#endthestigma

Turtles All the Way Down

“Green finds the language to describe the indescribable. . . . A must-read for those struggling with mental illness, or for their friends and family.”

—San Francisco Chronicle

Does is ever seem to you like a lot of people recently started suffering from anxiety out of nowhere?

Except that they didn’t. Because you know and we know that anxiety is not a trend, and it’s not an “attention-thing” either.

It’s just that we’re finally talking about it.

“There is hope, even when your brain tells you there isn’t.”

—John Green, Turtles All the Way Down

John Green’s Turtles All the Way Down is a great read to keep us talking about it.

I Have Lost My Way

“Elegant and understated . . . A celebration of the lifesaving power of human connection.”

–Publishers Weekly, starred review

A beautiful tale to highlight the power of togetherness and understanding that no one has to struggle alone.

“To be the holder of other people’s loss is to be the keeper of their love. To share your loss with people is another way of giving your love.”
—Gayle Forman, I Have Lost My Way

Darius the Great Is Not Okay

“This is an incredible story of friendship, family, and identity that you absolutely won’t regret reading.”
—Buzzfeed

Darius’s journey explores quiet and often overlooked issues of self-esteem, identity, and depression. Darius the Great is Not Okay and honestly neither are we after reading this sweet, hilarious, and heartbreaking story.

“It’s okay not to be okay.”

—Adib Khorram

Still Life with Tornado

“Read this book, whatever your age. You may find it’s the exact shape and size of the hole in your heart.”

–The New York Times

Sarah is a sixteen-year-old artist in the midst of chaos, violence, and possibly an existential crisis, and she has some important things to say.

“Pretty much nobody on Earth takes me seriously. And yet, on the inside I know there is something wrong enough that someone should be taking it seriously. Maybe it starts with me. Maybe I have to take it seriously first.” 
― A.S. King, Still Life with Tornado

Mosquitoland

“David Arnold’s sparkling, startling, laugh-out-loud debut. . . speaks to the sweetness of life, the courage of love and the blinkers that adolescents may need to remove to see what is truly around them.”

 —Wall Street Journal

In this coming of age tale, Mim redefines what love, loyalty, and even sanity truly mean to her on an unforgettable road trip to self-discovery.

“I’m feeling reckless – or honest, maybe. Sometimes, it’s hard to tell the difference.”
― David Arnold, Mosquitoland

All the Bright Places

“Ultimately, the book, with narration that alternates between Finch and Violet, becomes Violet’s story of survival and recovery, affirming the value of loving deeply, grieving openly, and carrying your light forward.”

—The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

All the Bright Places is a hard-hitting portrayal of depression and anxiety and the journey to hope and recovery.

“The problem with people is they forget that most of the time it’s the small things that count.”
―Jennifer Niven, All the Bright Places

Highly Illogical Behavior

“At a time when young adult literature is actively picking away at the stigma of mental illness, Whaley carves off a healthy chunk with style, sensitivity and humor. . . . ELECTRIFYING.”

—The New York Times Book Review

It’s more than a hashtag. Let’s end the stigma. This story about friendship, mental illness, and acceptance is a must-read for mental health awareness.

He was afraid of the world, afraid it would find a way to swallow him up. But, maybe everyone was sometimes.
― John Corey Whaley, Highly Illogical Behavior

Hold Still 

“The book is written with honesty, revealing one’s pain after the loss of a loved one.” 

–School Library Journal

Many of us have experienced loss of someone dear in our lives. A story of loss, hope, and recovery, Hold Still is a captivating conversation-starter in the fight to end the stigma.

“There are so many things that I want so badly to tell you but I just can’t.”
― Nina LaCour, Hold Still

Wintergirls

“A fearless, riveting account of a young woman in the grip of a deadly illness.”

—New York Times Book Review

Mental illness takes many forms, some subtle, some noticeable, and others entirely invisible. Wintergirls takes a deep dive into the desperate world of eating disorders and body image.

“I am beginning to measure myself in strength, not pounds. Sometimes in smiles.”
―Laurie Halse Anderson, Wintergirls

My Heart and Other Black Holes

“At times poignant, bitter, and funny, this narrative captures [a] unique voice that questions what it means to die—and to live.”

—ALA Booklist (starred review)

Jasmine Warga’s heartbreaking debut explores Aysel’s journey to overcoming inner darkness and finding the strength to shine her light to others.

“I will be stronger than my sadness.”
― Jasmine Warga, My Heart and Other Black Holes