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Legend

Anxiety | Bullying | Body Image & Eating Disorders | Conflict Resolution
Emotional Development | Mood Disorders/Depression | Relationships | Suicide
Substance Use & Addictions

Anxiety

	The Panic Book	Gr 4 - S1
	Neil Phillips	English
	Story book that helps normalize disorders for students who may be suffering from them. Done with a sense of humour.

 

	The School Wobbies	Gr 4 - S1
	Chris Wever	English
	This is a book about worries and scary thoughts that lurk in the mind of children who won't go to school. It is also about dealing with those worries.

 

	The Secret Problems	Gr 4 - S1
	Chris Wever	English
	Available at: Mental Health Education Resource Center of Manitoba (borrow)
	Story book that helps normalize disorders for students who may be suffering from them. Done with a sense of humour.

 

	Angels Turn Their Backs
	By Margaret Buffie	English
	Available at: Winnipeg Public Library (borrow) Local or online bookstores
	Fifteen-year-old Addy can't go to school. She is afraid of taking even one step out of the house. She can't hear people when they're right in front of her, yet she hears voices that no one else can. Addy feels as if she's falling apart. Her parents have just split up and her one real friend is a thousand miles away. Addy wishes she were back at her old school, but she knows there's no going back. The trouble is, she can't move forward.

 

	Worry: A Story About OCD	Gr K - 4
	By Holly L. Niner	English
	Available at: Mental Health Education Resource Center of Manitoba (borrow) Local or online bookstore
	A story about a young boy trying to overcome the terrors of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in his daily life. All of the people in young Kevin's life join forces to help him manage his problem, which he names Mr. Worry.

Bullying

	Basket of Beethoven
	By Susan Currie	English
	Available at: Winnipeg Public Library (borrow) Local or online bookstores
	Sam is fascinated by the new girl in his class. The daughter of a famous conductor, Helen seems angry and aloof - interested only in her book. Pete and Troy love to tease Sam, but the two boys recognize that Helen makes an even odder target. After they steal her book and toss it on the school roof, a frustrated Helen finds refuge in the auditorium, where she plays her heart out on the piano. Sam is bowled over; he must find the key to this secret language so he can express his inner self. He must learn to play the piano too. There is no question of taking lessons. His mother can barely afford school supplies. And a piano? There isn't a hope. But Sam is determined. So he goes to Helen with a proposal. He'll keep Pete and Troy away from her if she gives him piano lessons. And he's thrilled when she reluctantly agrees.

 

	Dork on the Run
	By Carol Gorman	English
	Available at: Winnipeg Public Library (borrow) Local or online bookstores
	Jerry can’t forget that last year he was a dork. But this year, in a new town, at a new school, things have gotten better. His social life isn’t quite as embarrassing as it once was. That is, until he thinks about running for class president. But before Jerry can even decide to run, he discovers that he already has an opponent: someone willing to do almost anything to get Jerry not to run.

 

	Freak the Mighty
	By Rodman Philbrick	English
	Available at: Local or online bookstores
	Two boys, a slow learner stuck in the body of a teenage giant and a tiny genius in leg braces, forge a unique friendship when they pair up to create one human force.

 

	Jake Drake, Bully Buster
	By Andrew Clements	English
	Available at: Winnipeg Public Library (borrow) Local or online bookstores
	He's not the toughest, fastest, or funniest kid in fourth grade, but he's got big ideas and he has stories to tell about what "really" goes on in school. Like bullies, for instance. Jake wants to know "if everybody who works at school is so smart, how come they can't get rid of the bullies? Jake Drake confronts the problems of school life and finds some surprising solutions!

 

	Loser's Club
	By John Lekich	English
	Available at: Winnipeg Public Library (borrow) Local or online bookstores
	A humorous and feisty novel for young adults looks at the complicated lives lead in high schools: learning to deal with family problems, school counselors, and extortion. Wonderful characters, deft humor and authentic dialogue.

