Below you'll find books with characters / real people living with mental health issues. For print books in the SHS Learning Commons, see Ms. Melbourne, Ms. McCullough, or Ms. Reishus if you need help locating copies. To access eBooks & audiobooks in MackinVia, log in with your school credentials. To access print, eBooks, & audiobooks through the Scott County Library, use your Virtual Student Library Card.
(Don't) Call Me Crazy by
Presents a collection of personal essays from thirty-three people--including actors, writers, artists, and athletes--who struggle with mental health issues, speaking to their own experiences which differ from one another widely.
The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B by
Adam not only is trying to understand his OCD, while trying to balance his relationship with his divorced parents, but he's also trying to navigate through the issues that teenagers normally face, namely the perils of young love.
American Road Trip by
Some hard hits take Teodoro "T" Avila down the summer before his senior year, not least of which being his beloved older brother Manny returning from tour in Iraq with severe PTSD. Desperate to save Manny from himself and to heal his family, T's fiery sister, Xochitl, tricks her brothers into going on a road trip with one another.
Before I Let Go by
Returning to her small Alaska home town after her bipolar best friend's death, Corey uncovers chilling secrets about the townspeople and their treatment of Kyra prior to her drowning.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by
Charlie, a freshman in high school, explores the dilemmas of growing up through a collection of letters he sends to an unknown receiver.
Educated by
A memoir about a young girl who, kept out of school, leaves her survivalist family and goes on to earn a PhD from Cambridge University.
The Weight of Zero by
A seventeen-year-old suffering from bipolar disease wants to commit suicide, but a meaningful relationship and the care of a gifted psychiatrist alter her perception of her diagnosis as a death sentence.
The Memory of Light by
When Victoria Cruz wakes up in the psychiatric ward of a Texas hospital after her failed suicide attempt, she still has no desire to live, but as the weeks pass, and she meets Dr. Desai and three of the other patients, she begins to reflect on the reasons why she feels like a loser compared with the rest of her family, and to see a path ahead where she can make a life of her own.
More Happy Than Not by
After enduring his father's suicide, his own suicide attempt, broken friendships, and more in the Bronx projects, Aaron Soto, sixteen, is already considering the Leteo Institute's memory-alteration procedure when his new friendship with Thomas turns to unrequited love.
Fans of the Impossible Life by
At Saint Francis Prep school in Mountain View, New Jersey, Mira, Jeremy, and Sebby come together as they struggle with romance, bullying, foster home and family problems, and mental health issues.
All the Bright Places by
Told in alternating voices, when Theodore Finch and Violet Markey meet on the ledge of the bell tower at school, both teetering on the edge, it's the beginning of an unlikely relationship, a journey to discover the "natural wonders" of the state of Indiana, and two teens' desperate desire to heal and save one another.
Skim by
A black-and-white graphic novel in which Skim describes her experiences with depression, identity crisis, peer groups, and finding her own unique human self.
Darius the Great Is Not Okay by
Clinically-depressed Darius Kellner, a high school sophomore, travels to Iran to meet his grandparents, but it is their next-door neighbor, Sohrab, who changes his life.
Down and Across by
Sixteen-year-old Iranian American Scott Ferdowsi has a history of quitting things and he has no idea what he wants to do with his life. His parents want him to choose a career and apply for college. But when they visit Iran for a month and leave him home to focus on his internship, Scott skips town and travels to Washington, D.C. to visit a famous professor for advice about success. There he meets college student Fiora Buchanan who writes crossword puzzles. During Scott's summer of freedom, he finds answers about who he is and what he wants in unexpected places.
Before I Let Go by
Returning to her small Alaska home town after her bipolar best friend's death, Corey uncovers chilling secrets about the townspeople and their treatment of Kyra prior to her drowning.
All the Bright Places (eBook) by
Told in alternating voices, when Theodore Finch and Violet Markey meet on the ledge of the bell tower at school, both teetering on the edge, it's the beginning of an unlikely relationship, a journey to discover the "natural wonders" of the state of Indiana, and two teens' desperate desire to heal and save one another.
Skim by
A black-and-white graphic novel in which Skim describes her experiences with depression, identity crisis, peer groups, and finding her own unique human self.
How It Feels to Float by
Sixteen-year-old Biz sees her father every day, though he died when she was seven. When he suddenly disappears, she tumbles into a disaster-land of grief and depression from which she must find her way back.
Under Rose-Tainted Skies by
Will teenaged Norah, who is struggling with agoraphobia and OCD, accept that she could be the right one for sweet, funny Luke?
Norah has agoraphobia and OCD. She meets Luke when her groceries are left on the porch, and she can't even step out to get them. As their friendship grows deeper, Norah realizes Luke deserves a normal girl. One who can lie on the front lawn and look up at the stars. One who isn't so screwed up. Can she let him go, or will she find the strength to face her demons?
It's Kind of a Funny Story by
A humorous account of a New York City teenager's battle with depression and his time spent in a psychiatric hospital.
I Have Lost My Way by
Around the time that Freya loses her voice while recording her debut album, Harun is making plans to run away from everyone he has ever loved, and Nathaniel is arriving in New York City with a backpack, a desperate plan, and nothing left to lose. When a fateful accident draws these three strangers together, their secrets start to unravel as they begin to understand that the way out of their own loss might just lie in helpƯing the others out of theirs.
Turtles All the Way Down by
It all begins with a fugitive billionaire and the promise of a cash reward. Turtles All the Way Down is about lifelong friendship, the intimacy of an unexpected reunion, Star Wars fan fiction, and tuatara. But at its heart is Aza Holmes, a young woman navigating daily existence within the ever-tightening spiral of her own thoughts.
Marbles by
Cartoonist Ellen Forney explores the relationship between “crazy” and “creative” in this graphic memoir of her bipolar disorder, woven with stories of famous bipolar artists and writers.