Could Be Heroes this memorable tale about two delightful neurodivergent children who find friendship for the first time, will grab your heart

The List of Things That Will Not Change A book about divorce, step families, therapy, gay parents

Camp Clique story about friendship, acceptance and trust

Here In the Real World a touching tale of friendship, family, the knights’ code of chivalry and heroes. 

When I published my post Picture Book Gift Guide 2018 last week, I promised a middle grade version and here it is! These aren’t necessarily the best books of 2018, but these are the books that touched my heart, and even though I may have read them months ago, their stories are still there. Some of them may not have even been published this year, but I was lucky enough to discover them, read them and love them in 2018. The links are to the Good Reads listing of each book, where you will also find a link to purchase them at many different venues. Many were shared with me by the authors, publishers and Kid Lit Exchange. I am very grateful to all! So here we go in no particular order!

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On Christmas Eve by Ann Martin

We’ll begin with this lovely book, because this is one of my favorite middle grade December books to reread each year!

Tess truly believes in magic and that includes Santa Claus. And she has a secret. She’s going to meet him at midnight on Christmas Eve and thank him for all of the special gifts he has given her through the years. Her sister, who is in 6th grade,?cautions her that this can’t happen, but it must, because Tess has a very special Christmas wish. She wants Santa to help her best friend’s dad get well. This is a story about wishes, dreams, hope and friendship that gives you a very warm and cozy feeling. You’ll want to make it a family read aloud, if your little ones are a bit older. More

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The Reckless Club by Beth Vrabel

Do you fondly recall the movie, The Breakfast Club, from many years ago? If so, The Reckless Club, will bring those memories flooding back! more

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No Fixed Address by Susin Nielsen 

Felix’s story will grab you from the very first page. We immediately feel his fear about being in a police station and being questioned by a kind, but nonetheless a police officer, about his iffy living arrangements and about his quirky, but loving mom. We learn about his astute P.O.O. (powers of observation) that help him to better understand the world around him. More

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Harbor Me by Jacqueline Woodson

Oh, my! This is a book we all need to read. It’s a book that’s perfect for reading aloud to classes from grades 4-12. It’s a book for adults to share in book clubs. It’s both a heartbreaking and joyful story that tells us about six kids who come together, and despite so many hardships and differences, grow to fiercely love, respect and support each other. More

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In Your Shoes by Donna Gephart 

This is a story I will remember for a long time. It’s a story about twelve year olds, grandparents, grief, disabilities, anxiety, friendship and most of all love. More

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Finding Esme by Suzanne Crowley

Esme is twelve years old and lives on a peach farm in Texas with her stoic grandmother, her mother, who isn’t really aware of her or anything else, and her little brother. Until three years ago, her dad lived there, too, but then one day he said goodbye and never returned. Her grandpa also lived in their old farm house until three months ago when his heart simply stopped working. More

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Louisiana’s Way Home by Kate Dicamillo 

When you see the cover of Louisiana’s Way Home, created by Amy June Bates, you know you’re in for a treat. And then you see it’s written by Kate Dicamillo, so of course you know it’s going to be a book you’ll remember for a very long time. And it is! More

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DOG DAYS IN THE CITY BY JoDi KENDALL

I was so looking forward to visiting Josie and the Schilling family in their too small townhouse that’s full of love (when they aren’t in the midst of the usual sibling bickering) again and I wasn’t disappointed. This time all the familiar neighborhood characters return, including Josie’s best friends in The Three Stoops crew. More

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The truth as told by mason buttle by leslie connor 

Mason is in seventh grade, lives in a “tumbledown” with his grandma and his uncle (his mom died in a traffic accident years before), is very large for his age, has dyslexia and lost his best friend a little over a year ago. Mason and Benny were inseparable and stood together against the neighborhood bullies. More 

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where the watermelons grow BY CINDY BALDWIN

I absolutely loved this middle grade book! It’s definitely one of 2018 favorites! The imagery and the sense of place shines through on every page. The reader is transported to the small, close knit, coastal North Carolina town which is full of caring people who have known each other for most of their lives. More

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the vanderbeekers and the hidden garden by karina yan glaser 

Oh, I simply DID NOT want this book to end! From page one I was transported to a cozy brownstone in Harlem and entered the world of the Vanderbeeker’s. I felt the love and support all five kids have for one another, as well as the love they have for their neighbors who share their brownstone. More

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the right hook of devin velma by jake burt

Oh, my, Jake Burt, who wrote one of my favorite MG novels from 2017, Witness Protection, has done it again! This book definitely gets five stars! He has written a beautiful story about friendship, extended families and the impact that social media has on our lives. More 

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counting thyme by melanie conklin 