 

	Lottery
	By Beth Goobie	English
	Available at: Winnipeg Public Library (borrow) Local or online bookstores
	While the principal and teachers look the other way, the Shadow Council (aka "S.C.") rules Sally Hanson's high school, targeting other students for exceptionally cruel pranks. Every year, S.C. holds a lottery, and the "winner," delegated as S.C.'s messenger to fresh victims, will be wholly shunned by the student body. The dreaded role falls to Sally, and the attendant trauma and confusion compound Sally's mysterious problems.

 

	Maximum Boy: Worst Bully in the Universe
	By Dan Greenburg	English
	Available at: Local or online bookstores
	It's April Fools over and over again. Someone is playing pranks across the entire country. Who better to put a stop to these stunts than our eleven-year old superhero? In fact, he's already got some suspects. Could there be a new bully at the heart of all these stunts?

 

	Maze
	By Monica Hughes	English
	Available at: Winnipeg Public Library (borrow) Local or online bookstores
	Andrea doesn't know what to expect when she is given a mysterious black box inlaid with a strange maze pattern. All she knows is that being bullied by her high school's girl gang is becoming unbearable. When in the middle of a attack on Andrea, Crystal and her gal pal Sabrina grab the box and disappear, Andrea knows she must somehow rescue her enemies.

 

	Mean, Mean Maureen Green
	By Judy Cox	English
	Available at: Local or online bookstores
	Lilley is a fearful person who dreads going to school because of a mean neighborhood dog, a school bully, and her new bike without training wheels.

 

	Men of Stone
	By Gayle Friesen	English
	Available at: Winnipeg Public Library (borrow) Local or online bookstores
	Fifteen-year-old Ben can't make sense of his life. He lives in a house full of women, yet he can't talk to girls. He is ridicule aboutt the one thing he excels, dance. Now, he's being bullied by Claude, who's found out about his ballet classes. Ben's Great-Aunt Frieda comes to visit and he learns about her life in Russia. He's surprised by her story. As Frieda tells her powerful story, Ben begins to understand who he is and what kind of person he wants to be.

 

	Misfits
	By James Howe	English
	Available at: Winnipeg Public Library (borrow) Local or online bookstores
	Four students who do not fit in at their small-town middle school decide to create a third party for the student council elections to represent all students who have ever been called names.

 

	Missing the Piano
	By Adam Rapp	English
	Available at: Local or online bookstores
	Just last week, Mike Tegroff was a regular fifteen-year-old guy. Then his dad and stepmother dumped him at a Military Academy. St. Matthew’ s “ where boys become men.” But Mike would rather not be the kind of man the Academy wants to make him.

 

	My Secret Bully	Gr 2 - 5
	By Trudy Ludwig	English
	Available at: Mental Health Education Resource Centre of Manitoba (borrow) Local or online bookstores
	This book tackles the difficult topic of bullying.

 

	Pigface
	By Catherine Robinson	English
	Available at: Local or online bookstores
	When a broken leg keeps Noah off school for several weeks, he finds out what life as an outsider is like on his return. A new boy has joined the class and everyone is fascinated by him. Noah just can’t slip back into his normal place. His only choice of partner in class and at lunch is Pigface, the class-joke. Noah has a choice, make a desperate effort to get back into the “inner circle” or get to see life from Pigface’s point of view.

 

	Run for Your Life
	By Wilma E. Alexander	English
	Available at: Local or online bookstores
	This book follows the life of ten-year-old Emma as she dodges bullies and babysits her crazy aunt. Things take a turn for the worse when Emma’s mother falls ill and the local plant explodes. It’s up to Emma and her family to rescue the workers.

 

	Run, Zan, Run
	By Catherine MacPhail	English
	Available at: Local or online bookstores
	Katie is being bullied at school and cannot get anyone to believe her. She feels frightened and alone. One day, a girl called Zan leaps to Katie’s defence. Zan tries to keep her identity a secret. Slowly Katie learns the truth and realizes Zan is the one who needs help.

 

	Scrambled Eggs and Spider Legs
	By Gary Hogg	English
	Available at: Local or online bookstores
	It’s just Matt’s luck that his teacher pairs him with the biggest bully in the fifth grade. Although Matt’s only a second grader, he’s smart enough to realize that even a bully has fears.

