Pick 6: mental illness

 We are seeing an increasing number of books for young readers that include mental illness to some degree. Sometimes it directly affects the protagonist; others we see the impact that a family member's illness has on a character. Sometimes the diagnosis is central to the plot; others it merely informs how characters respond. All of these books affect how we think about mental illness in our own lives and facilitate conversation. Here are six books published in the past six months that include mental illness as a plot element.

6 books that feature mental illness:

1. Underdog City by Chris Negron
2. Swarm by Jennifer Lyle
3. Lost Kites and Other Treasures by Cathy Carr
4. Just Shy of Ordinary by A J Sass
5. You Owe Me One Universe by Chad Lucas
6. Drawing Deena by Hena Kahn