A statement on Reading Well for teens

A new Reading Well for teens collection launched in public libraries in England and Wales on World Mental Health Day 2022 (10th October). The scheme supports the mental health and wellbeing of teenagers aged 13 to 19 years old, providing information, advice and support to help them better understand their feelings, handle difficult experiences and boost confidence in a post-pandemic context.

The list of published titles has been created through a rigorous selection process with health experts including clinicians, experts in the field, partners from across the sector and has been co-produced with teenagers aged 13 to 19 years old, ensuring that it speaks authentically to the needs and interests of users. It features 27 books and a wide array of supporting digital resources, covering a broad range of topics such as wellbeing, anxiety, depression, body image, neurodiversity, bereavement, sexuality and gender identity, all within the wider context of mental health and wellbeing. These were all topics that were mapped against prevalence and identified by teenagers as being important to include. The books can be recommended and selected according to need and choice.

The book selection panel included representation from accredited organisations and professionals including the creator of Book Prescription Wales, NHS England, Royal College of Psychiatrists, Royal College of GPs, British Psychological Society, Royal College of Nursing and British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. Leading mental health charities, including Mind and the Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families, library staff and government departments were also represented on the panel.

Reading Well for teens is a multi-faceted list curated to address a number of topics and cater to a broad audience; a list which has been created by young people and health professionals to address areas of experience where there is proven need. The Reading Agency’s primary commitment is to supporting teens’ mental health and wellbeing, in line with our core ethos of tackling life’s big challenges through the proven power of reading. This goal is supported by the clinicians who helped select the titles, with the list chosen to reflect the range of challenges young people face.

Additional information on our book selection protocol and our book selection framework can be found online. Read more about Reading Well for teens.