 

	Spitfire
	By Ann Goldring	English
	Available at: Winnipeg Public Library (borrow) Local or online bookstores
	Kathryn is a 14-year-old girl fighting a war of her own against a gang of local bullies who threaten Avery and April, a brother and sister from the wrong side of the tracks. Inspired by April’s move to join a boys-only soap box derby, Kathryn builds her own car. But when the competition assumes she is April’s ally, Kathryn is forced to endure the sting of gossip and threat of sabotage. The cost of being different tests her loyalty to April and soon reveals her family’s own prejudices.

 

	Sticks and Stones
	By Beth Goobie	English
	Available at: Winnipeg Public Library (borrow) Local or online bookstores
	Jujube is thrilled when Brent asks her out. She is not so happy when the rumors start flying at school. Pretty soon her name is showing up on bathroom walls and everyone is snickering and sniping. When her mother gets involved, Jujube's reputation takes another hit. Deciding that someone has to take a stand, Jujube tries to impress on her fellow students the damage that can be done by assigning a label that reduces a person to an object.

 

	Stop Picking On Me: A First Look At Bullying	Age 4 - 8
	By Pat Thomas	English
	Available at: Mental Health Education Resource Centre of Manitoba (borrow) Winnipeg Public Library (borrow) Local or online bookstores
	This book explores the difficult issue of bullying in reassuringly simple terms. The fears, worries and questions surrounding this upsetting experience are made accessible to young children.

Body Image & Eating Disorders

	After Dinner Barf	Age 3 - 8
	By A. D. Fast	English
	Available at: Local or online bookstores
	It's about a teenage girl who is trying to diet but slowly becoming anorexic just to lose weight to impress her new, popular, shallow boyfriend. During her problems she begins to forget about her friends who really care about her and one who is being framed. She then learns the shocking truth about her boyfriend and regains faith in herself.

 

	Full Mouse, Empty Mouse	Age 3 - 8
	By Dina Zeckhausen	English
	Available at: Gurze Books Full Mouse Empty Mouse
	This book is written for children which can be used as a tool for both obesity prevention and eating disorder prevention! This children’s story addresses the complex issues surrounding eating disorders in a language that children can understand.

 

	Shapesville	Age 3 - 8
	By J. Andrews Mills and Rebecca Osborne	English
	Available at: Gurze Books Local or online bookstores
	Shapesville is a small town where five friends of various shapes, sizes, colors, and talents celebrate what makes each of them unique. Simple, rhyming verse, bold, playful illustrations of basic shapes and colors, and endearing characters show that "It's not the size of your shape or the shape of your size, but the size of your heart that deserves first prize." Discussion questions and a note to parents and educators at the end of the book further its message of positive body image.

 

	Dough Boy
	By Peter Marino	English
	Available at: Local or online bookstores
	Overweight fifteen-year-old Tristan, who lives with his divorced mother and her boyfriend, Frank, suddenly finds his life turned upside down when Frank's popular, troubled, nutrition-obsessed daughter Kelly moves in. As he faces increasing abuse about his weight at home and at school, the hurt of his former best friend pairing off with Kelly, and the anxiety of a crush, he manages to find peace in taking his own path.

 

	Even if it Kills Me	Age 9 - 12
	By Dorothy Joan Harris	English
	Available at: Mental Health Education Resource Centre of Manitoba (borrow) Winnipeg Public Library (borrow) Local or online bookstores
	A personal story about Melanie, a 14 year old who is a model student who wants to better. She starts dieting and is determined to be thin, even if it kills her.

 

	Everything You Need to Know About Eating Disorders	Gr 5 - 9
	By Rachel Kubersky	English
	Available at: Winnipeg Public Library (borrow) Local or online bookstores
	In Eating Disorders , the pressure to be thin is explored, along with how to keep the body and mind healthy.

 

	Fat Chance
	By Leslea Newman	English
	Available at: Local or online bookstores
	Judi Liebowitz thinks she's fat. And she's convinced, as she confides in her diary, that she'd be happier if she were skinnier. So when Judi becomes friendly with pencil-thin, glamorous Nancy Pratt, she learns Nancy's secret and joins her in the secret binge-and-purge cycles of bulimia. Before long, Judi's life spins out of control and her obsession with food, calories, and pounds is no longer another typical eighth-grade problem--it's a matter of life and death.

