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LEWISTON — “Read Your Mind: Mental Health in Teen Books” is a monthly, virtual series focusing on teen mental health and wellness at Lewiston Public Library. The series features YA authors and community health experts, with the aim to explore complex and common health concerns through the vehicle of teen books.
The series debuts Wednesday, Feb. 23, with authors Maia Kobabe and Shelby Criswell, who will give a virtual author talk at 12:30 p.m. via Zoom, as well as streamed to the Lewiston Public Library Facebook page. The talk is free, and the Zoom link will be posted to the Library website and Facebook before the event.
The authors will discuss the impact queerness and gender identity have on teen mental health, through the lens of their graphic novels “Gender Queer” and “Queer As All Get Out.” The authors will be interviewed by youth from the community guest organization MaineTransNet.
Kobabe is a nonbinary queer author and illustrator from California, and author of “Gender Queer: A Memoir.” Criswellis a genderqueer comic artist and graphic designer from San Antonio, Texas. Their most recent work the debut graphic novel, “Queer as All Get Out.”
MaineTransNet is a community based organization led by transgender people for transgender people. They provide peer-to-peer support groups, social and community events, advocacy for the transgender community across Maine, and transgender cultural competency training for medical, mental health, and social service providers. They engage transgender people and their allies across Maine in the practice of community building and organizing for mutual liberation.
The Read Your Mind series is a partnership with Portland Public Teen Library, Lewiston Public Teen Library, Print: A Bookstore, and local community partners. For more information on the seris, contact Lewiston Public Library at 207-513-3135 or LPLReference@lewistonmaine.gov.
