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"I felt and feel a bit weird that grief has shaped so much of my work, even though it actually makes sense. In a global community where Black women especially are lauded for resilience, making room for grief was also me making room for rest, for imagining a space to express my grief openly, which is so rarely afforded to many folks, including children. It even made space for humor."
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WNDB’s Breanna McDaniel, who wrote a powerful piece about depression, dehumanization & racism in academic institutions, and grief in her writing.

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[Image description: To the right, a headshot of author Breanna McDaniel, a Black woman. To the left, artwork of people holding up signs with phrases like “Black Lives Matter” and “Love Your Neighbor,” excerpted from Breanna’s picture book HANDS UP!, illustrated by Shane W. Evans]

(Source: slj.com)

breanna j. mcdaniel black authors writing depression mental health grief picture books hands up!

Aug 27, 2021
"My hope is that if more people go public with their [mental health] struggles, it’ll be less something people think they have to be ashamed of."
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Author Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

What’s it like to write about and live with mental illness as an author and how do authors practice self-care? Karis Rogerson spoke to Victoria “V.E.” Schwab, Jen Wilde, Heidi Heilig, Akemi Dawn Bowman, and Kimberly Brubaker Bradley about it for Mental Health Awareness Month.

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(Source: diversebooks.org)

mental health mental health awareness month v.e. schwab jen wilde kimberly brubaker bradley we need diverse books

May 14, 2020
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Not every novel can be everything at once, but it can be many things. Novels dealing with mental health issues can show the power of friendship, the need for support systems and helpful, understanding adults, the positive impact of therapy and medication, and the dismantling of secrets and silence when someone asks for help. These novels have the power to shift perspectives by showing readers that greater self-awareness and healing are possible. 

There are young people who face these issues and there are young people who need to witness the reality of these issues so they can open doors of understanding. Our books can unlock those doors.

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Rocky Callen on writing responsibly about mental health and suicide in children’s fiction

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(Source: diversebooks.org)

mental health suicide cw rocky callen a breath too late we need diverse books representation matters

Apr 28, 2020
Read “I’m Not Your Inspiration Porn,” in Luna Luna Magazine. “I remember the first time I heard it: “You should be so proud, after all that you’ve been through!” I was 11 years old. It was within a year of my mom’s sudden, unexpected death, and I’d...

Read “I’m Not Your Inspiration Porn,” in Luna Luna Magazine.

“I remember the first time I heard it: “You should be so proud, after all that you’ve been through!” I was 11 years old. It was within a year of my mom’s sudden, unexpected death, and I’d been given several awards and switched into the Honors programs halfway through sixth grade.

When I first heard it, there were so many thoughts running through my head. I was only a kid, and I really didn’t know how to react to compliments yet. I heard that I should be proud of my accomplishments, but I also heard that pride was based on the struggles I’d survived. Would I have been showered with these accolades if I were just a normal 11-year-old?

I guess I’ll never know. Since day one, I’ve been part of the other—marginalized groups that are frequently discriminated against. I have several interconnected sensory and developmental disabilities—autism, with comorbid dyspraxia and sensory processing disorder—that can be hard to explain to other people. I have no sense of balance, so I can’t ride a bike, walk in a straight line one foot at a time, or walk the balance beam. My brain shuts down if I experience sensory overload, and it’s very difficult for me to learn faces, geographical directions, and, for whatever reason, the parts of a sentence.

Because I’m disabled, from the beginning, I was always going to be subject to inspiration porn—either that or its direct counterpart, people feeling sorry for me or my caregivers because of the things I can’t do.”

Click here to read more. 

actuallyautistic actuallydisabled inspiration porn ableism queer LGBTQIA LGBTQ LGBTQIA writers mental health mental illness PTSD actuallyptsd

May 07, 2016
catagator: “You all follow and read Disability in Kidlit, yeah? Next week, they’re doing a series on mental health as depicted in kid lit. I’m so damn honored to have been a part of this – and I’m scared/nervous/excited to share my experiences...

catagator:

You all follow and read Disability in Kidlit, yeah?

Next week, they’re doing a series on mental health as depicted in kid lit. I’m so damn honored to have been a part of this – and I’m scared/nervous/excited to share my experiences dealing with depression and anxiety and what it is I think YA is doing well and where it’s failing readers in terms of depictions of those disorders. 

If you’re eager to learn about mental wellness and illness, tune in because it’s going to be good and valuable and important. 

(via yaflash)

disability in kid lit mental health disability representation in kids lit diverse representation people with disabilities

May 15, 2015

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