Tag Archives: Mental Health

Feb15

My Dream Time – Ash Barty

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Harper Collins Australia

November 2022

  • ISBN: 9781460762820
  • ISBN 10: 1460762827
  • Imprint: HarperSports AU
  • List Price: 49.99 AUD

Like many others, I am a huge admirer of Ash -though I am no fan of tennis per se. This vibrant young woman has completely captivated the nation with her unfailing professionalism, humility, grace and low-key humour. She has become a stand-out role model for our young people, not only those who are First Nations but for any kid with dreams and aspirations.

I can tell you that having shared some of the Young Ash stories with little people, that even those youngsters not only know who she is but appreciate her athleticism and her style. Yet also like many others, I think, I have never really considered what went before those stellar wins at Grand Slam tournaments and although we are usually cognisant of the hard work athletes put in to achieve their peak, rarely do we consider the mental and physical toll this can take on a person.

Ash takes this opportunity to share the struggle and the triumphs, to thank her team and her family, and to reflect upon the ups and downs, the tears and frustrations and overcoming adversity in whatever shape it presents. It makes for an engrossing read and one which, certainly from my point of view, convinces me even more of the innate integrity, humanity and gutsy fortitude of this amazing athlete.

Ash traces her journey from little kid in Brisbane who, from an early age, displayed an uncanny ability with a racquet and was actively encouraged and supported by family and friends to the proud woman who won the 2022 Australian Open, then gracefully exited the tennis spotlight. The doubts and bouts of depression, the loneliness of the tour, the teen years that were so very different to that of her mates, the solid and enduring friendships she has made are all here, told in a warm and conversational tone – makes me feel as though I’m sitting down with her chatting over a cold beer almost. She really leaves no stone unturned in that history and,throughout it all, we realise that her success may be the end result of a whole lot of teamwork but the essential personality has always been there.

What a champion she is and will continue to be, whatever is next in store for her – aside that is from parenthood – (wishing her all the very best for the forthcoming jarjum!)

Whether you are a sports fan, a tennis fan, a biography fan or just an admirer as I am, I highly recommend this to you. You certainly won’t regret the time spent enjoying the Ash story.

Feb1

The Silence that Binds Us – Joanna Ho

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Harper Collins Australia

October 2022

  • ISBN: 9780063059344
  • ISBN 10: 0063059347
  • Imprint: HarperCollins US
  • List Price: 34.99 AUD

Many of us fell in love with Joanna Ho’s exquisite writing with Eyes That Kiss in the Corners and Eyes That Speak to the Stars. Now it becomes apparent that her talent is not confined to lyrical picture books. This, her first YA novel, is searingly beautiful, poignant and powerful. Exploring themes of mental health, racism and class distinctions. Maybelline Chen is an American Chinese Taiwanese girl who goes against the norm for her background. Her dress, appearance and interests completely confound her traditional mother who seems to find no pride or joy in her only daughter. May’s older brother, Danny, however can do no wrong it appears. Until, that is, Danny freshly accepted to Princeton, stands in the path of an oncoming train, unable to withstand his depression any longer.

In the shockwaves that follow, which engulf the entire community, May and her parents struggle to regain any kind of equilibrium, and those of us who have experienced this deep and unexpected grief will relate to their brokenness. More than that, there are voices raised against May’s parents specifically, but all Asian families in general about the perceived academic pressure put upon their offspring. Those who can see the truth know it is not just Asian parents in this community heaping the expectations on the heads of their young people, and along with this racist attitude, is the realisation that students of colour are facing discrimination of a different kind.

Ignoring her parents’ advice to ‘keep her head down’ May fights back to take charge of her own ‘narrative’ through her writing and galvanises other students into action at the same time.This is a story of courage and perseverance, and the often difficult path to truth telling in the face of sometimes real intimidation. I found it utterly captivating and powerful, and read it with real urgency to know the outcome. Ho’s writing is just sensational. She captures the voice of her various characters beautifully and explores these difficult issues with subtlety and sensitivity.

I highly recommend it to you for your mature readers. While lower secondary kiddos could manage it, I think it better suited to your mid-to-upper readers as it can be quite confronting at times. I feel it will rouse their righteous indignation and would give rise to some deep discussions around the themes.

