In a recent study from Acta Med Philipp: National Health Science Journal, mental health conditions affect an estimated 11.3% to 11.6% of the population in the Philippines. In recent years, mental and emotional health has become a hot topic as we learn more about what affects our thoughts and emotions, thanks to advancements in behavioral science and psychology.
It’s an advantage to educate the public on mental and emotional well-being, especially to educate children who are just developing their own ways to process their thoughts and emotions. Learning the right things at just the right time would help them navigate the world that much easier.
So to help you equip your kids, nieces or nephews with the right attitude and values to deal with their troubles, here are High Five educational books about emotional and mental health.
Ang mga Alon sa Amin by MAGIS Creative Spaces
Photo from Magis Creative
Ang mga Alon sa Amin is written by Rainey S. Dolatre and illustrated by Lanthe Pimentel as part of Magis Creative’s AHA! Stories—a series celebrating the expressive arts as an approach to mental health through picture books that tell stories of resilience and well-being through different testimonials and artworks.
The story follows Mario, a Tagbanua boy from Culion, Palawan, who loved the sea his entire life until a typhoon destroyed his beloved community. The book deals with healing and recovery through the allegory of learning to love the ocean again, and with the help of the people around him, Mario is able to feel the safety and normalcy of a loving community.
Emotions by Adarna House
Photo from Adarna House
Emotions is a picture book series by Adarna House that helps children identify and explore different emotions and understand that all feelings are valid. The series is divided into four titles: Sungit (Grumpiness) and Hiya (Shyness) by Liza Flores, Inip (Boredom) by Harry Monzon, and Pikon (Short-Temperedness) by Jeannelle Pita.
These short and colorful stories are designed to spark meaningful conversations between children and their caregivers, showing them that feeling different things is normal, and it’s how you respond to those emotions that will show your growth as a person.
Mga Kuwento ni Tito Dok by Hiyas
Photo from OMF Literature
Through engaging storytelling, Luis P. Gatmaitán’s 24-book series, Mga Kuwento ni Tito Dok, explains a broad range of topics that laymanizes medicine and scientific principles in simple terms that even children can understand. The series explores sensitive topics like illness, loss, and growing up.
With the familiarity of these experiences, readers of the stories of Tito Dok can understand that these experiences are normal and teach children how to handle such situations with empathy, courage, and acceptance.
But That Won’t Wake Me Up! by Adarna House
Photo from Adarna House Official Website
But That Won’t Wake Me Up is a picture book written by Annie Pacaña-Lumbao and Anelka Lumbao, and illustrated by Liza Flores. The story follows Maya, a student who is worried that she won’t wake up early for school tomorrow. With the help of her mom, they come up with different ways to wake her up for sure.
Using humor and imagination, the book explores how simple worries and overwhelming emotions can be resolved with the help of communication. While the unlikely solution to Maya’s problem is ultimately something simple, the book approached it with care and creativity, which won it the 2012 Filipino Readers’ Choice Award for Best Children’s Book.
Sino Ang Dakila? Sino Ang Tunay na Baliw? by Lolakwentosera
Photo from Lolakwentosera
For teenagers who have grown past storybooks, Sino Ang Dakila? Sino Ang Tunay na Baliw? by Amelia Pagdanganan might be a more appropriate option. While the book still has illustrations to lighten the mood, it also covers a wide range of mental health struggles that anyone can experience. From simple fears and anxieties to more complicated trauma, the book deals with it in a comic approach while still being inspirational and educational, helping debunk stigma and encouraging openness about mental wellness and understanding others’ struggles.
While everyone has different experiences with mental and emotional health, equipping kids with the ability to understand themselves better at a young age is definitely something that will help with their development, especially with these books that tackle sensitive topics thoughtfully and meaningfully.
Do you have any recommendations for mental and emotional well-being reads? Let us know in the comments below!