The Trouble with Heroes, written by Kate Messner. Bloomsbury Children's Books, Raincoast. 2025. $23.99 ages 10 and up

 

"Mom made excuses even when I was little.
The Towers took something he couldn’t get back.
No matter how fast he ran into flames.
No matter how hard he tried to forget.
Memories like that stick to your skin,
crawl deep inside you,
and curl up in corners
that still somehow smolder, all
metal and ash."  

Finn Connelly has gotten himself in some big trouble letting his anger get the better of him, and kicking over the headstone of an important local, Edna Grace Thomas. Ms. Thomas was a dedicated climber of the 46 Adirondack Peaks, and encouraged thousands of others to discover the beauty and peace found in nature while climbing them. Instead of pressing charges against the seventh grader, Ms.Thomas' daughter seeks reparation through Finn agreeing to scale all 46 High Peaks before Labor Day. He will take the Thomas dog, Seymour, with him as often as is possible. 

Finn also has unfinished work from school in English and Phys. Ed. to complelte during the summer. Whed two years ago. Finn is about to fail seventh grade and has never made headlines . . . until now. Caught on camera vandalizing a cemetery, he’s in big trouble for knocking down some dead old lady’s headstone. Turns out that grave belongs to a legendary local mountain climber, and her daughter makes Finn an unusual offer: she’ll drop all the charges if he agrees to climb all forty-six Adirondack High Peaks in a single summer. And there’s just one more thing–he has to bring along the dead woman’s dog. In a wild three months of misadventures, mountain mud, and unexpected mentors, Finn begins to find his way on the trails. At the top of each peak, he can see for miles and slowly begins to understand more about himself and his dad. But the mountains don’t care about any of that, and as the clock ticks down to September, they have more surprises in store. Finn’s final summit challenge may be more than even a hero can face. ile not enamored of the task, Finn agrees and is accompanied on his climbs by experienced volunteers who agree to help him face the summits. There is a lot for Finn to deal with, including his father's death and need to be a hero. In poetic verse, Kate Messner handles topics of grief, mental health, PTSD, friendship, identity, and growing up. She also includes founds letters, recipes, text messages between mother and son, school progress reports, and photographs taken of the many climbs.

Finn is a well-realized character whose growth and capability impress readers, as he moves forward despite difficulties and observed flaws to find out what he needs to know about himself.  Eventually, despite reservations and many complaints, Finn finds what he needs in nature and with kind support. There are many discoveries to be made and his story, though heartbreaking at times, is going to win some major awards. It's that good! 

Next Stop, written and illustrated by Debbie Fong. Random House Graphic. Penguin Random House, 2024. $18.99 ages 10 and up

 

"Hey Dad, it's Pia. I just wanted to let you 
know that the trip is going well. I'm actually 
having a lot of fun. 

It kind of feels like being part of a big 
family. 

I miss you a lot, though, and I can't 
wait to come home ... so we can all 
be together again."

It's been quite a year since Pia's younger brother, Ben, died by drowning. The family is reeling with grief and have recently made a move to help them begin again in a new location. Pia's mother continues to believe that Pia caused her brother's death. Her dad is doing his best to keep the family together. After speaking with the school librarian and learning about the magical powers of Cessarine Lake, Pia sets her focus on drinking the water there and hoping for better days ahead. 

To make the story work as well as it does, Debbie Fong shifts back and forth with brightly colored pages that follow Pia on her bus trip through the desert; Pia's delight in meeting and making new friendships help alleviate the pain of her life as she has been living it. Flashbacks are done in more somber tones as readers discover what happened with Ben. 

There are certain elements that suggest there might be something magical for those who visit Cessarine Lake. Pia can, thus, remain hopeful for the future. Her father's gift of tickets that allow entrance to attractions along the way help Pia (who travels with a family friend and her daughter) become part of a bigger family of travelers. Her trip allows readers to see the grief she is experiencing, and also the beginning of her healing as it focuses on family, friendships and making connections along the way. 

