Daniel Boone Regional Library

Fiction portraying characters with a mental illness can increase a reader’s understanding of what it might be like to live with depression, anxiety or other disabilities. That understanding can create compassion. For a person living with mental illness or caring for someone with mental illness, reading about people like themselves can also bring comfort and hope.

May is Mental Health Month, and the fine folks at Librarian411.org compiled the following list of recommended fiction for understanding mental illness.

• “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” by Stephen Chbosky follows 10th-grader Charlie as he deals with both anxiety and depression in this coming-of-age novel.
• “Too Bright to Hear Too Loud to See” by Juliann Garey portrays Greyson Todd, a high-flying movie executive struggling with bi-polar disorder.
• “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time” by Mark Haddon is an inventive novel told in the voice of 15-year-old Christopher Boone, an autistic math genius.
• “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” by Ken Kesey is narrated by Chief Bromden, a patient at a psychiatric hospital in Oregon, and explores the mistreatment of patients with mental illness.
• “I Know This Much Is True” by Wally Lamb explores the conflicted relationship between twin brothers, one of whom suffers from schizophrenia.
• Ron McLarty’s ”The Memory of Running,” a novel of loss and redemption, portrays characters suffering from alcoholism and schizophrenia.
• “72 Hour Hold” by Bebe Moore Campbell tells the powerful story of a mother trying to cope with her daughter’s bipolar disorder.
• Sylvia Plath’s “The Bell Jar” follows Esther Greenwood as  she descends into depression and contemplates suicide while interning at a New York City magazine.
• “It’s Kind of a Funny Story” by Ned Vizzini is a humorous account of a New York City teenager’s battle with depression and his time spent in a psychiatric hospital.

Have there been books that have helped you gain greater understanding of mental illness? Please share them in the comments.

Fiction portraying characters with a mental illness can increase a reader’s understanding of what it might be like to live with depression, anxiety or other disabilities. That understanding can create compassion. For a person living with mental illness or caring for someone with mental illness, reading about people like themselves can also bring comfort and hope.

May is Mental Health Month, and the fine folks at Librarian411.org compiled the following list of recommended fiction for understanding mental illness.

• “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” by Stephen Chbosky follows 10th-grader Charlie as he deals with both anxiety and depression in this coming-of-age novel.
• “Too Bright to Hear Too Loud to See” by Juliann Garey portrays Greyson Todd, a high-flying movie executive struggling with bi-polar disorder.
• “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time” by Mark Haddon is an inventive novel told in the voice of 15-year-old Christopher Boone, an autistic math genius.
• “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” by Ken Kesey is narrated by Chief Bromden, a patient at a psychiatric hospital in Oregon, and explores the mistreatment of patients with mental illness.
• “I Know This Much Is True” by Wally Lamb explores the conflicted relationship between twin brothers, one of whom suffers from schizophrenia.
• Ron McLarty’s ”The Memory of Running,” a novel of loss and redemption, portrays characters suffering from alcoholism and schizophrenia.
• “72 Hour Hold” by Bebe Moore Campbell tells the powerful story of a mother trying to cope with her daughter’s bipolar disorder.
• Sylvia Plath’s “The Bell Jar” follows Esther Greenwood as  she descends into depression and contemplates suicide while interning at a New York City magazine.
• “It’s Kind of a Funny Story” by Ned Vizzini is a humorous account of a New York City teenager’s battle with depression and his time spent in a psychiatric hospital.

Have there been books that have helped you gain greater understanding of mental illness? Please share them in the comments.

Hector, the protagonist of Anthony McGowan’s humorous “Jack Tumor,“  is your typical teenage nerd. He is good at math, unpopular with the girls and he gets picked on by the school bullies. To make matters worse, he starts getting headaches and dizzy spells. And then, to top it all off, he begins hearing a voice in his head. It turns out he has a brain tumor with a mind of its own. The tumor, which names itself “Jack,” is everything Hector is not and quickly attempts to influence his actions.

