Mental illnesses are common, yet the stigma of discussions around mental health remains. We hope this compilation inspires conversations about mental health, whether you are a professor looking to round out a syllabus or someone hoping to better understand your own experiences. Read on to discover study guides for fiction and nonfiction titles spanning a variety of important topics, such as suicide, schizophrenia, depression and anxiety, trauma, and bipolar disorder.
Publication year 1997
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Emotions/Behavior: Fear
Tags Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Mental Illness, Religion / Spirituality, Self Help
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family
Tags Romance, Mental Illness, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
When We Collided is a young adult novel written by Emery Lord and published in 2016. The novel explores themes of mental illness, grief, and familial bonds. Lord presents the story to her readers through alternating chapters between two characters: Vivi and Jonah. They are the main protagonists of the novel who find themselves in a summer romance that changes them forever. Through their bond, both Jonah and Vivi learn more about themselves, their families... Read When We Collided Summary
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Fate
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Romance, Magical Realism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Relationships, Mental Illness, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth
Tags Mental Illness, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1994
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health
Tags Self Help, Psychology, Religion / Spirituality, Philosophy, Health / Medicine, Psychology, Philosophy, Mental Illness
Publication year 2023
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Grief
Tags Mental Illness, Psychology, Grief / Death, Depression / Suicide
Publication year 2009
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Mental Health, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, Gothic Literature, LGBTQ, Magical Realism, Race / Racism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Mental Illness, History: European, Immigration / Refugee, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Religion / Spirituality
White Is for Witching, published in 2009, is Helen Oyeyemi’s third novel, for which she received the Somerset Maugham Award. A finalist for the Shirley Jackson Award, White Is for Witching explores both traditional horror and the horrors of racism. Oyeyemi’s novels often center the experience of historically marginalized groups, which perhaps reflects her own background as a Nigerian-born English citizen who attended Cambridge University. White Is for Witching frames histories of racism as supernatural... Read White Is for Witching Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Courage
Tags Psychology, Self Help, Education, Education, Science / Nature, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Mental Illness, Health / Medicine
Publication year 1993
Genre Reference/Text Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Psychology, Science / Nature, Self Help, Health / Medicine, Psychology, Mental Illness
Publication year 2009
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Natural World: Food, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Relationships: Fathers, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Realistic Fiction, Mental Illness, Grief / Death, Depression / Suicide, Modern Classic Fiction
Wintergirls is a young-adult novel by Laurie Halse Anderson published in 2009 by Penguin Books. Wintergirls is the winner of the 2010 Milwaukee County Teen Book Award and has received several other award nominations. Wintergirls follows the mental health journey of Lia Overbrook as she attempts recovery from anorexia, depression, and other mental health issues. Lia spends the weeks during Thanksgiving and Christmas struggling to gain closure over her former best friend Cassie’s death. Lia... Read Wintergirls Summary
Publication year 2020
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Natural World: Environment, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Identity: Femininity, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Identity: Mental Health
Tags Psychology, Health / Medicine, Self Help, Science / Nature, Psychology, Mental Illness
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Sexuality, Relationships: Mothers
Tags Romance, Mental Illness, Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy
Publication year 2019
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Life/Time: Aging, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Joy
Tags Self Help, Psychology, Gender / Feminism, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Sociology, Psychology, Mental Illness, Health / Medicine
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Realistic Fiction, Romance, Psychological Fiction, Mental Illness, Bullying, Depression / Suicide, Love / Sexuality, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Words on Bathroom Walls by Julia Walton follows a 16-year-old boy with schizophrenia as he navigates mental illness, life at a new school, and a clinical drug trial. The book won the Yalsa Best Fiction for Young Adults award in 2018 and was a nominee for the Rhode Island Teen Book award. Roadside Attractions released a feature film of the same name based on the book in August 2020. This guide follows the 2017 Random... Read Words on Bathroom Walls Summary
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Education, Education, Realistic Fiction, Gender / Feminism, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Mental Illness, Trauma / Abuse / Violence
In the juvenile fiction novel Wrecked, Maria Padian portrays a timely narrative about sexual assault on college campuses. Her careful treatment of this subject earned the text several awards, including the Fall 2016 Kids’ Indie Next Pick, the Maine Lupine Honor Award, and the Maine Literary Award. Originally published in hardcover in 2017 by Algonquin Young Readers, Wrecked also received positive recognition from Booklist, Book Riot, Kirkus Reviews, and the School Library Journal, among others.Plot... Read Wrecked Summary
Publication year 2021
Genre Essay Collection, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health
Tags Race / Racism, Social Justice, Psychology, Self Help, Psychology, Mental Illness
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Realistic Fiction, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Mental Illness
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Romance, Modern Classic Fiction, Mental Illness, Humor