*This is my ‘give away’ title for February so if you would like to win it, comment on the post and your name will be in the lucky draw at the end of the month* (Australian readers only, sorry)

Feb18

Being Britney: Pieces of a Modern Icon – Jennifer Otter Bickerdike

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Allen & Unwin

November 2021

ISBN: 9781788705240

Publisher: Bonnier

Imprint: Nine Eight Book

RRP: $29.99

To be perfectly frank, I cannot say I’ve ever been a super fan of Britney, either as a person or an entertainer. I don’t mean I disliked her or dismissed her but she was just never high in my consciousness really, but as the turmoil and trauma of her life escalated, who could help but take note of this icon of modern pop culture and the bloody battle she has had. Anyone with this much gumption, determination and sheer guts gets my vote and so I requested to review this.

Like everyone else on the planet I had seen the shock headlines, the paparazzi photos and more but what really has been the story behind what is, essentially, an extraordinary modern life? I love this line from publishers A&U…

Part biography, part social history, Being Britney pieces together a collage of vignettes, stories, interviews, legends and fan experiences to construct a definitive portrait of the artist and her complex, far-reaching orbit..

..because it sums up exactly what this is. Dr Bickerdike has worked hard to provide readers with a comprehensive and balanced insight into the life of this pop princess who first started her career aged 11 in the All New Mickey Mouse Club and has clawed and fought her way through battle after battle, shockingly much of her struggle against her father ( do NOT get me started on that oxygen thief!). The culmination of the angst, the ups and downs, the conversatorship controversy that created shockwaves around the world and the successful outcome, with kudos incidentally to the massive @FreeBritney groundswell from loyal and devoted fans is the stuff of soap opera really.

This intrigued me so much (and made me so angry along the way – seriously I want to punch that father) that I read it snappily over a couple of nights. I don’t think this is an account simply for those who are interested in pop stars or music, I think this is a book that anyone who is into feminism, personal voice, mental health issues and resilience will relish and treasure.

I would have no hesitation in recommending this for my older secondary students – from around Year 9 upwards – although its intended audience is, I think, predominantly adult. I don’t think you would be disappointed – pick it up, give it a try and give Britney a virtual high-five for refusing to bow down to tyranny.

Sep25

We Were Wolves – Jason Cockcroft

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Walker Books Australia

June 2021

ISBN: 9781839130571
Imprint: Andersen Press
Australian RRP: $26.99
New Zealand RRP: $28.99

There are some seriously fabulous YA books coming out of the UK recently – and I’m not trying to take anything away from our local authors at all – it’s just that every single UK title I’ve read, probably in the last year, has completely blown me away. This is another of them.

Dark and intense, it is the story of one boy’s relationship with his da, set amid the angst and terrible sadness of PTSD. The nameless narrator, referred to as Boy or the boy, relates the events he experiences living with his dad, in a caravan in the woods. Actually, it’s more the events he experiences once his dad is ‘banged up’ and he struggles to work things out on his own. It’s not that he can’t go home to his Mam, but more, the intense loyalty he feels towards his father, with his certainty that he is the only one who can ‘get through’ to his dad in the moments of danger. Boy knows he can manage in the caravan on his own but it’s the dark forces circling, like the Bad Man, Toomey, and the hidden beasts lurking that are his biggest enemy.

His meeting with Sophie is paramount in his struggle to keep a grip on some kind of hope and lifeline to normality but even more than this, has been the arrival of an elderly dog he calls Mol(ly) – both of these become his comfort and bolster in the danger he faces.

This is not an easy read. There are kids who will struggle with it – not because it’s difficult technically, but because it is quite confronting emotionally but those who persist will be well rewarded. There are many teens for whom life is not easy, but the lifeline/s offered by friends, family and others are so important , and equally important, is for us to put such books into the hands of young people.

This is another beautifully presented book I have read in the last week or so – with a striking dust jacket, fabulous end papers and evocative illustrations.

I will be definitely be book talking this one at our first ChocLit meeting when term begins and I highly recommend it for your astute readers from around 14 years upwards.