Memorable and sure to find fans, this is a book that offers hope and may even be read more than one time. 

Meet Clara Hughes, written by Elizabeth MacLeod and illustrated by Mike Deas. Scholastic, 22023. $18.99 ages 9 and up

"Clara had been very busy. In 2017 she realized
she needed to take a break for her mental health.
A big break. Clara and now-husband Peter turned
back to nature. They went trekking through the 
wilderness for months at a time. 
All her life Clara had moved quickly, racing 
around on her bike or skates. For three years
she and Peter travelled slowly, enjoying the 
peace and beauty around them."

In another Scholastic Canada Biography, Elizabeth MacLeod shares with readers the story of a record- breaking double athlete whose long and storied career is also focused on issues of mental health and her path to healing. 

Clara was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba and grew up crafting with her mom, cooking with her dad, and reading. She also loved hockey, ringette, and riding her bike. Conflicts at home led to her wanting to be out of there. Riding her bike to escape, then getting in with the wrong crowd led to more serious behaviors. Watching the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics, she had great admiration for the speed skaters. It brought a change to the path her life would take. 

Clara joined a speed skating club. Filled with enthusiasm for the sport, she began to focus on training hard - until her coach moved on. Clara turned her attention to cycling, as it had been a part of her training routine for skating. She was very good at this new sport. Hard work paid off, and Clara accomplished great success. Those accomplishments are only part of her story. 

For two years Clara dealt privately with feelings of depression. When she did ask for help, her health improved immensely. Clara began to do those things that made her happy, rather than what others wanted her to do. It made all the difference. Today, she works with Right to Play,, an organization that helps kids learn through sports, and with Bell Canada's Let's Talk, encouraging those with mental health issues to speak up. She inspires others to talk about their own journeys toward wellness. Kids need to hear messages like this from those they admire. This book helps them with that.   

As he has done in other such commendable biographies, Mike Deas' artwork adds to the appeal of this worthy book. He shows Clara from a young age, then throughout  her life as she works hard, celebrates her many accomplishments, finds peace in nature and speaks about her experiences in sport and with depression. A timeline for Clara's life is appended.                                                                            

So Long, Stress! Written by Helaine Becker and illustrated by Joanna Sevilla. Scholastic, 2023. $16.99 ages 9 and up

 

"The relationships you have with others
are the heart of being human. Our species 
is social - like ants, lions or dogs - meaning
we have evolved to function best as part of 
a group. And we feel happiest and safest 
when we feel a sense of belonging and 
connection to others. 

So, feeling isolated, shut out or lonely is 
a very real source of stress. It feels terrible
and, over an extended period of time, it 
can harm your health."

As I read this book meant to give middle graders some guidance in recognizing stress and anxiety and learning about effective management in ways that are healthy and helpful, I found myself trying some of the suggestions given. The organization is helpful with four chapters: What is Stress, Developing Stress-Fighting Habits, Taking Care of Emotions, and Tackling Stressful Situations. Each is then presented in a practical, conversational tone that offers advice and ways to deal with emotions and questions. 

Given all that we are hearing about stress levels in our kids while still dealing with the isolation and worry caused by the global pandemic and the changes it brought to their lives, this seems a useful guide for sharing in classrooms. Teachers and counselors could use it to provide times during the day when new practices are presented and practiced. 

"Box Breathing

Box breathing is a simple technique to slow your breathing. It is
frequently used by first responders to help them stay calm during 
a crisis. It's called box or four-square breathing because when you do it, 
each of the four "sides" of your complete cycle of breath are exactly 
the same length. 

1. Begin by exhaling for a count of four. 
2. Hold for a count of four. 
3. Inhale for a count of four. 
4. Hold for a count of four. 

For best results, repeat the box four times." 

A pretty simple way to calm themselves together and in a classroom setting.

Taking care of our mental health, and learning ways to understand and deal with anxiety and stress is a lifelong strategy that can make a difference for the kids we spend our days with, and for ourselves as well.