 

	More Than You Can Chew
	By Marnelle Tokio	English
	Available at: Winnipeg Public Library (borrow) Local or online bookstores
	Marty has retreated from a difficult family situation into the area she can best control, her own appetites. She may not be able to control her parents’ behavior, but she can decide what she will and will not eat. Eventually, she stops eating altogether. Marty is close to death when she finally asks for help and finds herself in a psychiatric institution.

 

	Nell's Quilt
	By SusanTerris	English
	Available at: Local or online bookstores
	Urged at the age of eighteen to marry a man she doesn't want, Nell delays the event by working on a quilt, slowly starving herself, and observing the unhappy lot of many women in turn-of-the century Massachusetts before arriving at a decision to rescue herself from the brink of death and take charge of her life.

 

	Nothing's Fair in Fifth Grade	Age 8 - 12
	By Barthe DeClements	English
	Available at: Winnipeg Public Library (borrow) Local or online bookstores
	Initially repelled by an overweight new student who has serious home problems, the fifth grade class finally learns to accept her.

 

	Out of the Fire
	By Deborah Froese	English
	Available at: Winnipeg Public Library (borrow) Local or online bookstores
	Life seems good to sixteen-year-old Dayle. No longer a self-conscious bookworm, she's well aware that it's her looks that have drawn the attention of her new boyfriend Keith, a handsome jock. Dayle is forced to explore the depths beneath the surface when a moment of carelessness at a teenage bonfire party causes tragedy. Out of the Fire follows Dayle as she undergoes a lengthy recovery, tracking her despair and triumph as she learns that her own resources go much deeper than appearances.

 

	Perfect
	By Natasha Friend	English
	Available at: Local or online bookstores
	Isabelle Lee has a problem, and it's not just Ape Face, her sister, or group therapy for an eating disorder, or even that her father died and her mother is depressed and in denial. It's that Ashley, the most popular girl in school, is inviting Isabelle to join her at lunch and at sleepovers at her house, and this is presenting Isabelle with a dilemma. Pretty Ashley has moved Isabelle up the social ladder, but is it worth keeping the secret they share?

 

	Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing
	By Judy Blume	English
	Available at: Winnpeg Public Library Local or online bookstore
	Life with his little brother, Fudge, makes Peter Hatcher feel like a fourth grade nothing. Whether Fudge is throwing a temper tantrum in a shoe store, smearing mashed potatoes on the walls at Hamburger Heaven, or trying to fly, he’s never far from trouble. He’s an almost three-year-old terror who gets away with everything, and Peter’s had it up to here! When Fudge walks off with Dribble, Peter’s pet turtle, it’s the last straw. Peter has put up with Fudge for too long. Way too long! How can he get his parents to pay attention to him for a change?

 

	The Pig-Out Blues
	By Jan Greenburg	English
	Available at: Local or online bookstore
	Jodie's being overweight and unhappy causes problems with her mother.

 

	Turning to Stone
	By John Brindley	English
	Available at: Local or online bookstores
	Some things die, other things live. It's what happens. This is the story of Tim, his big sister Jazz, and someone else, who lives alone in a world of her own making, but who is the only person who can instill in both Tom and Jazz the will to survive.

Conflict Resolution

	Chocolate War
	By Robert Cormier	English
	Available at: Winnipeg Public Library Local or online bookstores
	A high school student is first a hero, then an outcast, and finally a victim in this novel of intimidation and the misuse of power.

Emotional Development

	Agatha's Feather Bed
	By Carmen Agra Deedy	English
	Available at: Winnipeg Public Library (borrow) Local or online bookstores
	Agatha loves her new feather bed, but six shivering, naked geese pay her a visit to discuss the origin of the feathers.

 

	Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
	By Judith Viorst	English
	Available at: Winnipeg Public Library (borrow) Local or online bookstores
	Poor Alexander! He woke up with gum in his hair; his mom forgot to put dessert in his lunch bag; there were lima beans for dinner, and kissing on TV -- even the cat refuses to sleep in his bed. Some days are just like that.

