Depressed? Here are the books you must read!

Sometimes, you need a pick-me-up. You’re feeling blue, down in the dumps, maybe even dealing with a lump in your throat. Whichever idiom fits your situation, you’re just not feeling like your best self.

To abate the waves of sadness, or palpitations of dread, we’ve compiled a list of books that can help lift you up in these less-than-desirable times. From a graphic novel to a memoir to a fictional story of intrigue to a picture book adults can enjoy, here are 5 very different books you should read:

Your Illustrated Guide to Becoming One with the Universe by Yumi Sakugawa

Yumi Sakugawa is an illustrator and comic artist who moonlights as the editor of a wellness blog. Her illustrated guide explores the abstract and often overwhelming ideas of mindfulness and meditation through black-and-white doodles of skeletons, squids, flying eyeballs and all the living creatures that came before us. If you aren’t into the self-help genre but are intrigued by the prospect of introducing meditation in your life, Sakugawa’s lovely visual exploration takes the most lofty of ideas (like being one with the universe, for instance) and makes them curious, mischievous, ready to engage. — Priscilla Frank

Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh

For some time, however, her posting slowed, then stopped. She revealed that she was battling depression, even describing her struggle with the illness in two gently funny, poignant posts. Finally, in 2013, she put out a book of her comics, both new and from the archive, called Hyperbole and a Half. It’s not a long read, and it’s not arduous, but it’s exactly what you need when you’re feeling depressed and unmotivated. Her ridiculously energetic, oversized humor brings the color back to life, but it’s not empty, heartless humor. Without wallowing, Brosh’s comics wisely and empathetically portray the reality of depression, uplifting with a perfect blend of exuberance and thoughtfulness. — Claire Fallon

Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookshop by Robin Sloan

Sloan’s novel is the fairy tale of the Facebook age, in which a laid-off web developer guy takes a job at a rarely frequented bookstore filled with more mystery than an episode of “Poirot.” Working the graveyard shift, the story’s protagonist eventually stumbles upon a mysterious set of books and — using a romantic interest’s data visualization skills, of course — attempts to crack the code of a secret society. Chaos ensues, but Sloan’s characters work together to prove things like teamwork and analog reading instruments are still worth our while. It’s not only a feel-good story, it’s also a great escape from the details of everyday life. — Katherine Brooks

The Guest Cat by Takashi Hiraide

Takashi Hiraide is a poet by trade, and it shows in the subtle nature of this story. A pair of writers who work from home as freelance editors find their listless days interrupted by a new visitor — a neighbor’s cat who enjoys basking and playing in their garden. Though the narrator isn’t partial to animals, his wife is, and so he learns to enjoy the free-spirited creature who begins making his days more lively. Though the story is a reflection on loss, it also moves slowly and sweetly like a summer breeze. It’s a novella-length reminder of simple pleasures, and the happiness that can be gleaned from attachment. — Maddie Crum

Hug Me by Simona Ciraolo

The title and genre of this gorgeously illustrated picture book might lead you to believe it is solely for children, their parents, and maybe totally infantilized millennials. Leave your judgment at the door, folks: as a single 27-year-old who keeps this book on her shelf — and who has completed a few books without pictures in them in her life — I will heartily recommend this to anyone regardless of age or gender. Because no matter how tough the cruel world has made our outside exteriors, I’ve found no one can resist this heartwarming tale of a tiny cactus, raised by a cold and unfeeling cactus family, simply looking for some comfort. Besides the life-affirming, there’s-a-lid-for-every-pot ending, you also get to see what a grumpy cactus playing Sudoku next to Chinese food leftovers looks like which, much like this book, is something you didn’t know you needed until you did. — Jill Capewell