Jellybean

Author: Ainsworth, Eve

Interest age: from c 11 years

Published on 14 August 2025 by HarperCollins Publishers (Barrington Stoke Ltd) in the United Kingdom.

Paperback | 80 pages, 16 b/w, illus
197 x 132 x 8 | 140g

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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. 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?

Particularly suitable for readers aged 11+ with a reading age of 7.