Key Selling Points: A sympathetic exploration for young readers living with anxiety while proposing real-life strategies and coping mechanisms. Can be used as a resource for those parenting anxious children with a variety of demonstrated coping mechanisms throughout, including deep-breathing and exposure therapy. Ellis slowly builds confidence after facing perceived threats and learning through experience that not everything is as scary as it seems at first. Author Sal Sawler's previous books have been shortlisted for the Forest of Reading and Hackmatack children's choice book prizes and won a Moonbeam Children's Book Award. The book features a non-binary child as the main character and does not make their pronouns a focus but rather incidental/just a fact of their identity. Lived Experience of the author: Author Sal Sawler shares Ellis's anxiety and they/them pronouns. Fills the need for more literature on anxiety for parents, educators, and loved ones to help children living with anxiety in its many forms. A STEM Crossover: While Ellis On Guard is primarily a Social Emotional Learning (SEL) title, it also includes a STEM component, with Ellis building a trap in order to catch an imagined dognapper and protect their beloved dog, Peanut.

Moments of humour break up the tension/anxiety of the story.