Here I Am, I Am Me: An Illustrated Guide to Mental Health

by Cara Bean

A full-color graphic novel-style adventure through the brain that demystifies and destigmatizes emotional and mental health for children ages 12 and up.

Join author-illustrator Cara Bean in Here I Am, I Am Me , as she takes readers on an illustrated journey to the center of the brain. Each of the 9 chapters explores a different aspect of mental health, from the brain and the mind, to feelings and emotions.    By portraying complex neuroscience concepts with a cast of illustrated characters (that represent parts of the brain), the book explains what is really going on in the reader’s head in an accessible, approachable way that ultimately serves to empower the reader.

Each chapter includes a “question map” that gives context to and helps frame the pages that follow as well as a “Bean Memory,” which shares a first-person true story that illustrates the chapter’s subject matter as it has played out in the author’s life.

The book doesn’t talk down to its readers, and it doesn’t pretend that teens are immune to mental health Cara Bean masterfully discusses crucial topics like depression, substance use and addiction, and suicide, all while equipping readers with mindfulness tips, specific resources, and empathetic affirmations. Readers will learn to destigmatize the conversation around mental health by reframing their thinking, learning how to use conscious language, and helping themselves and others through mental health dilemmas. 

Genres: Graphic Novels, Nonfiction, Mental Health, Comics, Psychology, Middle Grade, Teen

288 pages, Hardcover

Published April 2, 2024

About the author

Cara Bean is the author of Draw 500 Funny Faces and Features and taught art at Lexington High School in Massachusetts for twelve years. She has an MFA in Drawing and Painting from the University of Washington in Seattle and received a certificate in cartooning from the Sequential Artists Workshop in Gainesville, Florida.

She provides interactive workshops on creativity with people of all ages and backgrounds in various public forums. Cara is passionate about drawing and believes that the simple act of doodling on paper can lead to the investigation of complex ideas.

When she is not teaching, she makes comics that delve into poetic self-introspection, playful storytelling, and topics relevant to teens and teaching. Cara is currently working on comics projects that speak directly to kids and address mental health.

Cara lives in Massachusetts with her husband and their dog Raisin.

Reviews

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't say enough about this comprehensive but never boring guide to mental health for kids and teens. This book is bursting with life and color. Starts with regions of the brain and a discussion of stigma, and then proceeds to demystify everything from fear to addiction. Showing how the brain and body work together, or misfire, or get in loops really helps destigmatize mental illness. Doesn't go as far as schizophrenia, psychosis, oppositional behavior disorder, but does cover the biggies - anxiety and depression. With a lot of talk about stress along the way.
Everyone can learn something from this book, and it's cute to boot!

[Abby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Effective overview of the brain and mental health for a young teen audience. I feel like a lot of teens might read this and think it's too young for them, but while the presentation may seem geared toward younger children, the subject matter is definitely more appropriate for the teen set. It possibly spends a little too much time on substance use disorders and suicide, and while it covers depression pretty well, it doesn't delve much into anxiety. I also hoped it would further cover healthy habits, behaviors and coping mechanisms because while it mentions things like this, it doesn't put enough focus on it for it to grab a teen's attention. We can tell our teen all we want about what she should be doing to improve her well-being and mental health but she doesn't really care about what she hears from us. It's those outside influences that I think is where it will start to resonate with her — peers, favored mentors and the entertainment she chooses for herself, including books. Having said that though I really liked the content, so much that I wanted more of it.

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Freaking awesome! I have to thank my sister for this recommendation! Wish I had this growing up! Glad it’s out there ☺️

[Sammy Kominiarek · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good! Can't wait to put this in my office next year 🧠✨ great read for kids and adults

[Brooke Barker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book. The illustrations are fun and allow for difficult conversations to be made easier. I feel like conversations about mental health, addictions, and suicide were done in a comforting and informative way to help make it more geared toward youth. The different parts of the brain having different drawings and having this followed through the book was enjoyable!

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cara Bean has done a truly wonderful job with this fun, accessible ages-12-and-up guide to mental health. It's full of helpful, relatable and charming as all-get-out information, appropriate personal anecdotes and sound advice. Her skillful, entertaining cartooning underlines the fact that the medium of comics is an exceptionally effective way to put across educational materials for younger people (and adults like me!).

[Marissa LaCelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing. As a social worker who works in the foster care system, this book has been SO wonderful for not only the kids I work with but also the adults who support them. This book breaks down difficult topics into easy to digest information and adorable illustrations! I can't recommend this book enough for every human being, regardless of if you work with kids, have kids, or are around kids at all. Every person could benefit from reading this book!

[Savanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a thoughtful, accessible, comprehensive book about mental health, breaking it down into easy-to-understand pieces in an appropriate way for a teen audience. Even though graphic novels usually aren't my favorite genre, I actually felt that the graphic presentation of content made this more engaging. This would be an excellent book to add to a school's Health or mental health curriculum as well as students (and even adults) struggling with or interested in mental health issues.

[lily ✿ · Rating 4 out of 5]

[3.5 stars]

[K R · Rating 5 out of 5]

Designed for a teen audience but perfect for all ages. This book is beautiful, informative and engaging!

[Valerie Patrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

"having a bad thought doesn't make you a bad person, it just means you're having a thought"

this is a great way to introduce teens to the spectrum of mental health in a way that makes it not scary (it's all scientific!), not isolating (it's something everyone deals with to some degree!), and not boring (there are characters and examples!). I also appreciate how it touched on so many little topics too, I kept thinking "oh well I'm sure it won't address this" and then it did! I wish it focused a bit more on what to do when it's you going through it rather than how to help someone else going through it as well as I feel like all the neuroscience in the beginning might be a bit boring to some, but overall, I can see why this is therapist recommended and now it is (at least 1) librarian recommended too

[Estibaliz · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5, just because of how immensely useful this little guide about your brain and your emotions, geared towards a teenager audience, can be.

The art can look a bit childish, and it certainly gets old quickly, so you won't be reading this graphic novel because of the visual appeal, but Cara Bean makes a great job in addressing all kind of mental health issues in an open and useful way.

Clearly a non fiction book, so you have to put some effort into it, but I understand why it gets so many raging reviews from mental health professionals.

[Anthony · Rating 5 out of 5]

A look at the importance of mental health and steps to help navigate through some of the processes are detailed in this nine chapter, illustrated book. The topics and complex concepts covered are brought home and made accessible through illustrations that go beyond words, making the subject matter understandable.

[Carol Youssif · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! I hope the author releases this title in middle grade format for upper elementary school and younger teens.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a charming, engaging, and comprehensive introduction to mental health for tweens, teens, and even adults.

[Tracey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic. Informative but still within reach of teen readers. Very important read.

[Earla · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG, this book NEEDS to be in every classroom, every teen section in every public library and in every parents bookshelf to then leave out so their teen picks it up and reads it. Cara's combo of personal experiences, digestible research and graphic storytelling is the perfect combo for sharing this info! i LOVE this book!

[Shelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an amazing graphic novel that would be extremely useful for teens. There is so much about mental health explained that it would be very useful in the classroom setting as well.

However, I am not sure teens would continue to read it for entertainment once they start it. At times the amount of information feels a little overwhelming. It would be great if used over time to touch on each subject but it is not a light read even though it is written with an entertaining twist. This is a great book but it also appeals to a certain niche of people.

[Brit Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

It might sound cliche, but I truly do wish that this book had been around when I was an adolescent. Cara Bean does such a wonderful job presenting this information in a way that is straightforward but also entertaining. Her ability to break down a heavy topic like mental health into an illustrated character’s journey while still presenting information that is readily accessible to any reader of any age is a triumph.
Reflecting on my education as a child and teenager, I can confidently say that I am a visual learner, and it is so important for me to be engaged as I learn. I was very excited to read this book for our assignment, as I had never heard of a mental health graphic novel before – what a brilliant concept! I am not a comic book person per se but have always enjoyed animation as a medium for storytelling, whether in film, tv, or literature. Cara Bean’s cartoon avatar “Bean” takes an illustrated journey through an animated world of mental health concepts, interjected with personal anecdotes that are both relatable and heartfelt. I appreciated the way that she broke down the anatomy of the brain, detailing which parts were responsible for emotions, reactions, etc. Presenting the information in this manner was such a simplified way of understanding the biology behind mental health and how our subconscious and biology play a part in our behavior.
When discussing the topic of fear, Bean portrays these feelings as cartoon monsters, stating “I like imagining monsters in order to understand and process things that are scary to me. What I actually fear varies from day to day and depends on situations in my life, community, and world” Bean uses these monsters to illustrate that fear is not only unavoidable but necessary and by doing this, she has created a malleable coping mechanism for anxieties and stressors in her own life. I can imagine how helpful this must be to a teenager who has a challenging time wrapping their brain around feelings of insecurity, doubt, and anger while being a visual learner; translating these emotions into adaptable art versus overwhelming data and research can give them a sense of power and ownership that they may not otherwise have.
Cara Bean’s care for mental health is evident on every page of this book, through carefully crafted storytelling and artwork. She offers a calming and unpretentious guide for anyone who may just be starting on their own mental health journey or is looking for resources to share with someone in their life. This book is designed for teens, but I think that it can be enjoyed by a person of any age. I genuinely think that this book would be a great asset for any counselor (school or otherwise) and would also be a useful tool for students studying mental health. I know that it is common for many families to have educational literature in their homes for children, such as books on personal health and hygiene, dealing with life milestones, etc., and I think that “Here I Am, I Am Me” deserves its own spot on the shelf. The information within is so useful and can be of help to so many people.

