ESSA High Series
The ESSA High series is a middle-grade fiction series that follows students as they navigate friendship, identity, anxiety, and the challenges of growing up while attending a school where Emotional Support Stuffed Animals (ESSAs) are part of everyday life. Through relatable characters and honest storytelling, the series explores neurodivergence, emotional well-being, and the importance of feeling accepted for who you are. ESSA High is designed to help young readers feel seen, understood and less alone, while also encouraging empathy and understanding in others.
The pages feature larger, easy-to-read font, simple language that is easy to follow, and engaging illustrations scattered throughout the book to help support and encourage young readers.
Book 1 - Sophie and Brave
Sophie wakes up on the first day of high school, dreading what’s to come. She’s spent all her schooling being bullied and made to feel like an outcast because of her anxiety—and because of her Emotional Support Stuffed Animal (ESSA), a Border Collie called Brave. Little does she know, as her mum drives her to her new school, that she’s going to ESSA High.
For the first time in her life, she makes friends—best friends, even! She starts to look forward to going to school, all because her needs are finally being accommodated. When a school-wide competition for fundraising ideas comes up, she’s excited to team up with her two new best friends, Lacey and Jazzy, to pitch a book starring her ESSA.
Available on Kindle and as an audiobook too!
Book 2- Jazzy and Bean
The exciting adventures of the ESSA High students continue in book two!
With her 12th birthday coming up, Jazzy doesn't feel much like celebrating.
Not only has something awful happened to her ESSA, Bean, but she can't seem to make her mum understand why it matters so much to her. Her friends rally around her, but without the support of her mum, she struggles to cope.
Eventually, her increasing anxiety gets the better of her, leading to a serious incident.
Will things ever get better for Jazzy?
"I love my parents. They try to understand me and how I am ‘different’ from my brother. But they don’t fully understand how bad my anxiety is. I was only diagnosed as being autistic last year, along with ADHD and anxiety. I struggled a lot in school and found it hard to make friends. Thankfully, things are easier at ESSA High! I just wish my home life could improve, too."
Available on Kindle and as an audiobook too!
Book 3 - Lacey and mako
High school isn’t easy—especially when anxiety, friendships, and big dreams are part of the mix.
At ESSA High, a school where Emotional Support Stuffed Animals are the norm, Lacey finally feels like she belongs. With her best friends and Mako by her side, life seems pretty great! But with school camp and a much-anticipated wedding approaching, Lacey starts to feel like her bond with Jazzy and Sophie is slipping away. Suddenly, Lacey’s world feels more complicated than ever.
When illness strikes, Lacey fears she’ll miss out on everything important and that her friendships might not recover.
Can Lacey find the strength to hold it all together?
Available on Kindle and as an audiobook too!