Before long, Hector is standing up to the bullies, kissing a girl he never would have had a shot at before and alienating his friends. As Jack begins making suggestions that make Hector more and more uncomfortable, Hector realizes that he cannot listen anymore and vows to get rid of Jack. But, it’s hard to get rid of someone who knows your every thought.

I recommend this title to mature teen readers. Brain tumors are no laughing matter, but the book does a good job of being humorous without downplaying the importance of Hector’s situation. There is also the fact that the author is British, so you will run across things like “telly” or “bum” every now and then. Hopefully this isn’t a big deal.

May 5: “Scout’s Honor” 6:00 p.m. at Unitarian Universalist Church. (via)
May 7: “Playground” 5:30 p.m. at Ragtag. (via)

Senior citizens are a national treasure. The wisdom and experience that seniors possess can help teach future generations while also keeping them active in the community. These docs show senior citizens who are tackling their twilight years by leading active lives:

“Young @ Heart”

In Northampton, Massachusetts, a chorus is formed consisting of senior citizens. The twist is that they sing hits by musicians like Coldplay and James Brown. The film follows the chorus as they try to overcome health adversities and get their voices in tune.

“Been Rich All My Life”

The Silver Belles are five chorus girls in their aging years who used to dance in 1930s Harlem. Reunited, they perform on stage at the famed Apollo Theater to amazed crowds. They share stories of their past as they face health concerns and try to teach a new generation their dance steps.

“The Way We Get By”

A group of senior citizens in Maine take on the task of greeting returning troops as they come into the airport at various times throughout the day or night. The film follows three greeters and shows how their service works to better their own lives as they face illnesses and the loss of loved ones.

Wellness – it’s essential to living a full and productive life. We may have different ideas about what wellness means, but everyone can agree it involves skills and strategies that prevent the onset or shorten the duration of illness and promote recovery and well-being. It’s about keeping healthy as well as getting healthy.

Pathways to Wellness, this year’s Mental Health Month theme, calls attention to strategies and approaches that help all Americans achieve wellness and good mental and overall health. The organization Mental Health America provides the following suggestions for creating and maintaining wellness.

• Connecting with others can help you to enjoy the times when you are alone.
• Staying positive can improve your mood and your health.
• Exercising in “spurts” can be just as effective as continuous exercise.
• Helping others may help you experience less depression.
• Creating joy and satisfaction can be easy with little things such as making a gourmet meal while listening to your favorite music, treating yourself to a massage or even taking a few moments to admire nature.
• Spirituality can give you a sense of purpose and meaning.
• Writing down your problems can help shift your thinking about the issue and ultimately improve your mood.
• Stress management techniques are important because chronic (long-lasting) stress can change your brain and the way you function.

Your library has many resources for learning more about mental health.

• Check out our mental health subject guide, with links to area organizations and resources for those with mental health issues and their families.
• Research authoritative sources on topics from depression to post-traumatic stress disorder in Consumer Health Complete, a database you can access through the library’s website for free with your library card.
• Browse the Mental Health Month display on the second floor of the Columbia Public Library.
• Check out a Mental Health To-Go Kit to learn more about bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, depression, autism and substance abuse recovery.

Be well!

One of my all-time favorite apps is the brain-teasing game “Machinarium.”  I downloaded this app to my iPad and was instantly impressed by the stunning graphics and level of detail. Created by Amanita Design, this puzzle game takes you through a winding mechanical city as you challenge the robot mafia to save your bionic friends.  With summer vacation a mere three weeks away, this will be a great app to explore with all your newly discovered free time. ”Machinarium”  is available through iTunes and Google Play for $4.99. To learn more, check out our subject guide dedicated to great apps for teens!

We recently added “This Is Not a Film” to the DBRL collection. The film has won several awards and currently has a rating of 99% from critics at Rotten Tomatoes. Here’s a synopsis from our catalog:

This clandestine documentary, shot partially on an iPhone and smuggled into France on a usb drive hidden in a cake for a last-minute submission to Cannes, depicts the day-to-day life of acclaimed director Jafar Panahi (Offside, The Circle) during his house arrest in his Tehran apartment. While appealing his 2010 sentence (six years in prison and a 20-year ban from filmmaking, interviews or leaving the country) Panahi is seen talking to his family and lawyer on the phone, and discussing his plight with his friend and collaborator, Mirtahmasb.

