posted on 18 Sep 2025

Jellybean by Eve Ainsworth, illustrated by Theo Parish

Here at the Letterpress Project, we are always delighted to receive a review copy of another book from Eve Ainsworth. She can be relied upon to present believable contemporary characters who grapple with a range of challenges . Most importantly, the stories are always driven by a compelling plot that will guarantee full involvement from even the most reluctant reader.

This one opens with Ellie Bean aka ‘Jellybean’ (named after her favourite sweet), who is clearly terrified - ‘as if there is a dark cloud inside her’ - as she walks along the road and sees other groups of pupils along the way. We soon realise that she is finding this journey to her school so hard because she hasn’t done it for nearly a year. I found myself wondering what on earth had happened to make her miss school for such a long time.

The twist is that she just can’t explain to herself or to anyone else. One morning she was overwhelmed with anxiety and ever since, despite having very kind and supportive parents, she has been unable to face going to school. I liked the way that this was explained as a growing fear and that her parents found it sometimes very frustrating to understand. I know from personal experience that when a child of any age categorically refuses to cooperate, parents and carers can move quickly from sympathy to exasperation and then from anger to bewilderment.

This painful experience happens to this family over several weeks until there is some intervention from the school who appoint a very pleasant Education Welfare Officer to help Ellie find a way to acknowledge and then deal with her feelings. The family is offered work to be sent home, support from CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) and the possibility of private counselling which all indicates that this author is very familiar with the process. In the meantime, Ellie settles into a different kind of routine that she finds quite comfortable, although she misses face to face teaching and the wider social life of school. 

Another important support network is her group of friends who stay in touch and visit regularly, at least at the beginning of her long absence. But surely this can’t continue for ever? She occasionally goes along to a group with other children who are home schooled or who can’t go to school for a number of reasons, but she doesn’t really fit in there either. She eventually realises that she wants to try to return, even though it will be frightening.

The final chapter returns the reader to her difficult journey back to school. We are left to decide if she will make it through the school gate. This should provide some interesting speculation from readers and perhaps generate some class discussion if used in schools. There are some useful guidance notes at the end to support the growing number of pupils who may have EBSA (Emotionally Based School Avoidance) or Anxiety- related Absence.

I strongly recommend this plentifully illustrated novella published by Barrington Stoke, who specialise in books for reluctant readers of all kinds. You can get a copy from your local independent bookshop, who will be happy to order it for you if they don’t have it on your shelves.

 

Karen Argent

September 2025