[Steph · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is absolutely awesome. A comic all about the brain and all things mental health. I recommend it to absolutely everyone - of any age - but especially those who work with or live with teenagers.

*All* the stars.

[Abigail Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent breakdown of sensitive topics

[Rebecca Kolesky · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great review of mental health for anyone interested, but graphic novel form makes this especially relevant for teens & tweens. Highly recommend for parents too!

[⋆｡‧˚ʚ Chantal ɞ˚‧｡⋆ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Despite this book's target audience being teens it's actually a good read for adults too.

I learned a lot—from a medical standpoint to how to become a better ally.

I really loved how the author simplifies things through art, as well drawing from her own experiences and what she learned from it.

Mental health is one of the things that's not talked about enough (or at all) or taken seriously, and I wish that wasn't the case. (It's also another thing I wish would change in the Latinx community.)

This book has opened my eyes to a lot of things.

Y'all take care of yourselves ❤️ You. Are. Loved.

[LilithHowl · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars - Excellent guide to metal health for teens, as well as adults. When you're feeling a lot of feelings sometimes a book FULL of nothing but words seems daunting. This lovely graphic novel presents solid information in a delightful and digestible way. I've recommended it to my therapist. =)

[Readersaurus · Rating 5 out of 5]

An appealing and easy to read book on this important topic. I’m glad we have this one in our library.

[Leah Garis · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Here I Am I Am Me" is an amazing book to read. It has taught me so many ways to help the people in my life. It has amazing illustrations that help the information stick.

[Cassy Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish this book existed when I was a pre-teen/teenager. Cara Bean’s little bean character walks you through metaphorical mental health maps to break down very real hugely important often stigmatized topics from how the brain functions to depression, suicide, and therapy. Kicking stigma to the curb, Cara’s caring tone and personal anecdotes makes this so accessible and welcoming (you can tell she’s a fantastic teacher!). Give it to every teen you know (or get it for yourself, then gift it to anyone struggling. I guarantee they will feel less alone after reading it). Every library serving young people should have it on their shelves. What a fantastic example of graphic medicine!

[Jay · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is basically an illustrated psychology course.

[Sunflower · Rating 4 out of 5]

SUMMARY
This is a graphic-style novel that aims to introduce readers to how different parts of the brain influence what we experience as “mental health,” including depression, suicidal thoughts, anxiety, fear, and substance use, as well as outlining the role of a psychotherapist.

ARTWORK
The book features distinctive sketch-style illustrations that are engaging and expressive. At times, however, certain pages can feel somewhat cluttered or visually overwhelming.

CONTENT
The book explains to some extent what various mental health experiences are and why they may occur. However, it largely omits the “how” component—specifically, what practical steps can be taken to manage these experiences. For example, anxiety is described and contextualized, but there is limited guidance on coping strategies, aside from a brief mention of grounding techniques such as using the five senses to stay present.

WRITING STYLE
The tone is non-judgmental and non-stigmatizing. Notably, it is one of the very few books I have encountered that discusses mental health without framing itself as a typical “how to overcome anxiety”–type self-help guide. This makes it an excellent gift for someone who may be struggling but whom you do not want to approach with an overtly self-help-oriented title. It also serves as a strong introductory text for anyone, regardless of their own mental health status, and can help initiate conversations and reduce stigma. While it may be somewhat oriented toward teenagers, it is suitable for readers of any age seeking a gentle introduction to mental health topics. The inclusion of scientific terminology, such as specific brain structures, may be challenging to remember or understand—particularly for readers whose first language is not English.

OVERALL
I rated this book 4 out of 5 stars. Although there are areas that could be improved, it remains a strong and accessible contribution to mental health literature. I would highly recommend it, both for personal reading and as a thoughtful gift.

[Victoria Sanchez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Important information about neurobiology and mental health in comic form - THANK GOD. So many middle readers with reading reluctance or graphic preference will now have access to information that was previously closed to them. That, and it's actually good!

Thank you to Hachette for this advanced reader copy.