Check out the film trailer or the official film site for more info.

I don’t know about you, but I can smell summer vacation from here. I’ve already started a “vacation books” list in the library’s catalog where I’m stashing links to all of those titles I’ve deluded myself into thinking I’ll have time to read during my family’s upcoming road trip. Chances are I will actually be spending my hours in the car distributing snacks and breaking up my kids’ backseat squabbles. Hmm. Maybe I should focus on audiobooks…

Most of us read a little differently in the summer. Usually you can find me with my nose in a work of literary fiction, but during the summer I want faster reads. Fun reads. Thrillers often fit this bill.

• Our Staff Picks book lists in the library catalog are great sources for recommended reads. Check out our Suspense & Thriller picks.
• One of the most popular thrillers last year was Gillian Flynn’s “Gone Girl.” If you read it and are looking for something similar, try one of our read-alike recommendations.
• Browse one of our databases like Books & Authors or Novelist, both of which have tools for finding books by genre and for generating recommendations based on books or authors you already know and love.

What’s on your reading list for the summer? Let us know in the comments!

I don’t know about you, but I can smell summer vacation from here. I’ve already started a “vacation books” list in the library’s catalog where I’m stashing links to all of those titles I’ve deluded myself into thinking I’ll have time to read during my family’s upcoming road trip. Chances are I will actually be spending my hours in the car distributing snacks and breaking up my kids’ backseat squabbles. Hmm. Maybe I should focus on audiobooks…

Most of us read a little differently in the summer. Usually you can find me with my nose in a work of literary fiction, but during the summer I want faster reads. Fun reads. Thrillers often fit this bill.

• Our Staff Picks book lists in the library catalog are great sources for recommended reads. Check out our Suspense & Thriller picks.
• One of the most popular thrillers last year was Gillian Flynn’s “Gone Girl.” If you read it and are looking for something similar, try one of our read-alike recommendations.
• Browse one of our databases like Books & Authors or Novelist, both of which have tools for finding books by genre and for generating recommendations based on books or authors you already know and love.

What’s on your reading list for the summer? Let us know in the comments!

My mother used to say, “If growing up were easy, it wouldn’t take so long.” I feel like my teen years were spent defining who I was and challenging my core beliefs. I spent a great deal of time examining the relationships in my life and coming to terms with my strengths and weaknesses. Actually, these are still prevailing themes in my life, even as an adult.

In two weeks, the Rainbow House will be hosting a workshop for middle-school girls on body image. They will discuss healthy habits, messages sent by clothing and behavior choices, and how to preserve your reputation. The class will also address issues concerning self-awareness, self-confidence and self-acceptance.

Mark your calendars for this class which is scheduled for Wednesdays throughout May. The first class will be held May 8 from 4-6 p.m. at 1611 Towne Drive in Columbia. To register, please contact Ashton at Rainbow House at (573) 474- 6600, ext. 2106. A parent session will be offered at the same time as the first class.

Got a busy schedule? The library has several wonderful resources for young women looking for answers to many of the critical, self-searching questions posed during this chapter of their lives.

All the Wrong People Have Self Esteem: An Inappropriate Book for Young Ladies (or, Frankly, Anybody Else) by Laurie Rosenwald

This is a creative, irreverent book that helps us accept the quirks and flaws that make us all beautifully unique. As Rosenwald says, “Interesting people are full of doubt. People who are totally sure their way is the only way are always wrong.”

Be True to Your Self: A Daily Guide for Teenage Girls by Amanda Ford

This book dispenses daily advice on a wide range of topics like dealing with divorce, maintaining healthy relationships, and stepping beyond your comfort zone to learn more about yourself. My favorite quote: “Today, remember that being comfortable with your imperfections is much better than being perfect.”

Please Read (if at all possible): The Girl Project by Kate Engelbrecht

Five years ago Engelbrecht sent cameras and questionnaires across the country asking teenage girls to share their thoughts of themselves and the world around them. She received an astounding 5,000 responses which have been compiled in to this insightful scrapbook of young womanhood.

