Next time you see the doctor for a checkup, there’s a chance you could come away with a prescription for reading. A new project has been launched across the country encouraging GPs to prescribe certain books to teenagers suffering from mental health issues.
The new Reading Well for Young People campaign is aimed at 13-18 year olds, and GPs, counsellors and school nurses will all be able to recommend books from a pretty comprehensive list of both fiction and non-fiction titles (35 in all), which were selected with the help of a group of six young volunteers.
With stress from school, friends, family and social networks all becoming part of everyday life for many teens, there’s been a massive increase in teenagers suffering from mental health problems over recent years. The Reading Agency, who launched this new campaign, estimate that one in 10 teenagers now suffer from mental illness. Alongside this increase, there have been growing worries that teens just aren’t getting the help that they need.
While settling down and losing yourself in a good book can feel like a necessary escape for lots of us, this new scheme suggests that reading about certain things can actually help us deal with the world. Many of the books on the list explore topics such as depression and anxiety, as well as friendship struggles, bullying and identity. But crucially, they’re all written for teens. It’s hoped that reading these books could help provide support to those struggling with mental health issues.
You can see the complete list of fiction books on the list below. For the full list of both fiction and non-fiction books and more information on the scheme click here.
1. Quiet the Mind by Matthew Johnstone
2. I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson
3. Kite Spirit by Sita Brahmachari
4. House of Windows by Alexia Casale
5. Every Day by David Levithan
5. The Perks of Being a Walflower by Stephen Chbosky
6. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon
7. Face by Benjamin Zephaniah
8. Tyranny by Lesley Fairfield
9. The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B by Teresa Toten
Reading Well for Young People scheme is delivered by The Reading Agency in partnership with the Society of Chief Librarians and the Association of Senior Children’s and Education Librarians. For further information about the scheme and the recommended reading list of 35 books visit http://reading-well.org.uk. All the books are available from libraries across the UK.
What do you think of the books on the list? Have any of them helped you recover from or deal with mental illness? What other books would you put on the list?
Let us know by email childrens.books@theguardian.com or on Twitter @GdnChildrensBks and we’ll share what you say on this blog.
Ilana, via email
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
The Mozart Season by Virginia Wolff
This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen
Noumana, via email
The Shock of the Fall
Room.
These books were quite realistic and delved into the depths of the person’s mind, making you understand and empathise with them more. They also have a bittersweet and hopeful ‘aftertaste’ which I believe relates more to me as a reader and does portray a positive message which is always good.
Using books as a means for escapism also; I like to look at fantasy books such as The Throne of Glass, Harry Potter, Mortal Instruments, Percy Jackson, the Grisha trilogy and The Hunger Games.
