The School is Lava is an illustrated children's story by Danielle Jata-Hall, published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers, written for children with SEND who find attending school genuinely difficult. It follows Liv, a girl who once found school manageable but whose circumstances have changed, leaving her feeling sad, anxious and overwhelmed, and unable to attend in the way others expect.

The story is a gentle way to open conversations about emotionally based school avoidance, a difficulty that many children with SEND experience but often struggle to put into words. Rather than presenting a single fix, the book follows Liv as she navigates feeling misunderstood and finds a path forward through supportive relationships, with the reassuring message that school and learning does not always look the same for everyone, and that this is okay.

For parents and home use

• Gives parents a gentle, story-led way to start a conversation with a child who is struggling to attend school, without needing to have all the answers themselves.
• Helps a child feel less alone by showing a character who shares similar feelings of anxiety and being misunderstood.
• Written with warmth rather than pressure, reassuring families that difficulty attending school does not mean something has gone wrong with their child.
• Illustrated by Samantha Webb throughout, making it approachable for children who find long blocks of text difficult to engage with.

For schools

• A useful addition to a SENCO's or pastoral team's resource shelf for supporting pupils experiencing emotionally based school avoidance.
• Can be used as a starting point for one-to-one conversations between a pupil and a trusted adult, or read together in a nurture group or SEND provision setting.
• Models the message that learning can look different for different pupils, supporting a whole-school culture of understanding around attendance difficulties.
• Short chapter format (around 80 pages) makes it accessible for pupils who find longer books overwhelming.

For children with SEND, school avoidance is often driven by genuine anxiety and overwhelm rather than reluctance, and can be difficult for a child to explain even to people who want to help. The School is Lava gives children a character and a story to point to, which can make it easier to start talking about what is happening for them, at home or with school staff.

Story-led books like this one are commonly used alongside other pastoral and SEND support strategies to help children process difficult feelings about school in a low-pressure way, rather than as a replacement for individual support planning.

Whether you are looking for a story to open up a difficult conversation at home or a resource to support a pupil's pastoral care at school, The School is Lava is a gentle, honest starting point worth considering.

• Written by Danielle Jata-Hall, illustrated by Samantha Webb, and published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
• Format: paperback.
• Length: around 80 pages.
• Reading age: from 8 years, as listed by Waterstones; a recommended interest age of 10 and above is given by some other retailers, reflecting the book's emotional themes.
• Subject: emotionally based school avoidance, anxiety, and SEND, told through a children's fiction narrative.
• Publication date: 21 August 2026.

• Opens a difficult conversation gently. Gives children with SEND a story to point to when explaining anxiety and school avoidance is hard to put into words.
• Works at home and in school. Suited to a bedtime read with a parent or a one-to-one session with a SENCO, teacher, or pastoral lead.
• Written by a specialist children's publisher. Published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers, illustrated throughout by Samantha Webb, and specifically written around emotionally based school avoidance.
• Short, accessible format. Around 80 pages, making it manageable for a child who finds longer books overwhelming.

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• What is The School is Lava about?
  It is an illustrated children's story about a girl called Liv who is struggling with emotionally based school avoidance. It shows her working through feeling misunderstood and finding support, with the message that school and learning does not always look the same for everyone.
• Is The School is Lava suitable for children with SEND?
  Yes, it is written specifically for children who find attending school genuinely difficult, including many children with SEND. It gives a gentle, story-led way for a child to see their own feelings reflected and start talking about them.
• What age is The School is Lava suitable for?
  Waterstones lists a reading age of 8 years and above, while some other retailers give a recommended interest age of 10 and above because of the book's emotional themes. Parents and school staff may want to check the content beforehand for younger or more sensitive readers.
• Can The School is Lava be used in school?
  Yes, it works well as a pastoral or SENCO resource, either read one-to-one with a pupil or used in a small nurture group. Its short, illustrated format makes it accessible for pupils who find longer books overwhelming.
• Is The School is Lava suitable for reading at home?
  Yes, it is well suited to reading together with a parent or carer, giving a gentle way to open a conversation about school anxiety or avoidance without needing to have all the answers.
• Who wrote The School is Lava?
  It was written by Danielle Jata-Hall, illustrated by Samantha Webb, and published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers, a specialist publisher of books on SEND and related topics.
• How long is The School is Lava?
  It is a short paperback of around 80 pages, making it manageable for children who find longer books difficult to engage with.