I know I haven’t been on here in awhile, but I wanted to bring this weekly prompt back for the back-to-school season. Enjoy!
This week’s topic: Book List for Class on (genre/trope/etc)
August 29: Book List for Class on [pick genre/trope/etc]–Just in time for back to school, create a reading list for a class on a bookish topic of your choice
For this topic, I’ll chose book for a class on anxiety/anxiety disorders. I’m by no means an expert on anxiety or other anxiety disorders, but in my experience, I deal with mine in a very internal way. In ways that I like to keep it all bottled in until it explodes, and it usually explodes at the wrong people. However, I’m learning that by reading others’ experiences helps me cope and do better with my own anxiety. So if I were a teacher or tutor, I would pick these books to read on anxiety on an internal level.
5. Starfish by Akemi Dawn Bowman – Starfish was probably the first book that I got to fully experience a character dealing with anxiety, and going through the process of panic attacks, feeling suffocated in your own body. It’s not fun and it’s a very isolating feeling, and it never ends. And you constantly feel like you have to apologize to other neuro-typical people for going through anxious moments. I’ve felt that way my whole life, and this book is good for students who may be in the same state of mind.
4. Shadowshaper by Daniel Jose Older – While there is a lot of urban fantasy involved in this book, there are moments where Sierra, the protagonist, feels as if she is unworthy or not equipped enough to save the Shadowshaper world, even with her grandmother’s help. There are moments where she constantly doubts herself and her abilities, and she talks about it as if she may have anxiety. This book could be fun for not only students who love fantasy and art, but who may relate to Sierra’s anxiety as a whole.
3. Scattered Constellations by Ankita Singh – I would probably have my students read this for a poetry segment, or an English assignment. Since the book is so short.
2. Enigma by Tonya Kuper – I would have to have my students read Anomaly first, but Enigma is really where Josie’s anxiety and PTSD sets in. Again, it takes place in a sci-fi fantasy world, but the emotions and relationships are very real.
1. Still Alice by Lisa Genova – Still Alice doesn’t deal with anxiety or an anxiety disorder along with her Alzheimer’s Disease, but she has anxious moments over her diagnosis, especially with her family. It’s not much, but the movie adaptation explains Alice’s issues better than the book. The book is more technical so students can understand more about the disease.
What are some books you’d recommend a class read for anxiety/anxiety disorders? Comment below!
