Book Week NI 2024 takes place this week (October 21-27) in libraries across Northern Ireland, so we thought it was the perfect time to share some bookish recommendations which just might inspire you to settle down for a good read. A joint initiative from BBC NI and Action Mental Health partner, Libraries NI, Book Week NI is now in its ninth year and “brings together communities, schools and media to celebrate the pleasure and importance of reading.”
With this in mind, here are some books that we think you might enjoy…
This beautifully illustrated picture book by Berlin author/illustrator/artist, Lidia Brankovic takes us into the Grand Hotel of Feelings, ‘where all kinds of feelings come and stay.’ Perfect for children and adults alike, this is a great conversation-starter for discussing different feelings with children and how they might be managed – or simply to read yourself, as it’s a book which speaks to everyone.
Featuring an eclectic cast of characters, The House in the Cerulean Sea is an uplifting story about finding family in unexpected places. When Linus Baker, who works for the Department in Charge of Magical Youth, is asked to visit an orphanage which houses six children who have been labelled ‘dangerous,’ he’s not sure what he’s going to find… Is one of them really the Antichrist and are they really going to bring about the end of days? When he meets the children and their enigmatic guardian, Arthur, Linus finds himself having to choose between duty and dreams.
Inspired by the sports psychology concept of marginal gains, Mental Health Micro-gains is co-authored by two psychologists and features 50 strategies which can be applied to your everyday life to enhance mental wellbeing. Drawing on a range of psychological approaches, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), each micro-gain comes with clear explanations and evidence-based advice and takes a maximum of five minutes to complete, so you can begin to make gradual improvements to your life, one small step at a time.
Written by Dr Ross White, Professor of Clinical Psychology at Queen’s University, Belfast (QUB), The Tree That Bends draws parallels between the flexibility of trees in how they live and survive in the world – and how we can do something similar. Inspired by the Tanzanian proverb, ‘The wind does not break the tree that bends,’ this book explains how, by becoming more psychologically flexible, we can thrive and avoid burnout and disillusionment with life. It includes evidence-based insights from Dr White’s experience as a clinical psychologist working with clients in high-performance fields, along with practical exercises and strategies.
This novel tells the story of Martha Friel, a woman approaching 40 who feels as if her life is broken and who is sad a lot of the time. When her husband, Patrick, leaves, Martha returns to her childhood home – and bohemian parents – to reassess things and reflect on herself and key moments in her life to date. Combining humour with poignant insights on living with long-term mental ill-health, Sorrow and Bliss is a moving and multi-faceted book which includes observations on marriage, motherhood and the trickiness – and love – to be found within families. This is an absorbing read, which is ultimately uplifting and hopeful.