Voting for the 2013 One Read book is now closed. We appreciate all of you who cast your vote for either “The Call” by Yannick Murphy or “The Ruins of Us” by Keija Parssinen.

On May 20 we will announce the winning book here at oneread.org.

In the meantime, read more about our finalists!

Photo credit: Avard Woolaver via photopin cc

Who says Armageddon has to be upsetting? If you have the right set of writers, it can be hilarious! Famous fantasy authors Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett teamed up to write ”Good Omens,” an intricate and entertaining novel about an angel and a demon that try to prevent the end of the world.

The book plays mainly on a collection of common human errors. The best laid plans can go awry, even if those plans are put in place by Heaven and Hell alike. Prophets get can misdirected, and all the witch hunting training in the world can’t prepare you for love at first sight. Miscommunication can cause mishaps like being pummeled by nuns with paintball guns, and assumptions can cause one to misplace the Antichrist.

But most of all, no matter how powerful you are, you can’t fight the determination of a child’s desire to stay a child. The character Adam represents the idea of nostalgia being unbound by time. Adam is the Antichrist, whether he knows it or not, but instead of doing something boring like bringing about Armageddon, he’d rather just play pretend with his three best friends. The book leaves you with the sense that even though everything may look bleak to you, it looks wonderful to a child. Isn’t that the way we should look at things? With curiosity and the confidence that we can, no matter what, overcome hardship? And with the excitement that anything could happen next? The only thing you should really ever prepare for is to have an adventure.

Pratchett and Gaiman have a number of popular works available at DBRL, and here are a few to start with if you are new to these authors. Check them out!

Pratchett:

• “Dodger” (2012)
• “I Shall Wear Midnight” (2010)
• “Going Postal” (2004)

Gaiman:

• “Stardust” (1999)
• “Coraline” (2002)
• “Anansi Boys” (2005)

 

Who says Armageddon has to be upsetting? If you have the right set of writers, it can be hilarious! Famous fantasy authors Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett teamed up to write ”Good Omens,” an intricate and entertaining novel about an angel and a demon that try to prevent the end of the world.

The book plays mainly on a collection of common human errors. The best laid plans can go awry, even if those plans are put in place by Heaven and Hell alike. Prophets get can misdirected, and all the witch hunting training in the world can’t prepare you for love at first sight. Miscommunication can cause mishaps like being pummeled by nuns with paintball guns, and assumptions can cause one to misplace the Antichrist.

But most of all, no matter how powerful you are, you can’t fight the determination of a child’s desire to stay a child. The character Adam represents the idea of nostalgia being unbound by time. Adam is the Antichrist, whether he knows it or not, but instead of doing something boring like bringing about Armageddon, he’d rather just play pretend with his three best friends. The book leaves you with the sense that even though everything may look bleak to you, it looks wonderful to a child. Isn’t that the way we should look at things? With curiosity and the confidence that we can, no matter what, overcome hardship? And with the excitement that anything could happen next? The only thing you should really ever prepare for is to have an adventure.

Pratchett and Gaiman have a number of popular works available at DBRL, and here are a few to start with if you are new to these authors. Check them out!

Pratchett:

• “Dodger” (2012)
• “I Shall Wear Midnight” (2010)
• “Going Postal” (2004)

Gaiman:

• “Stardust” (1999)
• “Coraline” (2002)
• “Anansi Boys” (2005)

 

April 26: “Room 237” starts at Ragtag. (via)
April 28: “A Place at the Table” 12:30 p.m. at Ragtag. (via)
April 30: “5 Broken Cameras” 6:00 p.m. at Ellis Library’s Auditorium, free. (via)
May 2: “9 Star Hotel” 5:30 p.m. at Ragtag, free. (via)

Wednesday, May 22, 2013 • 6:30 p.m.
Columbia Public Library, Friends Room

The documentary “Buck” (88 min.) follows Buck Brannaman, a true American cowboy and sage on horseback who travels the country for nine grueling months a year helping horses with people problems. A real life “horse-whisperer,” he eschews the violence of his upbringing and teaches people to communicate with horses through leadership and sensitivity, not punishment. Buck possesses near magical abilities as he dramatically transforms horses-and people-with his understanding, compassion and respect. This documentary by director Cindy Meehl was shown at the True/False Film Fest in 2011.

