Every young person has a story. Sometimes, reading about someone else’s story can help us navigate our own. The Blue Lupin Collection by Kids Help Phone is a trustworthy, inclusive selection of clinician reviewed books that can help youth explore a range of experiences, issues and feelings. Keep scrolling to discover the list of recommended titles and resources to support mental health literacy in your community!
What is The Blue Lupin Collection by Kids Help Phone?
You may already know that Kids Help Phone (KHP) offers free, 24/7, multilingual and confidential mental health support to young people across Canada through phone, text, online message and self-directed resources.
The Blue Lupin Collection by Kids Help Phone extends helpful resources beyond the screen and onto the page, meeting youth where they are. It contains books that highlight a variety of stories and experiences. Each title is carefully reviewed and selected by KHP to share with young people in Grades 4–12.
What are the books about?
The Blue Lupin Collection by Kids Help Phone includes books that can resonate with kids and teens growing up in an increasingly complex world, including themes such as:
- mental health and emotional well-being
- friendships and relationships
- identity and self-discovery
- belonging and community
- resilience and coping skills
- personal growth and self-expression
How can The Blue Lupin Collection by Kids Help Phone support youth mental health?
With youth spending time on screens and encountering content through social media trends such as BookTok, finding trustworthy, inclusive and age-appropriate stories can be challenging.
To help young people, educators, librarians and caring adults choose books with confidence, a clinician at KHP reviews and thoughtfully selects each title in The Blue Lupin Collection by Kids Help Phone. This means a professional with relevant experience / education has evaluated each book for:
- inclusion and representation
- age and reading level
- mental health and wellness themes
- diversity of perspectives, identities and experiences
- opportunities for learning, reflection and discussion
How can I get The Blue Lupin Collection by Kids Help Phone for free?
Educators who participate in KHP’s Counsellor in the Classroom program for students in Grades 4–12 may be eligible to receive books for their students’ age group at no cost while supplies last.
What books are included in The Blue Lupin Collection by Kids Help Phone?
To browse our trusted reading list for youth, you can browse by the grade levels below. To learn more about a book, you can search for it online or check your nearest library or bookstore.
Books for young people in Grades 4–5
- The Awfulizer: Learning To Overcome The Shame Game by Kristin Maher
- Felix and the Feelings Formulas by Kate Bartlein
- Wilma Jean The Worry Machine by Julia Cook
- The Unlovable Alina Butt by Ambreen Butt-Hussain
- Guts by Raina Telgemeier
- The List of Things That Will Not Change by Rebecca Stead
- Thanks A Lot, Universe by Chad Lucas
- Architecture Of The Heart by Architecture Of The Heart by Tina Schneider
- Last Pick by Joel O Estes
- Magnificent Homespun Brown: A Celebration by Samara Cole Doyon
- Songbird by Jenn Larson
- Small Things by Mel Tregonning
- When Things Aren’t Going Right, Go Left by Marc ColaGiovanni
- Tegan and Sara: Junior High by Sara Quin and Tegan Quin
- Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson
- Sharing Circle by Theresa Larsen-Jonasson
- Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson
- Big by Vashti Harrison
- Jo Jo Makoons: The Used-to-Be Best Friend by Dawn Quigely
Books for young people in Grades 6–8
- Surviving the City by Tasha Spillett
- Fatty Legs by Christy Jordan-Fenton, Margaret-olemaun Pokiak-fenton
- Before the Ever After by Jacqueline Woodson
- King of Jam Sandwiches by Eric Walters
- Ribbon Skirt by Cameron Mukwa
- Today I Am by Marty Chan, Michael Hutchinson, Rosena Fung
- New Kid by Jerry Craft
- Scout is not a Band Kid by Jade Armstrong
- Stuntboy in the Meantime by Jason Reynolds
- Unteachables by Gordon Korman
- No Fixed Address by Susin Nielsen
- Mortified by Kristy Jackson
- Nat Enough by Maria Scrivan
- Growing Pangs by Kathryn Ormsbee
- The Seventh Most Important Thing by Shelley Pearsall
Books for young people in Grades 9–12
Coming soon!
What are some ways I can get help or promote KHP’s services?
To connect with KHP, or help raise awareness of mental health resources for young people across Canada, you can tap on the links below.
