Filipino Children's Books on Mental Health

Children’s Literature provides the reader and those who create it a space where they can explore and present varied experiences and realities of mental health and its complexities. Books and stories remain avenues for catharsis, healing and the assurance that one is never alone. Here are ten titles of children’s books that I believe, tackles mental health issues and ways of journeying with the child reader in his/her/their quest for well-being.

What is mental health?

Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices.1 Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood. ~ CDC, About Mental Health

Components of Mental Health, World Health Organization

Mental health is more than the absence of mental disorders. It exists on a complex continuum, which is experienced differently from one person to the next, with varying degrees of difficulty and distress and potentially very different social and clinical outcomes.

Mental health conditions include mental disorders and psychosocial disabilities as well as other mental states associated with significant distress, impairment in functioning, or risk of self-harm. People with mental health conditions are more likely to experience lower levels of mental well-being, but this is not always or necessarily the case.

1.      

         Canon, Christine. Bakit Matagal Ang Sundo Ko/ Why Is Mommy Late? Quezon

City: Adarna House, 2001.

A little girl patiently waits for mom to fetch her after school. When all the kids have gone home, she resolved to imagine the possible reasons why her mother is late in fetching her. And what imagination can do on a bored little child.

Gourlay, Candy. Sirena Ba ‘Yan? Quezon City: Adarna House, 2019.

Sirena Ba 'Yan? (Is That a Mermaid?) is Candy Gourlay's new picture book. It is about a dugong (sea cow) claiming itself as a mermaid to the chagrin of two kids who met this gentle sea creature by the shore. Together they go on an adventure with the dugong consistently keeping its claim, I am a mermaid!

Anonuevo, Rebecca. Ang Mahiyaing Manok. Quezon City: Adarna House, 2000.

Onyok is a shy rooster who could not crow. To overcome his shyness, his parents gave him all the encouragement he needs. He soon found his voice and his self-confidence. The writer’s use of onomatopoeia has been most effective to characterize Onyok and the change in his character.

 Bellen, Christine. Filemon Mamon. Quezon City: Adarna House, 2004.

Filemon is bent on losing weight so he can play Andres Bonifacio in the school play. With hard work and discipline, he realized the sacrifices he must take to be physically fit. Bellen’s narrative is simple and funny, but sticks to the real issues on obesity.

 Gatmaitan, Luis. Si Miyaw Kasi. Makati City: UNICEF, 2002.

 Nancy takes care of cat foundlings while her parents are away. What her parents could not provide her, she gave the foundlings.

 Rivera, Augie. XILEF. Quezon City: Adarna House, 2000.

 Felix is a young boy with dyslexia. Through the support of his parents & his teachers’ commitment to teach him, he eventually learned how to read & earned gained self-esteem.

Sunico, Ramon. Two Friends One World. Pasig City: Anvil/Cacho Publishing

A blind boy and his friend spends an afternoon at the park discovering the wonders of a tree, a mango fruit and the glow and color of

Patindol, Jean. Papa’s House, Mama’s House. Quezon City: Adarna House, 2004.

Mama explains, with patience, compassion & tolerance, the reasons for her separation from Papa. Using not too complicated words for a child to understand.

Remigio, Corazon. Bruhaha-Bruhihi. Quezon  City: Adarna House,

 A little girl suspects of having a witch for a neighbor. She conjured all the superstitious beliefs on witches that her experience afforded. From this schema, she believed that Mrs. Magalit is indeed a true-blue witch until a humiliating incident shattered all perceived ideas of the old woman. She is after all, just an old woman - shriveled, lonely and alone. Thus, the little girl extended her compassion and friendship to Mrs. Magalit.