Thanks to everyone who came to the “The Queen of Versailles” showing at the Columbia Public Library. Here are some questions about the film that you can respond to in the comments section of this blog post:

1. Which person did you identify most with in the film?
2. If you were David or Jackie, how would you make household decisions differently?
3. How do you think David and Jackie’s backgrounds influence their behavior?

I picked “The Rock Hole” off the New Mysteries shelf entirely because of the author’s name.  I just knew “Reavis Z. Wortham” had to be an old country boy who could tell a good tale.

And by golly, I was right. Wortham’s debut novel is simultaneously a charming portrait of small-town life in rural 1960s Texas and a dark and gruesome murder mystery.

On page one we’re introduced to Top, the 8-year-old narrator, as he steps off a Greyhound bus into the welcoming arms of his grandpa Ned and grandma Becky. Minutes after this heartwarming scene, Top and his grandpa (who also happens to be the constable of Lamar County, Texas), are in a cornfield staring at the body of a sadistically mutilated hunting dog.

And that’s how the book goes. Sometimes the story is pure Mayberry, with Top roaming the East Texas countryside with his hound dog Hootie, eating Miss Becky’s fried peach pies and hanging around his adored Uncle Cody, a Vietnam vet and rodeo rider. Then suddenly, Hell’s portals open wide:  a madman known as the Skinner has struck again.

As the Skinner progresses from animal to human prey (and we’re talking children here), I found myself taking refuge in the story’s many lighthearted moments. Wortham is very good at down-home dialect and country characters (he grew up in a small Texas town), and there’s quite a bit of both to lighten the mood—which you will surely appreciate.

So, if you can take the psychological roller-coaster ride and some disturbing violence, “The Rock Hole” makes a solidly entertaining read. Perhaps not at bedtime, though.

Books in the Red River Mystery series at DBRL
“The Rock Hole” (2011)
“Burrows” (2012)

I picked “The Rock Hole” off the New Mysteries shelf entirely because of the author’s name.  I just knew “Reavis Z. Wortham” had to be an old country boy who could tell a good tale.

And by golly, I was right. Wortham’s debut novel is simultaneously a charming portrait of small-town life in rural 1960s Texas and a dark and gruesome murder mystery.

On page one we’re introduced to Top, the 8-year-old narrator, as he steps off a Greyhound bus into the welcoming arms of his grandpa Ned and grandma Becky. Minutes after this heartwarming scene, Top and his grandpa (who also happens to be the constable of Lamar County, Texas), are in a cornfield staring at the body of a sadistically mutilated hunting dog.

And that’s how the book goes. Sometimes the story is pure Mayberry, with Top roaming the East Texas countryside with his hound dog Hootie, eating Miss Becky’s fried peach pies and hanging around his adored Uncle Cody, a Vietnam vet and rodeo rider. Then suddenly, Hell’s portals open wide:  a madman known as the Skinner has struck again.

As the Skinner progresses from animal to human prey (and we’re talking children here), I found myself taking refuge in the story’s many lighthearted moments. Wortham is very good at down-home dialect and country characters (he grew up in a small Texas town), and there’s quite a bit of both to lighten the mood—which you will surely appreciate.

So, if you can take the psychological roller-coaster ride and some disturbing violence, “The Rock Hole” makes a solidly entertaining read. Perhaps not at bedtime, though.

Books in the Red River Mystery series at DBRL
“The Rock Hole” (2011)
“Burrows” (2012)

Below is a list of recently released and best-selling young adult novels. Let us know which title you are looking forward to reading. Do you have a favorite book that should be on the list? Have you already read some of these books? Share your thoughts about these and other must-read titles in the comments below. You might also consider submitting a review of a book that you’ve found particularly captivating. Select teen reviews will be published at teens.dbrl.org.

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