 

	Anger Arthur
	By Hiawyn Oram	English
	Available at: Local or online bookstores
	When Arthur's mother won't let him stay up, he becomes too angry. His anger creates a thunderstorm, a hurricane, even a universe-quake!

 

	Anger Mountain
	By Hebert Bryna	English
	Available at: Mental Health Education Resource Centre of Manitoba (borrow) Local or online bookstores
	This book helps children better understand anger and deal more effectively with it. This book is written for elementary school aged children, but may be of use for those younger or older.

 

	Ballerinas Don't Wear Glasses
	By Ainslie Manson	English
	Available at: Winnipeg Public Library (borrow) Local or online bookstores
	Ben finds his baby sister, Allison, to be annoying at the best of times. And now he’s stuck with her all day — and he has to cart her off to her stupid ballet recital! But blood runs thicker than water. After Allison breaks down crying because she receives an ugly, voluminous swan costume, Ben learns all about it. The other little ballerinas always tease Allison because she wears her hair in a ponytail, because she’s awkward, because she wears glasses… because they’re little girls! So Ben springs into action, with some scissors, thread and safety pins. He’s going to make sure no one makes fun of his baby sister!

 

	Crash
	By Jerry Spinelli	English
	Available at: Winnipeg Public Library (borrow) Local or online bookstores
	Through the eyes of Crash, readers get a rare glimpse into the life of a bully in this unforgettable story about stereotypes and the surprises life can bring.

 

	Feelings
	By Joanne Murphy	English
	Available at: Winnipeg Public Library (borrow) Local or online bookstores
	Poetry about emotions.

 

	I Like Me!	Ages 4 - 8
	By Nancy Carlson	English
	Available at: Winnipeg Public Library (borrow) Local or online bookstores
	"I Like Me,'' says an emphatically cheerful girl pig who demonstrates an imperturbable sense of self-esteem: She paints, bikes, reads, takes good care of herself, and even deals with her own occasional fallibility: ``When I make mistakes, I try and try and try again.''

 

	I Was So Mad
	By Norma Simon	English
	Available at: Local or online bookstores
	Children catalog the things that make them mad and learn that adults get angry too.

 

	I'm Furious	Age 4 - 8
	By Elizabeth Crary	English
	Available at: Mental Health Education Resource Centre of Manitoba (borrow) Winnipeg Public Library (borrow) Local or online bookstores
	This book is about Matt's little brother ruining his favorite baseball card, and Matt just wants to knock him flat. Then his mom lets him know it's OK to be mad and helps him discover some ways to express his anger without hurting his brother or being destructive.

 

	I'm Gonna Like Me: Let off a Little Self-Esteem
	By Jamie Lee Curtis	English
	Available at: Winnipeg Public Library (borrow) Local or online bookstores
	Celebrate liking yourself! Through alternating points of view, a girl’s and a boy’s, showing kids that the key to feeling good is liking yourself because you are you.

 

	I'm Mad	Age 4 - 8
	By Elizabeth Crary	English
	Available at: Mental Health Education Resource Centre of Manitoba (borrow) Winnipeg Public Library (borrow) Local or online bookstores
	This book explore's Katie's angry feelings and the behaviors following this anger as a result of a much anticipated picnic being cancelled because of a rainy day.

 

	It's No Joke, My Telephone is Broke	Age 4 - 8
	By Linda Grossman	English
	Available at: Winnipeg Public Library (borrow) Local or online bookstores
	Each story teaches a different lesson: about making better choices, communicating well, and having self-esteem.

 

	Mean Soup
	By Betsy Everitt	English
	Available at: Local or online bookstores
	It has been a bad day for Horace. He's come home feeling mean. But guess who knows what to do? His mother, of course.

 

	Mustard
	By Charlotte Graeber	English
	Available at: Winnipeg Public Library (borrow) Local or online bookstores
	Eight-year-old Alex can't face the fact that his cat is getting old.

