May is Mental Health Awareness Month and the Children’s Room has resources for you!
Free Comic – Different Kinds of Hurt: Isaac’s Story
The library has a free comic giveaway of a children’s graphic novel about mental health. The Massachusetts Department of Mental Health made this graphic novel called Different Kinds of Hurt: Isaac’s Story written by Leigh Hallisey and illustrated by Christina Kelly. The book shows two classmates talking about different kinds of hurting. The library has free copies of this comic available in English, Spanish, Haitian Creole, and Cape Verdean. Please stop by and pickup a copy for your elementary or middle grade age child! #ItsOkNotToFeelOk
Learn more about Isaac’s Story and mental health resources at Mass.gov/isaacs-story
Spanish 
Haitian Creole 
Cape Verdean
Grab and Go Craft
This month, we have a thematic Grab and Go Craft. Stop by a pickup a kit (while supplies last). Children can make their very own Worry Monster! All you need is a container and creativity. Cut a hole in the container for the mouth of the monster. You can cut into the side of a tissue box or an oatmeal tube and into the top of a coffee or chip tin. Now add teeth, eyes, and hair! Add construction paper to the outside of your container and decorate with markers. Your Worry Monster is ready to eat your worries. Just write them down on a piece of paper and feed them to your monster.
Herman: Library Worry Monster
Amanda, one of the Youth Services Librarians, made a Worry Monster for the library! You can visit Herman the Worry Monster in the Children’s Room on the 2nd floor of the library. He is on a bookshelf right next to the self-checkout machine. We have pieces of paper at the ready if you would like to feed Herman your worries. Herman is also surrounded by books about feelings. Scroll down to the bottom of this post for a Mental Health Youth Booklist.
