[ Photo by Penguin Teen]

Is never to early to talk about the  Mental Health Month and what better than books, to help us talk about difficult topics – so here are 5 books to help you start a conversation.

  1. Looking for Alaska by John Green 

John Green’s 2006 Printz award winner follows Miles Halter’s relationship with Alaska Young and brings to light that we can never completely understand what someone with a mental illness feels inside.

 2. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Hannah Baker’s story is a powerful reminder of the consequences of bullying and the ripple effect that our actions have on the people around us.

3. Schizo by Nic Sheff

After a schizophrenic breakdown, Miles thinks he’s getting better, when in reality he’s getting worse. Told in vivid detail, his story is fascinating and heartbreaking but ultimately hopeful.

 4. Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

Lia is a high school senior who has struggled with an eating disorder for years, and her painful path to recovery hinges on her desperate attempt to hold on to the most important thing of all: hope.

5.  I Was Here by Gayle Forman

After her best friend Meg takes her own life, Cody struggles to understand why – but through her journey to find out, she’ll discover that you can’t always know what’s inside the people closest to you.

“We can simultaneously be human and monster— both of those possibilities are in all of us.”
? Matthew Quick, Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock