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5 Great Books that Discuss Mental Health

5 Great Books That Discuss Mental Health

So you want a new book but don’t know where to start. Maybe science fiction is too “fiction” but you don’t want to read historical books. Whatever the occasion, here are a list of books that cover mental health but also have touching plots and real life issues.

Counting by 7’s

By: Holly Goldberg Sloan

Holly Goldberg Sloan’s Counting by 7’s  follows “gifted” Willow Chance as she deals with life as an accident strikes and changes her life. The book covers grief, intense family situations, and more as the sunny California setting hides the serious plot it contains.

Out of My Mind

By: Sharon M. Draper

Sharon M. Draper’s Melody Brooks was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, a condition that renders her body physically disabled but her mind fully intact. Out of My Mind surrounds Melody as she deals with the everyday challenges that come with her illness but also the ordinary challenges that arrive as she deals with middle school.

A Mango-Shaped Space

By: Wendy Mass

A Mango-Shaped Space is a novel about Mia Winchell, a girl with synesthesia, which forces her brain to confuse signals and mix words, colors, and more. The novel includes topics such as dealing with mental health, grief, and feeling like no one understands.

Dumplin’

By: Julie Murphy

Julie Murphy’s Willowdean from her novel Dumplin‘, is a high schooler in a small Texas town that’s existences surrounds the annual beauty pageant. Willowdean’s journey deals with body confidence, mental health, and finding friends in unlikely places.

For a bonus: a movie based on the book recently arrived on Netflix!

The Art of Not Falling Apart

By: Christina Patterson

Updated February 2023

In The Art of Not Falling Apart, Christina Patterson weaves a book in which she writes a self help book after being frustrated by all other self help books. The book looks at mental health from a different perspective and covers a range of different topics.

These are just a few suggestions, check them out, and if you have another favorite-drop it in the comments!

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1 Comment

  • Saniya Vaish

    These are some good reccomendations!

    February 27, 2023 at 7:58 pm
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