6 books with a mental health theme
Published on: 03 February 2025
Me and My Brian author Helen Rutter recommends some excellent stories that explore mental health.
All of my books have mental and emotional health themes running through them and that's because it is impossible for those themes not to emerge when you are trying to write authentic stories about kids who are dealing with real things.
School is hard, whether it is trying to fit in, not feeling bright enough, or struggling with a diagnosis that makes the school environment feel impossible. Home is difficult – separating from parents, conflicts, and siblings. Then we have the joys of hormones and mobile phones to add into this heady mix of life as a kid.
It is no wonder that the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services are completely overwhelmed; this stuff is really tricky to navigate.
In stories, if we can read about kids doing just that – navigating these difficult situations, feeling the delicate nature of their mental health, and finding ways to build strength and resilience – then surely that can help our kids too?
My book Me and My Brian, illustrated by Claudia Petrazzi, tackles mental health head-on. Josh calls his brain Brian, and sometimes Brian stops being helpful and giving Josh good ideas or answers for his tests and gets a little bit louder and ruder and tries to bring Josh down. When he goes to stay with his grandma, Josh discovers that everyone has struggles with their Brian and realises that he doesn't always have to listen to what Brian is saying.
I hope there are techniques in the story that children can take away and use, but mostly I hope that they connect with Josh and his Brian and start to tune into their own thoughts and know they can choose how to respond to them.
Here are some great books that have mental health themes running through them:
- When I See Blue by Lily Bailey: This book offers an insight into OCD and sparked some interesting conversations with my daughter.
- See You in the Cosmos by Jack Cheng: An absorbing and quirky road trip story with a great main character who is dealing with big questions.
- A Kind of Spark by Elle McNicoll: The story takes you into the mind of Addie, a young autistic girl who finds a connection with the women who were once tried as witches in her village.
- Wonder by R J Palacio: I wept buckets reading Auggie's story and I wasn't the only one. Wonder is obviously a huge success around the world and the empathy it builds is a large reason why.
- Skellig by David Almond: A magical and moving story about a boy and an unlikely angel.
- The Rollercoaster Boy by Lisa Thompson: An adventure story with mystery and heart. A sensitive portrayal of a parent with bipolar disorder.
Me and My Brian by Helen Rutter, illustrated by Claudia Petrazzi, is out now.
More books about mental health to try
Looking for more stories that could help children to explore mental health and wellbeing? Explore our booklists.
Supporting a healthy mind
We've put together a selection of picture books that can help young children to start to understand mental health, support a healthy mind, and supply useful strategies.
Books to support mental health awareness for readers under 9
Books that acknowledge or explore mental health issues can help to increase awareness, encourage dialogue, reduce stigma and develop real understanding. The following books are aimed at readers who are in their first few years of school, and they are perfect for sharing.
Book to support mental health awareness for ages 8 and over
Books that acknowledge or explore mental health issues can help to increase awareness, encourage dialogue, reduce stigma and develop real understanding. The following suggestions offer a spectrum of different perspectives and are well worth seeking out.
Topics: 6-8 years, 9-11 years, Mental health, Features