Free books offered to help young people with mental health issues

Hampshire County Council’s libraries have joined a national scheme offering free expert-endorsed books.

Reading Well for young people provides 13 to 18-year-olds with high-quality information and advice on mental health issues, such as anxiety, depression, eating disorders and self-harm, and difficult life pressures, like bullying and exams.

Eleven of Hampshire’s biggest libraries are taking part by making a core list of 35 books available.

The libraries taking part include Fareham, Gosport, Waterlooville and Petersfield.

The list includes novels such as The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky, and non-fiction such as My Brain: The Amazing Teenage Brain Revealed by Nicola Morgan.

The scheme is run by The Reading Agency in partnership with the Society of Chief Librarians and the Association of Senior Children’s and Education Librarians.