Lisa McArthur-Collins

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. Will Sophie and her new friends win the competition? "It's hard when your brain works differently. I'm autistic and have ADHD and anxiety. Sometimes, I find it hard to use my words verbally and understand what others are saying to me. When I get overwhelmed and anxious, I can have panic attacks. My heart starts racing, my stomach hurts, and I start to feel sick. My body goes weak, and I feel like I am going to pass out. It's a horrible feeling, so I avoid situations that make me anxious as much as possible." Book 2 in the ESSA High series is coming later in 2024