Resilience Week + Mental Health Awareness Month

This week is Resilience Week, and we are again partnering with Greater Richmond SCAN to share titles for young readers that celebrate and uplift stories of resilience. This is also the first week of Mental Health Awareness Month, and we want to share library resources that can additionally support mental health and wellness. Read on to learn more about Resilience Week, and explore recommendations from our librarians.

There were so many great books featuring stories of resilience published this past year. Here are a few of our favorites for children and teens:

I Am Every Good Thing by Derrick Barnes, illustrated by Gordon C. James, Grades Pre-K+
A Girl Named Rosita: The Story of Rita Moreno: Actor, Singer, Dancer, Trailblazer! by Anika Aldamuy Denise, illustrated by Leo Espinosa, Grades Pre-K+ 
There Must Be More Than That by Shinsuke Yoshitake, Grades K+
I Talk Like a River by Jordan Scott, illustrated by Sydney Smith, Grades 1+
How to Solve a Problem: The Rise (and Falls) of a Rock-Climbing Champion by Ashima Shiraishi, Grades 1+
Fighting Words by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, Grades 5+
We Are Not Free by Traci Chee, Grades 7+

Last year’s post also has some amazing titles! Check them out here. If you are interested in learning more about Greater Richmond SCAN and resilience week, you can visit their website and check out their virtual library.

Mental Health Resources

Mental health is an important aspect of your overall well-being. For Mental Health Awareness Month, we wanted to share some resources to support your information needs.

Teen Health and Wellness – This comprehensive database provides teens (and those who care about teens) with research support and self-help on issues important to their well-being. Student-friendly articles make complex topics understandable and give insight into the teen experience. Teens can submit their own questions and user-created content to get a personalized experience.

Medline Plus - The National Library of Medicine brings you information about diseases, conditions, and wellness issues in language you can understand. Learn about the latest treatments, look up information on a drug or supplement, find out the meanings of words, or view medical videos or illustrations. You can also get links to the latest medical research on your topic or find out about clinical trials on a disease or condition.

Gale Health and Wellness – This revolutionary resource answers the need for a fully integrated, ever-growing electronic resource center for all levels of health research. Rely on the Health & Wellness Resource Center for instant access to carefully compiled medical reference and periodical materials that your users can trust.

Our librarians are always happy to help you navigate these resources, as well as help you find books in our collection.

We have several previous posts with our favorite books about health and wellness:

For adults, our posts “Taking Care of Yourself” and “Resources for a Healthy New Year” have a great selection of titles focused on healthy routines, mindfulness, and supporting your wellbeing. For little ones, check out “Embracing Differences in Yourself: Building Self-Esteem" and “Unwind Before You Unravel”.

And here are some recently published non-fiction titles that address mental health issues:

You Are Your Best Thing: Vulnerability, Shame Resilience, and the Black Experience by Tarana Burke and Brené Brown
Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb
Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Amelia Nagoski and Emily Nagoski
Why We Can’t Sleep: Women’s New Midlife Crisis by Ada Calhoun
Good Morning, I Love You: Mindfulness and Self-compassion Practices to Rewire your Brain for Calm, Clarity + Joy by Shauna L. Shapiro
How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy by Jenny Odell
Anxiety Relief for Teens: Essential CBT Skills and Mindfulness Practices to Overcome Stress and Anxiety by Regine Galanti

For more book recommendations, try using My Next Read! Just fill out a quick form and our librarians will create a book list just for you.