Books to Read During Mental Health Awareness Month

Books to Read During Mental Health Awareness Month

In observation of Mental Health Awareness Month, HarperCollins Children’s Books offers a sneak peek of our list of upcoming titles promoting mindfulness and greater understanding of mental illness.

My Magic Breath: Finding Calm Through Mindful Breathing written & illustrated by Nick Ortner

9780062687760. $17.99. Ages 4-8. On Sale 5/15/2018.

From New York Times bestselling author Nick Ortner comes a beautiful picture book that will help children discover calm through the magic of mindful breathing. Sometimes it’s hard to feel happy. But with this interactive picture book, children breathe along as they learn how to make angry or sad thoughts disappear. In a world that is sometimes too busy, with too many things going on, My Magic Breath will help steer children into a serene space of mindfulness, self-awareness, and balance. A wonderful classroom and naptime story, this book is perfect for fans of Susan Verde’s I Am Yoga and I Am Peace, Mariam Gates’s Good Night Yoga, and Deborah Underwood’s The Quiet Book.

Stanley Will Probably Be Fine by Sally J. Pla & illustrated by Steve Wolfhard

9780062445797. $16.99. Ages 8-12. On Sale 2/6/2018.

Nobody knows comics trivia like Stanley knows comics trivia. It’s what he takes comfort in when the world around him gets to be too much. And after he faints during a safety assembly, Stanley takes his love of comics up a level by inventing his own imaginary superhero, named John Lockdown, to help him through. Help is what he needs, because Stanley’s entered Trivia Quest—a giant comics-trivia treasure hunt—to prove he can tackle his worries, score VIP passes to Comic Fest, and win back his ex-best friend. Partnered with his fearless new neighbor Liberty, Stanley faces his most epic, overwhelming, challenging day ever. What would John Lockdown do? Stanley’s about to find out. This funny and moving second novel from the author of The Someday Birds features comic trivia, a safety superhero, and a super-cool scavenger hunt all over downtown San Diego, as our young hero Stanley Fortinbras grapples with his anxiety—and learns what, exactly, it means to be brave.

“The story never dumbs down or oversimplifies Stanley; he’s a multidimensional character of great depth who gradually learns how to calm his worried mind…. Add to the growing list of intelligent books about kids whose brains operate outside the norm.” – Kirkus Reviews

Light Filters In: Poems by Caroline Kaufman & illustrated by Yelena Bryksenkova

9780062844682. $14.99. Ages 13 & Up. On Sale 6/5/2018.

In the vein of poetry collections like Milk and Honey and Adultolescence, this compilation of short, powerful poems from teen Instagram sensation @poeticpoison perfectly captures the human experience. In Light Filters In, Caroline Kaufman—known as @poeticpoison—does what she does best: reflects our own experiences back at us and makes us feel less alone, one exquisite and insightful piece at a time. She writes about giving up too much of yourself to someone else, not fitting in, endlessly Googling “how to be happy,” and ultimately figuring out who you are. This hardcover collection features completely new material plus some fan favorites from Caroline's account. Filled with haunting, spare pieces of original art, Light Filters In will thrill existing fans and newcomers alike.