 

	Oliver Button is a Sissy	Gr K - 3
	By Tomie de Paola	English
	Available at: Winnipeg Public Library (borrow) Local or online bookstores
	Oliver Button would rather read, dance, and draw pictures than play football like the other boys. His classmates' taunts don't stop him from doing what he likes best, and his practice and persistence pay off in the end--when Oliver Button is a star.

 

	On the Night of the Comet
	By Lena Coakley	English
	Available at: Winnipeg Public Library (borrow) Local or online bookstores
	On The Night Of the Comet, when cats can talk, three large cats stop by Peter's house on their way to the mountains to ask the Great Cat their questions. The plants in Peter's parents' room are dead. His father sleep on the couch. And Peter is very, very sad. With her tail long enough to wrap Peter up from head to toe, the great white snow leopard tries to help. She may not be able to answer Peter's questions, but perhaps she can give him a way to say goodbye.

 

	Star of the Sea
	By Marcus Pfister	English
	Available at: Local or online bookstores
	Little sisters often follow their big sisters' leads, but sooner or later they must find the courage to make their own decisions. The school play is providing just that occasion for Pearl.

 

	The Fall of Freddie the Leaf	Gr K - 3
	By Leo F. Buscaglia	English
	Available at: Winnipeg Public Library (borrow) Local or online bookstores
	As Freddie experiences the changing seasons along with his companion leaves, he learns that death is part of life.

 

	The Fourth Grade Wizards
	By Barthe DeClements	English
	Available at: Winnipeg Public Library (borrow) Local or online bookstores
	After her mother dies, Marianne becomes a daydreamer and begins to fall behind in her schoolwork.

 

	The Hundred Dresses
	By Eleanor  Estes	English
	Available at: Winnipeg Public Library (borrow) Local or online bookstores
	A book about prejudice and understanding.

 

	The Memory String
	By Eve Bunting	English
	Available at: Winnipeg Public Library (borrow) Local or online bookstores
	Each button on Laura's memory string represents a piece of her family history. The buttons Laura cherishes the most belonged to her mother, a button from her prom dress, a white one off her wedding dress, and a single small button from the nightgown she was wearing on the day she died. When the string breaks, Laura's new stepmother, Jane, is there to comfort Laura and search for a missing button, just as Laura's mother would have done. But it's not the same, Jane isn't Mom.

 

	The Moons of Goose Island
	By Don K. Philpot	English
	Available at: Winnipeg Public Library (borrow) Local or online bookstores
	David is an only child. When his mother becomes ill and passes away, he’s left all alone, sent to live with his grandparents. On a springtime afternoon, David boards his grandfather’s snowmobile and is off to his new home on Goose Island. In time, he discovers the moons are unlike any others on Earth in The Moons of Goose Island.

 

	The Tenth Good Thing About Barney
	By Judith Viorst	English
	Available at: Winnipeg Public Library (borrow) Local or online bookstores
	This book is about a child whose cat, Barney, has just died. It handles both the emotions stemming from the loss of a beloved pet and the questions about the finality of death which naturally arise in such a situation.

 

	Through Grandpa's Eyes
	By Patricia  MacLachlan	English
	Available at: Winnipeg Public Library (borrow) Local or online bookstores
	John’s Grandpa is blind. But Grandpa has his own way of seeing. And for John this makes a day spent with Grandpa an adventure of new sounds and smells and ways of doing everyday things.

 

	Today I Feel Silly: And other moods that make my day
	By Jamie Lee Curtis	English
	Available at: Winnipeg Public Library (borrow) Local or online bookstores
	Silly, cranky, excited, or sad, everyone has moods that can change each day. This book helps kids explore, identify, and, even have fun with their ever-changing moods.

 

	When I was Little: A Four Year Olds Memoir of her Youth
	By Jamie Lee Curtis	English
	Available at: Winnipeg Public Library (borrow) Local or online bookstores
	Whether it's going down the slide all by yourself, sharing a secret with your best friend, or painting your toenails bubble-gum pink, being four years old is even better than being little. A joyous celebration of growing up.

 

	When Mommy was Mad	Preschool
	By Lynne Jonell	English
	Available at: Mental Health Education Resource Centre of Manitoba (borrow) Local or online bookstores
	A young boy helps his mother realize how her bad mood is affecting everyone in the family.

