Dame Jacqueline WilsonGBEFRSL (néeAitken; born 17 December 1945) is an English novelist known for her popularchildren's literature. Her novels have been notable for tackling realistic topics such as adoption and divorce without alienating her large readership. Since herdebut novel in 1969, Wilson has writtenmore than 100 books.
Jacqueline Aitken was born inBath, Somerset, on 17 December 1945.[1] Her father, Harry, was a civil servant and her mother, Margaret "Biddy" (née Clibbens), was an antiques dealer.[2] Jacqueline particularly enjoyed books byNoel Streatfeild, as well as American classics such asLittle Women andWhat Katy Did.[3] At the age of nine, she wrote her first "book", "Meet the Maggots", which was 21 pages long.[4] Wilson was given the nickname Jacky Daydream at school, which she later used as the title of her autobiography, which tells of her life as a primary school-aged child.[5]
When Wilson began to focus on writing, she completed severalcrime fiction novels before dedicating herself to children's books. At the age of 40, she tookA-level English and earned a grade A.[7] She had mixed success with about 40 books before the breakthrough to fame in 1991 withThe Story of Tracy Beaker,[8] published byDoubleday.
As her children's novels frequently feature themes ofadoption,divorce andmental illness, they tend to attract controversy, yet are well loved by children and adults alike.[9]
In June 2013, Wilson was appointed a professorial fellow of theUniversity of Roehampton,[10] and a Pro-Chancellor. In February 2014, it was announced that she would be appointed Chancellor of the university (its honorary figurehead) from August 2014.[11] She was reappointed in 2017 for a further three years.[12] She teaches modules in both the Children's Literature and Creative Writing master's degree (MA) programmes offered by the university.[13] She concluded her term as Chancellor in August 2020.
Wilson is patron of the charity Momentum inKingston upon Thames, south London,[14] which helps children undergoing treatment forcancer (and their families), and also a patron of the Letterbox Club, aBookTrust initiative.[15] Until she moved away from Kingston-upon-Thames, she was a patron of theFriends of Richmond Park.[16][17]
For her work, Wilson has won many awards including theSmarties Prize and theGuardian Children's Fiction Prize, a book award judged by a panel of British children's writers.[21]The Illustrated Mum (1999) won the annual Guardian Prize and the annualBritish Book Award for Children's Book of the Year; it also made the 1999Whitbread Awards shortlist.The Story of Tracy Beaker won the 2002Blue Peter People's Choice Award, andGirls in Tears was the Children's Book of the Year at the 2003 British Book Awards. Two of her books were "Highly Commended" runners-up for the annualCarnegie Medal:The Story of Tracy Beaker (1991) andDouble Act (1995).[22][a]
In June 2002, Wilson was appointed anOBE for services to literacy in schools[23] and from 2005 to 2007 she served as the fourthChildren's Laureate.[2][23] In that role, Wilson urged parents and carers to continue reading aloud to children long after they are able to read for themselves.[24] She also campaigned to make more books available for blind people and campaigned against cutbacks in children's television drama.[24]
A dramatisation of Wilson'sDouble Act, written and directed by Vicky Ireland, was first performed at ThePolka Theatre inWimbledon, London from 30 January to 12 April 2003, and toured throughout the UK. The playscript was published by Collins Plays Plus. Ireland has also written dramatisations ofThe Lottie Project (performed atPolka Theatre and San Pol Theatre, Madrid),Midnight,Bad Girls andSecrets, which were also commissioned by thePolka Theatre, and a dramatisation ofThe Suitcase Kid which was performed at theOrange Tree Theatre, Richmond and later toured throughout the UK. The scripts for these plays were published byNick Hern Books.
The following books by Wilson have been adapted for television:
Cliffhanger (1995,Channel 4). Part ofLook, See and Read, two-part drama.
Double Act (2002,Channel 4). Starring twins Zoe and Chloe Tempest-Jones as Ruby and Garnet, with a special appearance by Jacqueline Wilson as the casting director at the auditions. This was a one-off 100-minute feature.
