How To Spread Bookish Joy & Kindness (Mental Health Awareness Week)

The theme for Mental Health Awareness Week this year is Kindness, and we should always be kind to each other, especially in the times that we are living in at the moment.

Books bring me a lot of joy, and without them I don’t think I would’ve coped as well as I have during this pandemic. Books themselves and the book community always seem to perk me up when I’m low.

So, for today’s post I am going to be sharing some ways that you can spread a little bit of bookish joy and kindness and brighten up somebody’s day.

Buy a book for somebody

Buying a book for somebody is a great way to be kind and bring some joy. People often share their Amazon Wishlists on Twitter, so this could be a great way of getting a book that somebody really wants to them.

Donate Some Books

I usually have a big clear out of my books a few times a year, and then donate them. I usually donate them to charity shops or my local library/school library. However, in the current situation I can’t do that. However, I heard about a book swap stall that was running near me, so I donated two big bags of books that I’d unhauled and gave them to that stall. See if anything like that is happening near you. Books bring joy, and in the current climate people do need that escapism so for them to be able to pick up a donated book for free is amazing.

Set Up A Mini Library

I have seen mini libraries cropping up and these are such a fabulous idea! Little Free Library is one of the sites that are doing this and inspiring people to make their own little libraries. I’ve also seen a few people leaving books outside their houses for people to take during the pandemic and it’s such a selfless thing to do. You could be giving someone just a little bit of joy by letting them take a book that you have loved.

Read to Someone Younger

This is something you can do if you have any younger siblings/nieces/nephews etc. Reading to a young child is known to increase their understanding of books and the world, spark their imagination and develop their language skills. If you can’t do it in person right now, try doing it over FaceTime or Skype.

Interact with Bloggers/Authors/Bookstagrammers/Vloggers

This is something that I wish I’d started doing a long time ago! If you loved a book, let the author know! Most will love getting great feedback on their work and will appreciate that you’ve taken the time to tell them. The same goes for blogger/bookstagrammers/booktubers, if you like a post or a video tell them! Honestly, this has happened to me and it brought a huge smile to my face and made my day. A little compliment can go a long way.

Support Small Bookish Businesses

In these times, and in fact at any other time you should be making an effort to support small businesses. I have been buying from a few small bookish businesses lately and it makes me feel good to know that I am supporting someone who has such a passion for what they do. You will certainly be bringing them joy, I can assure you.

Some small bookish businesses that I really love are:

Ash and Quill Candles

Paper & Word

Oh Panda Eyes

Geeky Clean

Amelia’s Kitchen Candles