This is a heartfelt and important middle grade novel with a great sense of place that I can’t stop thinking about.✨
The Owens family left their home, their beloved grandma and their friends in San Diego, and abruptly moved to the very strange and unfamiliar world of New York City. The plan is to go home once Thyme’s beloved 5 year old brother, Val, completes his trial treatment for neuroblastoma at Memorial Sloane Kettering, but Mom and Dad are making no promises. More

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the last grand adventure by rebecca behrens

First of all, when I was growing up I always loved Amelia Earhart’s story and I always had the secret hope that she survived and was living happily somewhere on a desert island. When I began my freshman year at Purdue (where Amelia was a professor) and I found myself living in Amelia Earhart Hall, I was convinced it was a sign that my secret wish was true. So when I learned about The Last Grand Adventure, I knew I had to read it, and I wasn’t disappointed. More

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smart cookie by ellie swartz 

Frankie is a 6th grader with a best friend, Elliott, a dad, a gram, a beagle and a hedgehog who lives in her family’s B&B in Vermont. She and her dad are terrified of thunder and lightning, because her mom died while driving home one night during a storm. So since that time when Frankie was four years old, she, her dad and her gram have been living in and running the B&B. More 

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breakout by kate messner

It’s just two weeks until summer vacation and Nora and Lizzie can’t wait. That means just two weeks of homework and morning announcements until they can celebrate the last day of school with the annual field day. It also means the new girl to Wolf Creek Middle School, Elidee, only has to endure two weeks in this awful place, which is nothing like her old school in New York City. More

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rebound by kwame alexander 

Oh, my! This was my first Kwame Alexander book (I’m not certain why that is!), but it certainly won’t be my last. It’s another one of those stories you can’t stop reading, but you also don’t want to end. It is the prequel to the Newberry Award Winner, Crossover, and opens in 1988. More

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Finally I want to add a link to a great post about some books you’ll want to know about it!

Gift Guide: 18 Inspiring Books Young Girls Should Read in 2018

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I could include so many more titles, but I’ll stop here. Check on my Instagram account to find more of my favorites. And watch for one more post this year about chapter books and series suggestions, which is coming soon!

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REMEMBER, YOU CAN ALSO FIND ME ON:

INSTAGRAM @REDCANOEREADER

and

TWITTER @REDCANOEREADER

 

 

2018 is proving to be an amazing year for children’s literature. I’ve shared many of my favorites this spring and summer, but my list keeps growing! School may have started, but I hope you’ll still be taking trips to the library. Here are more favorite kids’ books to add to your list, or maybe your children will find them in their school libraries.

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be kind by pat Zietlow miller

We need so much more kindness in our world! A great place to start making this happen is during read alouds with our little ones. Be Kind is the perfect conversation starter! It not only tells the story of how kindness in a classroom can happen, but also in the neighborhood and at home. It helps children to understand that kindness is friendliness, patience and working to right a wrong. It can be a small gesture, or something more, that will lead to a greater kindness. I highly recommend this very special book be shared with children 3 – 8 years old, both in classrooms and home. It’s definitely one you’ll want to add to your family library.🌼

Kindness, empathy, friendship, school

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I Walk with Vanessa: A story about a simple act of kindness by Kerascoët

This charming wordless picture book won my heart when I saw the cover and after “reading” the story I knew I needed a copy of my own. It tells the story of a young girl who has just moved into the neighborhood and is new at school, a boy who isn’t very kind, and a teacher and classmates who show little empathy to the girl’s plight. No one asks her to join the class basketball game or sit with them. After school she’s left to walk home alone, ignored by all except one little boy who says some unkind things. Since it’s a wordless book, we don’t know what was said, but the colorful and expressive illustrations – especially the interaction of the two children which is contained within a bright red cloud of color, leave us no doubt as to what unkind words might have been said. We quickly realize no one has noticed the altercation, except for one little girl. She is obviously bothered by what she saw and shares her concern with her friends. Overnight she isn’t able to forget, and the sadness lingers during her happy family breakfast. But then she suddenly has an idea about how to help the little girl.

Your little ones will be able to find so many details in this book as you all retell the story over and over again.  The vivid illustrations of the characters’ expressions will leave no doubt in children’s minds about what they are thinking and feeling.They will recognize the familiar situation of a moving truck arriving and a new family moving in, whether they have moved themselves or they have a new neighbor. They will be able to imagine how a new girl feels, and they can theorize why someone might choose to bully a newcomer. The story will provide you with the perfect introduction to talk about what they can do to welcome newcomers to their neighborhood and school, about teasing, about name-calling and about being an ally, and especially about how one small act of kindness can mean so much.

The book offers a useful guide with suggestions about helping someone who is being bullied, as well as some helpful words to use during your discussions. And finally, don’t forget to notice the difference in the end papers from the beginning of the story to the end. Those alone are a wonderful thing to discuss with your children! I recommend this book be added to your home library, as well as to every public and school library for ages 4 – 7.

