Trick or Treat, Give me something good to eat read!
The summer heat is finally chilling off and autumn is here. That means something really exciting… Halloween is right around the corner. Celebrate the frighteningly fun day with one of these spooky and thrilling books.
By Lauren Read, Business, Science, & Technology Librarian
October is Health Literacy Month, and this post serves to highlight mental health, which often is given shorter shrift. October 10th’s commemoration as World Mental Health Day has sparked further interest in exploring and sharing the topic.
The 2019 theme of World Mental Health Day is “Working Together to Prevent Suicide.” Suicide is an astounding public health issue. No demographic is immune to depression and its effects, and the statistics are most harrowing for young adults. About 50% of suicide attempts involve major depressive disorder; 90% involve some diagnosable (and treatable) psychiatric disorder.
If this information has gotten you concerned, the good news is that there is plenty to do about it. Recognizing and treating (with or without pharmacology) depression and poor mental health is key. Building and maintaining personal connection and relationships can make the difference between feeling supported and seeming utterly alone. So whether you are in need or know someone who may be, regular communication makes all the difference. Be a life-line and potentially save a life!
One local group that has community education for talking with individuals in need as well as crucial support groups for survivors of suicide attempts and survivors of suicide loss is the Maryland chapter of the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention. The World Health Organization, which supports World Mental Health Day, has a wealth of information as well. And an easy-to-remember suicide crisis hotline is simply dialing 2-1-1.
The Pratt has a substantial research guide for Senior Mental Health Awareness in particular. Of course, we have numerous books and other materials that cover mental health and suicide prevention. Pennsylvania Avenue Branch has an upcoming program for men and for women with expert-facilitated conversations on living with mental illness. And – not to be understated – increasing one’s social capital through the human connections fostered in “third places” such as the library is always a good thing. Be well.
Hispanic Heritage Month continues! Here’s a look at some of the latest books to hit our shelves from Hispanic and Latinx authors. Hope you enjoy these picks.
¡Los títulos más populares continúan llegando en el Mes de la Herencia Hispana! Aquí un vistazo a algunos de los libros más recientes de autores latinoamericanos que hemos recibido en nuestros estantes. Esperamos que disfrute de esta selección.
Fiction:
Nonfiction:
Children’s:
Young Adult:
October brings a group of graphic novels and young adult books that readers are sure to love. Don’t forget YA isn’t just for teens, many of those young at heart enjoy them too! Take a look at what’s new at the Pratt.
As Fall returns, so does some of our favorite authors with new books. Celebrate the new season with books from best-selling authors. Check them out!
If you read The Handmaid’s Tale, try…
The Testaments
By Margaret Atwood
More than fifteen years after the events of The Handmaid’s Tale, the theocratic regime of the Republic of Gilead maintains its grip on power, but there are signs it is beginning to rot from within. At this crucial moment, the lives of three radically different women converge, with potentially explosive results.
If you enjoyed The Wedding Date, The Proposal, and The Wedding Party, check out…
Royal Holiday
By Jasmine Guillory
Vivian Forest can’t refuse tagging along on her daughter Maddie’s work trip to England to style a royal family member. She’s excited to spend the holidays taking in the magnificent British sights, but doesn’t expect to become instantly attracted to private secretary, Malcolm Hudson. When their flirtatious banter turns into a kiss under the mistletoe, things snowball into an unforgettable romance.
If you read Class Mom, might want to give this a chance…
You’ve Been Volunteered
By Laurie Gelman
If you’ve ever been a room parent or school volunteer, Jen Dixon is your hero. She’s been roped into room-parenting yet again, for her son Max’s third grade class, but as her husband buries himself in work, her older daughters navigate adulthood, and Jen’s own aging parents start to need some parenting themselves, Jen gets pulled in more directions than any one mom, or superhero, can handle.
Also new in fiction:
