Eve Ainsworth

Ellie Bean, Aka Jellybean, is walking to school. Despite having very good friends and being in the top set in almost all her subjects, she is feeling anxious – very anxious indeed. In fact, this anxiety has manifested itself in very physical symptoms, and she hasn’t been to school in over six months. What follows is an extended flashback of Ellie’s struggles with Emotionally Based School Avoidance (ESBA), told compassionately and thoughtfully by Eve Ainsworth in the accessible language that characterises Barrington Stoke’s publications.

The Dick, Kerr girls are back and ready for another round! This time, we follow the life of Martha, younger sister to Hettie and Freddie. When Martha is invited to join the Dick, Kerr Ladies Football team for training, she can hardly believe her luck. But soon the pressure of living up to their expectations creeps up on her, and she questions herself and her abilities. The local boys are treating her differently, and life at home is becoming more complicated. Growing up is proving to be more difficult than she could have ever imagined.