CECH Spotlight highlights recommended books in the the UC College of Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services (CECH) Library.

The Words We Keep / written by Erin Stewart / 2022

CW: Self-harm, suicide, bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety, OCD

The Words We Keep by Erin Stewart is a contemporary young adult novel that follows Lily Larkin, the younger sister of Alice, who ended up in a treatment center after a suicide attempt. Since The Night, her family has barely been holding it together, and Lily’s worried she might be “crazy” like her sister. When Micah, a boy that went to the program with Alice, joins her class, Lily begins to look into herself and the world around her. 

This novel looks into the reality of mental illness and its impact on the self and the family, while also talking about what it means to be loved for who you are. 

This book is available from the CECH Library, as well as the OhioLINK and Search Ohio lending networks.

Review by Alice Somers, CECH Library Student Assistant | Early Childhood Education and Deaf Studies, CECH 2026