Kindness, empathy, friendship, school

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50 States Fun Facts: celebrate the people, places and food of the usa!

and the 50 states activities book 

by Gabrielle Balkan

Thank you to @kidlitexchange for sharing these books with me. All opinions are my own.
🚘
Are you going to be traveling this fall? If that includes a road trip, a flight or even the possibility of some rainy days, these books should definitely be in your suitcase! Both are exceptionally detailed guide books with colorful illustrations, which will help both you and your kids learn more about the cities or states you’re visiting, as well as plan your trip. You will learn fascinating, and sometimes obscure facts, as well as the usual facts we all learned when we studied the states and cities in elementary school. For example, did you know there is a tiger sanctuary in Missouri or that shark attacks in New Jersey inspired the movie, Jaws? The city guide will also help you find lots of special places to visit, that you might not know about. I especially loved reading the Portland guide which told me about The Beverly Cleary Sculpture Garden, Mount Tabor, (an extinct volcano), as well as their Art museum, Museum of Science and Industry and Holocaust Memorial. It makes me want to plan a trip soon! Both books also include detailed indexes to help you easily find what you’re looking for. The activity book even includes a fold-out map/poster and 50 stickers! These books would be great additions to your family library.

Activity books, geography, 

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the cure for cold feet: a novel in small moments by beth ain

Thank you to @kidlitexchange for sharing the review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
🌺
Izzy is in sixth grade. Not only is she navigating middle school, she’s also adjusting to her parents’ divorce, her father’s new fiance, her mother’s new girlfriend (who just happens to be the mother of one of the FOUR ANNOYING BOYS from elementary school) and her adored older brother who has dyed his hair blue and abandoned her for his own friends. 🌺
Both middle graders and middle school kids will find a lot of themselves in this wonderful novel in verse. They will find much reassurance to learn their struggles with friendship, first crushes and family issues are not unusual, but actually very normal. I especially loved the relationship between Izzy and her mom. It made me think this would be a perfect story to partner read with your daughter. It provides so many opportunities to begin a conversation about the angsts of growing up, as well as to share many laughs. 🌺
I highly recommend The Cure for Cold Feet. This is a book that needs to be added to both elementary and middle school libraries.

Novel in verse, middle school, divorce, friendship, family 

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where the watermelon grows by cindy baldwin

Thank you to the author for a review copy of this middle grade book. All opinions are my own.

I absolutely loved this middle grade book! It’s definitely one of my 2018 favorites! The imagery and the sense of place shines through on every page. The reader is transported to the small, close knit, coastal North Carolina town which is full of caring people who have known each other for most of their lives. You feel the heat and humidity as they struggle to survive the drought that is threatening their livelihoods. And Baldwin’s vivid descriptions of the characters make them come alive. You feel their kindness and their eagerness to help one another. You know exactly how they look, and what their passions are. This provides a great foundation for the important story about Della and her family.
🍉
Della is twelve years old and yearns to have a “normal” mom who gives her hugs, doesn’t worry that many of her favorite foods will make her sick and isn’t a germ aphobic. However, Della’s mom suffers from schizophrenia, so Della never quite knows what to expect from Mama. Mama has been better for a few years, but Della and her daddy begin to realize, that in addition to their need to deal with the record breaking heat and drought that is threatening their farm, they must also face the fact that she is suffering a relapse; a fact they strive to keep secret from everyone, even Della’s grandparents.
🍉
My heart ached for Della as she blamed herself for Mama’s illness, wondered if she, too, would suffer from schizophrenia when she was older and tried her best to keep the family secret. She felt completely alone, even though many neighbors reached out to help.
🍉
This is such an important story. So many families are living with a similar situation, and they, like Della’s family are keeping it a secret. But as Della’s daddy tells her after her mama returns to the hospital, schizophrenia is an illness like cancer is and they shouldn’t be ashamed. Most importantly, when the secret is shared with friends and loved ones, families will learn they are surrounded by so many caring people who want to help, just as Della learned about the kindness, support and understanding that was right there for her, if she would just accept it. People who not only would give her a hug, but would help her to understand that she was not at fault, that Mama will always have her good and bad days, but that her Mama will always love her. This is a book that should be in every elementary and middle school collection, as well as in the offices of school and hospital counselors. It offers a mirror to the kids in this situation; a mirror they need so badly.

Kindness, mental health, family, community, schizophrenia

what are some favorites you’ve found this summer? Please share them with
all of us in the comments below!

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REMEMBER, YOU CAN ALSO FIND ME ON:

INSTAGRAM @REDCANOEREADER

and

TWITTER @REDCANOEREADER