Jul18

Being You is Enough series- Josh Langley

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Big Sky Publishing

RRP: $14.99

It was such a joy to become connected with the uber-talented Josh Langley online earlier this year and to discover his own magical brand of positivity, particularly as it applies to children. It’s taken a while but this week I received the four books in his amazingly successful series and have fallen in love with them all. After a rather fraught couple of months with the Kid who was struggling with some serious anxiety and other mental health issues, and the frightening stats coming out about the escalating numbers of children and young people presenting with such problems, I can only say that this series could not be more timely. While I know my personal philosophy has always been to encourage self-confidence and self-awareness in children and, in particular, this young woman it is my privilege to be raising, how much more effective is the sharing of such vibrant and entertaining ‘lessons’ via books that make a child laugh as well as think and reflect. Even said Kid laughed when I showed her some of the spreads – and commented ‘Point taken, Gran!’.

Starting early with these vital lessons in being confident, courageous and compassionate, resilience, self-regulation and growth mindset can only prove beneficial for our kiddos. Whether you hold these in your collection (which I plan to do) or share them with your guidance counsellors (which I also plan to do) or if you simply acquire them for use with the small people in your life, Josh’s simple but quirky text in each book accompanied by his joyous cartoon-style illustrations will engage your young readers from the start. And as we all know that hook from the start is the most important part of any learning experience. In fact, seeing these books in person for the first time, I immediately busted out a grin and thought ‘Wow, our very own Todd Parr!’.

The latest in the series was launched a few weeks back and takes as its focus what might just prove to be the most important quality of the decade going forward. The world is in dire need of more kindness. With so much suffering, worry and despair, taking some time to be kind to each other and the Earth itself is vital – for our own mental well-being as much as anything else.

I no longer teach the littlies but even with my older kiddos, I am planning a ‘Being Wildly Kind’ challenge for this term *grin*. My strings of little ‘bee’ lights are ready to go up as are my challenges for them and I believe I will have many of my ‘too cool’ teens rise to the occasion when I ask them the question ‘What kind of person do you want to bee?’.

Josh does not confine himself to his popular books (for children and adults). He also has an online presence with videos and online chats, one of which I joined during the past week to my utter delight. This is a man who not only talks the talk but has walked the walk, his sensitivity and commitment to young people’s mental health being inspired by his own struggles as a child.

I truly cannot recommend these highly enough for your kids – either the ones in your classes or the ones in your family.

Be sure to check out Josh’s website for more resources and inspiration or for information around his school visits and more.

Jun20

100 Remarkable Feats of Xander Maze – Clayton Zane Comber

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Harper Collins Australia

June 2021

  • ISBN: 9781460759455
  • ISBN 10: 1460759451
  • Imprint: HarperCollins AU
  • List Price: 19.99 AUD
  • Age: From 14 years

Believe me when I tell you that you will fall in love with Xander, and be sad to leave him at the end of this beautiful feel-good coming-of-age novel.

Xander loves to make lists and #1 on his list of People I Love Most in the World is his Nanna, who has lived with him and his mum since Xander’s dad died. Nanna has been Xander’s ally, confidante, support team and his very best friend and now that she has stage 4 cancer, Xander is determined to do whatever it takes to save her. Nanna wants him to make a list of 100 remarkable feats that he will hope to achieve by the end of the school year. It’s going to be a very tricky mission especially with feats like:

#2 Make a friend

#10 Kiss a girl (preferably Ally Collins)

#28 Go to a party

#58 Get a job (any job)

#87 Learn to keep secrets

#100 Save Nanna

As we read Xander’s list we get a very clear insight into his quirky personality and a poignant understanding of why his Nanna has encouraged him to both create and fulfil the remarkable feats. For someone who knows her time is short ,and who has been this beautiful boy’s stalwart support, the greatest gift she can give him is the confidence and skills to step out on his own.

When Xander’s 100 remarkable feats list unintentionally becomes a matter of public record, he is surprised to find that he has help from unexpected quarters and many of his feats are accomplished almost before he realises. Xander’s journey into friendships, new situations and stepping well outside his very narrow comfort zone is both hilarious and moving, with one of the most genuinely likeable cast of characters I have encountered in a long time.

I will certainly be giving it my best and biggest promotion at our final ChocLit meeting for this term during the coming week and I highly recommend it for your readers from around Year 7 upwards. The themes of grief/loss, resilience, identity, belonging, mental health in particular will resonate with many teens, and for your classroom program you will find the teaching guide a great resource.