 

	When Sophie Gets Angry
	By Molly Bang	English
	Available at: Winnipeg Public Library (borrow) Local or online bookstores
	Young Sophie screams, runs, cries and climbs trees, takes a breather and then goes home to the loving arms of mom and dad. At one time or another, parents have to deal with their children’s angry moments or even all-out temper tantrums. Adults know that anger can be misdirected and mismanaged but it can be very difficult to open the lines of communication about it with kids.

 

	Wings
	By Christopher Myers	English
	Available at: Winnipeg Public Library (borrow) Local or online bookstores
	Ikarus Jackson, the new boy in school, is outcast because he has wings, but his resilient spirit inspires one girl to speak up for him.

Mood Disorders/Depression

	Can I Catch It like a Cold? A Story to help children understand a parent's depression
	By Gretchen Kelbaugh	English
	Available at: Mental Health Education Resource Centre of Manitoba (borrow) AFM William Potoroka Memorial Library
	Alex can't understand why his father sits at home alone crying, instead of coming out to watch him play his soccer game. Alex soon discovers that his father has depression. Alex learns what causes depression, what treatments are available and how he can cope and live well while his father is ill. He also learns that it's not his fault that his father has depression -- and no, depression is not something you can catch, like a cold.

 

	Adrift
	By Julie Burtinshaw	English
	Available at: Winnipeg Public Library (borrow) Local or online bookstores
	At 14, David lives in an unhappy house. His mother is acting strangely, retreating to bed and pleading for time alone. His father buries himself in his work. When his mother is checked into an institution for clinical depression, David and his 10-year-old sister Laura are shipped from Toronto to their Aunt Jenn’s home in B.C. The brother-sister team steal a dinghy and head for the deserted caves on Dragon Island, intent on calling their father’s bluff. A stormy sea and an accident on the cliffs turn defiance into desperation -- and David’s "crazy family" is the only hope for rescue.

 

	Brandon and the Bipolar Bear: A Story for Children with Bipolar Disorder
	By Tracy Anglada	English
	Available at: Mental Health Education Resource Centre (borrow) Local or online bookstores
	A book for children with bipolar disorder. It brings comfort and hope to those who suffer from this illness.

 

	Sad Days, Glad Days: A Story about Depression
	By DeWitt Hamilton	English
	Available at: Mental Health Education Resource Centre of Manitoba (borrow) Winnipeg Public Library (borrow)
	This story tells about the feelings of Amanda, an elementary school-aged girl as she experiences her mother's unpredictable episodes of recurrent depression. Her mother and father both help Amanda understand that her mother loves her and that the mother's depressive episodes are not Amanda's fault. The illustrations sensitively follow the metaphor to catch the moods and experiences of the mother and the household.

 

	Sometimes my Mommy gets Angry
	By Bebe Moore Campbell	English
	Available at: Mental Health Education Resource Centre of Manitoba (borrow) Winnipeg Public Library (borrow) Local or online bookstores
	This book tells of an African American girl living with a mother who is mentally ill. The spare first-person narrative and exquisite realistic watercolor paintings show the child at home with her unpredictable parent, who is manic and cheerful in the morning, then angry, depressed, and paranoid when the child returns from school.

 

	Too Blue	Gr 4 - S1
	By Neil Phillips	English
	Available at: Shrink-Rap Press Books
	Story book that helps normalize disorders for students who may be suffering from them. Done with a sense of humour.

 

	What happened to my mommy?	Gr 4 - S1
	By Renee Fran	English
	Available at: Mental Health Education Resource Centre of Manitoba (borrow) Local or online bookstores
	This is a story about two children who learn that their mother is suffering from a treatable illness known as depression. It was designed to educate and promote awareness of depression.

Relationships

	A Baby Sister for Frances	Gr K - 3
	By Russell Hoban	English
	Available at: Winnipeg Public Library (borrow) Local or online bookstores
	When a baby sister arrives, Frances the badger finds a charming way to prove her own importance.

