By Eve Ainsworth (author) , Theo Parish (illustrator)
"A sensitive and empathetic account of emotionally based school avoidance."
Paperback In Stock £7.99 £7.19
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Interest Age 11+ Reading Age 7
This is a gentle and authentically honest portrayal of a young girl suffering from severe anxiety and school refusal, which is sadly a growing problem in the UK. We get a real insight into Ellie’s (aka Jellybean) feelings as she struggles to enunciate, to her sympathetic but confused parents, what it is that is stopping her from returning to school. She desperately wants to go and fears losing touch with her friends, but the ever-present inexplicable fear she feels every day is making it impossible for her.
The book opens with Ellie walking towards school for the first time, after being unable to go for so long. We then flashback to when Ellie first felt this way and follow the story back up to the present day. It shows the steps that Ellie takes and the resources and therapy that help her.
A situation like this won't necessarily have a quick or easy resolution, and in fact many young people may have to wait much longer than Ellie to receive help, but at least this shows that help is possible. The ending is deliberately open, but the reader, having experienced Ellie’s journey, will see the positive outcomes available to her.
Being a Barrington Stoke novel also means that the text is highly accessible to anyone and the illustrations, by Carnegie shortlisted illustrator Theo Parish, will also add to the appeal and ensure that the book will be picked up and its valuable message will find its target.
This is an essential read for teachers and parents, who will also find the further information pages at the end of the book very useful. There is also an information and advice page aimed directly at young people who might be experiencing these sorts of feelings. Ellie’s story will undoubtedly resonate with and reassure many young readers.
Ellie battles feelings of anxiety about school that she can't explain in this sensitively told tale from acclaimed author Eve Ainsworth.
Read the full description
When Ellie wakes up one day and can't face going to school, her parents think there must be a reason. Is she being bullied? Or is the schoolwork too hard?
But neither of these things are the problem, and Ellie finds it impossible to explain how she feels.
As the days of absence turn into weeks and then months, Ellie's parents support her through this difficult time, but can she find a way to go back?
With anxiety-based school avoidance a growing problem in the UK, this is a gentle exploration of mental health and managing anxiety about school, told with Eve’s trademark empathy and perfectly tailored for ages 11+
Particularly suitable for readers aged 11+ with a reading age of 7.
Eve Ainsworth is a public speaker, creative workshop coordinator and award-winning author who draws from her extensive work with teenagers managing emotional and behavioural issues to write authentic, honest and real novels for young people.
Eve lives in West Sussex with her husband and two children.
Click here to read more about why Eve wrote Lost.
Photo credit Laura Woodard
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Ellie battles feelings of anxiety about school that she can't explain in this sensitively told tale from acclaimed author Eve Ainsworth. When Ellie wakes up one day and can't face going to school, her parents think there must be a reason.
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed Jellybean and determined it is suitable for children aged 9-12 years old
Jellybean features in the following genres: Featured Books for 9+ readers, Featured Books for 11+ readers, Recommendations, Stories about Family and Friends, School Stories, PSHE: Self-Awareness, Self-Esteem and Wellbeing, Personal Social Health Economic (PSHE), Dyslexia Friendly Books for Interest age 11+, Dyslexia Friendly Books for Teens, Children’s / Teenage fiction: General, modern and contemporary fiction, Children’s / Teenage personal and social topics: Anxiety, depression and self-harm, Children’s / Teenage personal and social topics: School, education and teachers, Children’s / Teenage personal and social topics: First / new experiences and growing up / coming of age, Children’s / Teenage personal and social topics: Emotions, moods, feelings and behaviours, Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Children’s, Teenage and Educational, Children’s / Teenage personal and social topics: Mental health, Children’s / Teenage personal and social topics: Physical and mental health conditions
Paperback. £7.19, down from the £7.99 cover price. In Stock.
Jellybean was written by Eve Ainsworth and published by Barrington Stoke an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers
Jellybean has 73 pages
£7.19, reduced from £7.99. In Stock.
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