Our thanks to those of you able to join us for our second book club meeting for 2021 to discuss books that are useful for exploring issues of emotional and mental wellbeing with our students. Some of the titles discussed are useful resources, others are novels that explore characters dealing with issues around their own emotional and mental wellbeing, or that of a friend or family member. As always, so many of you had so many wonderful contributions to share with us, and it is very appreciated.
Below is the list of titles and series shared and discussed. Some titles may have an indicated suitable age range next to each title, however this is merely a guide and we encourage you to use your own judgement, as you know your students best.
We look forward to seeing you at our next meeting on Wednesday May 19th to discuss Graphic Novels.
Disclaimer: The lists generated as a result of Book Club discussions are not, by any means, an exhaustive list of all titles or authors for each genre/category discussed. Nor will all titles be suitable for all libraries. We advise staff discretion when referencing these lists, to properly confirm individual title suitability for individual libraries, school and students needs. These are suggested titles only, shared by our members and inclusion on, or exclusion from, a list does not suggest SLAV endorsement or rejection of a title.
Picture Books/ Younger Readers/ Middle Grade
Sometimes Cake by Edwina Wyatt
Angry Arthur by Hiawyn Oram
Tabitha and the Raincloud by Devon Sillett
I Am Yoga by Susan Verde and Peter Reynolds
No One But You by Douglas Wood
The Whirlpool by Emily Larkin
Jump by Andrew Plant
Good Night Ivy Bright by Ben Long and Andrew Plant
Willy and the Cloud by Anthony Browne
Mr Huff by Anna Walker
The Don’t Worry Book by Todd Parr
The Feelings Book by Todd Parr
Talking About Feelings by Janine Sanders
Me Time by Jessica Sanders
When I’m Feeling Angry by Trace Moroney
Hey Warrior by Karen Young
The Red Tree by Shaun Tan
Blue Flower by Sonya Hartnett
The Elephant by Peter Carnavas
Smiling Mind Series Books
What To Do With a Problem by Kobi Yamada
Trying by Kobi Yamada
The Invisible String by Patrice Karst
The Sad Book by Michael Rosen
Jetty Jumping by Andrea Rowe
Sick Bay by Nova Weetman
Edge of Thirteen by Nova Weetman
Secrets We Share by Nova Weetman
Pie in the Sky by Remy Lai
Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
All of Raina Telgemeier’s graphic novels are very popular with Year 5-7s.
The Little Wave by Pip Harry
Older Readers and Young Adults
Mosquitoland by David Arnold
The Happiest Refugee by Anh Do
The Happiest Man on Earth by Eddie Jaku
Hero At Dunkirk (My True Story Series) by Vince Cross
Fighting Invisible Tigers: Stress Management for Teens By Earl Hipp
Leave Taking Lorraine Marwood
The Odd Ones Out by James Rallison
The Worry Less Book by Rachel Bryan
History is all You Left Me by Adam Silvera
More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera
All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven
The Perks of Being a Wallflower Stephen Chbosky
Turtles All the Way Down by John Green
Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon
Darius The Great is Not Ok by Addib Khorram
Highly Illogical Behaviour by John Corey Whaley
The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness
The Unlikely Hero of Room 13 B by Teresa Toten
The Dead I Know by Scott Gardner
Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta
The Surprising Power of a Good Dumpling Wai Chim
Tiger Daughter by Rebecca Lim
Good Selfie by Turia Pitt
The Sad Ghost Club – graphic novel by Lize Meddings
The Teenage Guide to Friends by Nicola Morgan (other titles The Teenage Guide to Stress
The Teenage Guide to Life Online)
The Awesome Power of Sleep
Blame My Brain
More Than a Kick by Tayla Harris
Paper Cranes Don’t Fly by Peter Vu
The Fault In Our Stars by John Green
The REsilience Project: Finding Happiness through gratitude empathy & mindfulness by Hugh Van Cuylenburg
Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott, Tobias Iaconis, Mikki Daughtry
Zac and Mia by A.J Betts
Helicopter Man by Elizabeth Fensham
Challenger Deep by Neal Schusterman
Cracked by Claire Strawn
How It Feels to Float by Helena Fox
Unexpected Find by Tony Ibbotson
Beautiful Mess by Claire Christian
The Thing About Oliver by Debra Kelly
The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise by Dan Gemeinhart
Diary of a Young Naturalist by Dana McAnulty
Please Don’t Hug Me by Kay Kerr
To This Day by Shane Koyczan
The Gaps by Leanne Hall
The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse by Charlie Mackesy
The Boy Who Steals Houses by C.G. Drews
What We Are Reading
The Loudness of Unsaid Things by Hilde Hinton
Angel of Waterloo by Jackie French
The Dilemma by B.A. Paris
The Truth About Her by Jacqueline Maley
Infinite Splendours by Sophie Laguna
The Birdman’s Wife by Melissa Ashley
Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell
The Breaking by Irma Gold
The Dutch House by Ann Pratchett
The Dry by Jane Harper
Home Stretch by Graham Norton