 

	A Chair for my Mother
	By Vera B. Williams	English
	Available at: Winnipeg Public Library (borrow) Local or online bookstores
	The jar of coins is full. The day has come to buy the chair, the big, fat, comfortable, wonderful chair they have been saving for. The chair that will replace the one that was burned up, along with everything else, in the terrible fire. A book of love and tenderness filled with the affirmation of life.

 

	All the Colors of the Earth
	By Sheila Hamanaka	English
	Available at: Winnipeg Public Library (borrow) Local or online bookstores
	Celebrate the colors of children and the colors of love--not black or white or yellow or red, but roaring brown, whispering gold, tinkling pink, and more.

 

	Boundaries, Precious Boundaries
		English
	Available at: AFM William Potoroka Memorial Library (VTR/HN 132/.B6/199?) (borrow)
	One of the most difficult topics made easy. You’ll learn what boundaries are, how we make them, why they become problems, how to identify yours, and what to do to change them.

 

	The Day I Swapped My Dad for 2 Goldfish
	By Neil Gaiman	English
	Available at: Winnipeg Public Library (borrow) Local or online bookstores
	What if you wanted your best friend’s two goldfish so much that you’d swap anything for them, even your father? What if your mother came home and found out what you’d done?

 

	The Giving Tree
	By Shel Silverstein	English
	Available at: Winnipeg Public Library (borrow) Local or online bookstores
	’Once there was a tree...and she loved a little boy.’ Every day the boy would come to the tree to eat her apples, swing from her branches, or slide down her trunk...and the tree was happy. But as the boy grew older he began to want more from the tree, and the tree gave and gave and gave.

Suicide

	24 Hours
	By Margaret Mahy	English
	Available at: Winnipeg Public Library (borrow) Local or online bookstores
	When Ellis meets up with Jackie and three mysterious sisters, he is drawn into a number of increasingly bizarre situations. They introduce him to The Land of Smiles, where appearances are deceptive and being different is the norm. Ellis is sucked into a drama from which he cannot escape. It's a matter or life or death, but time is against him. In twenty-four hours, Ellis is changed forever.

Substance Use & Addictions

	Wishes and Worries: A Story to Help Children Understand a Parent Who Drinks Too Much Alcohol	Ages 5 - 10
	Centre for Addiction and Mental Health	English
	Wishes and Worries is written for children, for use by parents, extended family, teachers and professionals who want to address the impact of a parent's problem with alcohol in children's lives.

 

	I Wish Daddy Didn't Drink So Much	Gr K - 2
	By Judith Vigna	English
	Available at: Winnipeg Public Library (borrow) Local or online bookstores
	A realistic story about Lisa, whose father is an alcoholic.

 

	My Big Sister Takes Drugs
	By Judith Vigna	English
	Available at: Local or online bookstores
	It's bad enough when Paul's big sister, Tina, turns mean and hangs out with mean kids. But when the family discovers Tina's drug abuse problem, things turn much worse. Paul's new friend doesn't want to play with him, and Paul can't go to soccer camp because Tina's hospital program costs so much. Worst of all, Paul's afraid that his sister may not recover. But with work and love, it looks as if all kinds of things in Paul's life will soon be getting better.

 

	Not My Family: Sharing the Truth about Alcoholism	Gr 4 - 6
	By Maxine B. Rosenburg	English
	Available at: Local or online bookstores
	Through a series of case studies the author explores alcoholism and how it affects families.

 

	The Berenstein Bears and the Drug Free Zone
	By Jan and Stan Berenstain	English
	Available at: Winnipeg Public Library (borrow) Local or online bookstores
	Sister and Brother uncover a drug problem in Bear Country, and they're determined to track down the culprits. But just when they're sure they've solved the case, they learn that jumping to conclusions is not the best way to solve a problem.

 

	Smoking Stinks
	By Kim Gosselin	English
	Available at: Winnipeg Public Library (borrow) Local or online bookstores
	When Grandpa Norman, who is addicted to nicotine, speaks to Maddie's class about the bad effects of smoking, he teaches important lessons and makes a big decision.

 

For more information about Healthy Schools, please contact: Healthy Schools Phone:  (204) 788-6679 Email:  healthyschools@gov.mb.ca