You'll find information about the Reading Well schemes for adults on this page. Information for younger readers is on the Reading Well schemes for children, teens and young adults webpage.
You can also find many of these titles as digital books - both eBooks and eAudiobooks.
About Reading Well
The Healing Power of Words
Milton Keynes City Council libraries play their part in helping people tackle all kinds of problems, from binge-eating, stress and relationship problems to managing chronic pain.
Reading Well supports you to understand and manage your health and wellbeing using helpful reading.
Reading Well books are all recommended by health experts, as well as people with lived experience of the conditions and topics covered and their relatives and carers. The aim is to improve the nation’s health through books and reading.
Reading Well for dementia
- recommends books you might find helpful if you have dementia, are caring for someone with dementia or would like to find out more about the condition.
- The books provide information and advice, support for living well, advice for relatives and carers, and personal stories.
- These books are endorsed by health professionals.
- Visit the Reading Well for dementia web page for full details and book lists.
Reading Well for mental health
- provides helpful information and support for managing common mental health conditions, or dealing with difficult feelings and experiences.
Reading Well for Families
- recommends helpful reading to support parents and carers to look after their wellbeing in pregnancy and the early years (from conception to aged two).
- The books provide information on wellbeing, mental health and coping with loss.
- The scheme is aimed at adults and includes a range of recommended books and supporting digital resources. Some of the recommended books provide information and advice; there are also personal stories, illustrated books and poetry.
- The collection of books has been chosen and endorsed by leading health professionals and co-produced with people with real-life experience.
- Visit the Reading Well for Families web page for full details and booklists.
Mood Boosting Books
- recommends a collection of uplifting, feel-good reads chosen to boost your mood and support your wellbeing.
- The 2026 collection has been chosen by young adults aged 18-25, for adults (18+) to enjoy. They recommended books that had boosted their mood.
- A panel of young adults, librarians and booksellers read and reviewed the longlisted titles to help create the final collection.
- The list includes a range of fiction and non-fiction, with books chosen because they are feel-good, uplifting and meaningful to readers.
- Mood-boosting Books 2026 has been developed by The Reading Agency in partnership with the Booksellers Association and forms part of the National Year of Reading 2026.
- Visit the Mood-boosting Books web page for full details and book lists.
