All the books listed here are available at the library. Stop in, give us a call, or use the online catalog to place a hold and check one out.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Explore different people’s experiences with their own mental health in these non-fiction and fiction titles.
I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy: In this heartbreaking account of growing up as a child star, Jennette McCurdy recounts her complicated relationship with her mother, addiction, and eating disorders. This inspiring story of resilience and the fight for independence is told with refreshing and candid humor.
The Art of Starving by Sam H Miller: This contemporary young adult novel explores topics of body image, addiction, friendship, and love. As Matt struggles with an eating disorder, he starts to think he is developing super powers. As his hunger grows, so does his desire to belong.
Know My Name by Chanel Miller: Chanel Miller recounts her experience with shame, isolation, and healing following a sexual assault. Her story illuminates a culture biased to protect perpetrators, indicts a criminal justice system that often fails the most vulnerable, and shines with the courage required to move through suffering and live a full and beautiful life.
My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh: What happens when you have it all, but it doesn’t seem to be enough? The narrator is young, beautiful, likes her job, has a nice apartment, and doesn’t need to worry about money. There still seems to be a dark cloud over her head that she just can’t figure out how to get rid of.
Read a book from one of these famous authors who were each born in May!
5/1 Catch-22 by Joseph Heller: Nominated to “best novels” lists by Time, Newsweek, the Modern Library, and the London Observer, Catch-22 follows Yossarian during World War II. This satirical novel is told non-chronologically and is considered a “must read” by many.
5/14 All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven: A heart-wrenching love story that follows Theodore and Violet as they navigate grief, pain, identity, and hormones. This young adult novel was adapted into a movie starring Elle Fanning.
5/15 The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by Frank L Baum: We all know the beloved film adaptation, but have you read the book? Follow the yellow brick road with Dorothy and Toto as they embark on a journey across the Land of Oz.
5/15 Unbroken by Lauren Hillenbrand: The inspirational true story of Louis Zamperini, who goes from athlete to airman to prisoner of war during the Second World War. Hillenbrand tells his story of survival, resilience and redemption in this biography.
Celebrate Mother’s Day by reading books that feature mothers or motherhoods as a main aspect of the novel.
Everything Here is Under Control by Emily Adrian: A modern look at motherhood, friendship, and the honest and complex emotions that surround both. Amanda, a new mother, reconnects with her childhood best friend Carrie and they begin to navigate the route of their friendship.
The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan: A lapse in judgment sends Frida, a young mother, into a government reform program where custody of her child is not guaranteed. She learns just how far she will go for her child while exploring the perils of “perfect” parenting.
Bright Burning Things by Lisa Harding: Sonya used to be a glamorous actress but her life has taken a turn and she now spends her time drinking, stealing food, and burning dinners for her 4-year-old son. As things continue to get worse, she realizes she needs to make a choice; give up drinking or her son.
The Perfect Mother by Aimee Molloy: This psychological thriller follows a group of mothers who become entwined in each other’s lives after one of their son’s goes missing. They discover secrets about each other as the police and media begin to scrutinize their every decision.