Jacqueline Wilson - the Children's Laureate

The Children’s Laureate for 2005 to 2007 was Jacqueline Wilson. The title of Children's Laureate is awarded once every two years to a renowned author or illustrator of children's books.

The award celebrates exceptional achievement in writing or illustrating for children. The appointment acknowledges the importance of exceptional children's writers/illustrators in developing the readers of the future, and was announced on 26 May 2005. Previous holders of the post are Michael Morpurgo, Quentin Blake and Anne Fine, all of whom have made notable contributions to children’s literature. It is traditional for each children’s laureate to choose a particular issue to promote during his or her term in office. Jacqueline Wilson's aim is to encourage more parents to read aloud to children and 'Great books to read aloud' gives you some wonderful ideas.

More books to read aloud

Jacqueline Wilson was born in Bath in 1945 and still lives in Kingston-on-Thames, where she was brought up. The teenage magazine ‘Jackie’, for which she wrote as a teenager, was named after her. She has written many books for children of all ages. She possesses a great understanding of today’s children, of the way they live and the problems they meet. She is a very popular author, especially with girls of 9 to 11. Her books consistently feature in the children’s bestsellers lists, and in the most popular books borrowed from public libraries. Many of her books have been adapted for television, radio and the stage.

Just a few of her many books are described below. If you would like to see more of what she has written, go along to your local library or bookshop and have a browse.

Jacqueline Wilson’s recent book again reflects modern life and how everyday people live and cope with it. The story is told by Em, who is an avid reader and knows how a good story can always make life seem better. The story tells what happens when Dad leaves home on Boxing Day, and how Mum, Gran and Em’s half-sisters Maxie and Vita, cope with the new situation. The children find comfort in their friends, both real and imaginary and this helps them come to terms with the situation. As always, despite the sad theme of the book, Jacqueline Wilson leaves the reader with hope for the future.
Suitable for readers of 9+.
Published by Doubleday.

April Showers (so called because of her birth date, April 1, and her tendency to burst into tears at the drop of a hat) was left in a dustbin just after she was born. She has lived in a series of foster homes but as she enters her teens she decides it is time to find out the truth about her real family. Jacqueline Wilson’s ability to create characters in whom readers really believe is shown in the character of Marion . Marion offers April unconditional love, and supports her as she tries to find out who her mother was. Suitable for readers of 12+.
Published by Corgi.

This is one of Jacqueline Wilson’s stories for younger readers. Lizzie refuses to speak to her new stepbrothers, Sam their dad, or even her mum. She's totally fed up at having to join a new family and nothing can coax her into speaking to them. That is, until she meets a member of the new family who is more stubborn than her and who has had even more practice! Read the story to find out what happens…. Suitable for readers of 6+.
Published by Corgi.

For her Victorian history project, Charlie has the idea of writing the diary of Lottie, a young Victorian servant. When Charlie’s mother loses her job and starts work as a cleaner, Charlie's happy, comfortable lifestyle is under threat and she finds surprising similarities between her hardships and those of Lottie. An interesting read, and perhaps a way to encourage children to look more into the lives of the Victorians. Suitable for children of 8+.
Published by Corgi.

India and Treasure come from very different backgrounds but the thing they have in common is that both keep diaries. They meet by chance and form an unlikely friendship. Treasure leaves home and takes refuge in her new best friend's attic, giving India the chance to take care of a real Anne Frank... The reader may well be encouraged to go onto reading the real ‘Diary of Anne Frank’. Suitable for readers of 8+.
Published by Corgi.

Finally, if your child is an avid reader of Jacqueline Wilson, then s/he will enjoy The Jacqueline Wilson quiz book, published by Corgi.

Many of Jacqueline Wilson's books are about families. If your child enjoys reading books about families, encourage him/her to read some of these classic stories:

• What Katy did - Susan Coolidge
• Jo's boys - Louisa M Alcott
• Pollyanna - Eleanor H Porter
• Anne of Green Gables - L M Montgomery
• Just William - Richmal Crompton
• The family from One End Street - Eve Garnett
• A vicarage family - Noel Streatfeild

More stories about families