The Story of Tracy Beaker (2002–2006,CBBC). StarringDani Harmer as Tracy andLisa Coleman (whose sister,Charlotte, appeared inDouble Act as Miss Debenham) as Cam. Original broadcast dates: 8 January 2002 – 9 February 2006. Since its original broadcasts, 15-minute versions have been shown on repeat on the CBBC Channel since 2007.
Best Friends (2004,ITV). This was a six-part miniseries, but was originally broadcast as one feature with a slightly different ending. It starred Chloe Smyth as Gemma and Poppy Rogers as Alice. Original broadcast date: 3 December 2004. This was repeated on theCITV Channel on 6 March 2010.
Girls in Love (ITV). StarringOlivia Hallinan as Ellie,Zaraah Abrahams as Magda and Amy Kwolek as Nadine. There have been two series ofGirls in Love broadcast. Original broadcast dates: 1 April 2003 – 18 April 2005.
Tracy Beaker Returns (2010–2012). This is a series in which Tracy (Dani Harmer) returns to the "Dumping Ground" (Stowey House, whose name has been changed to Elm Tree House) to earn money for her new book because she used Cam's credit card without permission to publish it; she was arrested, but Cam decided not to press charges as long as the money was paid back in full. She realises that Elm Tree House has changed and the new children act just like she did herself in her days. At times, she tries to help the children, concluding in the new social workers almost firing her. But sometimes she only gets the child's part of the story, then being told the whole thing and being totally confused and outraged.
The Tracy Beaker Survival Files (2011–2012). A spin-off series where Tracy teaches lessons about various subjects using her stories from the past, and clips fromThe Story of Tracy Beaker andTracy Beaker Returns. Original broadcast date: 17 December 2011 to 6 January 2012.
The Dumping Ground (2013–). The continued life at the Dumping Ground after Tracy Beaker moves on to a new care home, and focuses more on just one child in the care home. Not a book by Jacqueline Wilson but inspired by the Tracy Beaker novels.
The Dumping Ground Survival Files (2014–2020). A spin-off and continuation of the Tracy Beaker Survival Files, where the Dumping Ground kids teach lessons about various subjects using stories that have happened to them and their friends in the past, using clips fromTracy Beaker Returns andThe Dumping Ground.
Hetty Feather (2015–2020). Stars Isabel Clifton as Hetty Feather, living her life in theFoundling Hospital and, later at the end of the third series, starting her life as a maid in service.
The Dumping Ground: I'm... (2016–2021). A spin-off series similar to the Survival Files, but instead where the characters make videos about themselves, who they are, what they like and stuff that's happened to them in their life.
Katy was made into a three-part TV series,Katy, broadcast onCBBC from 13 March 2018 to 16 March 2018.[31] Chloe Lea, who played Katy went on to play Viv inThe Dumping Ground, the continuation ofTracy BeakerReturns.
My Mum Tracy Beaker was adapted into a three-part television series for CBBC,My Mum Tracy Beaker, from 12 February 2021 to 14 February 2021.[33] It was originally three parts, but it was shown the following week onBBC One as a feature film.
We Are The Beaker Girls was adapted into a television series, also for CBBC,The Beaker Girls, in December 2021, which shows Tracy and her life after she gets over her break-up with Sean Godfrey.
Little Darlings was adapted into a television series, forSky Kids, in February 2022. This followed the two lives of Destiny and Sunset, both children of Danny Kilman, a has-been rockstar.
Jacqueline began a relationship with printer Millar Wilson, whom she married in 1965 when she was 19. Two years later, they had a daughter namedEmma.[6] Her husband later left her for another woman.[7] They divorced in 2004.[7][34]
In April 2020, Wilson announced that she was in a same-sex relationship with bookshop owner Trish, to whom she dedicated a book.[35] Wilson revealed that she had been living with her partner, Trish, for 18 years.[35] She lives inEast Sussex.[36] In September 2024, she stated that she was delighted to be seen as a gay icon after coming out. "I'm very touched to be thought of as a gay icon, it's an absolute delight," she said after publishing her first adult novelThink Again, which is the sequel to the Girls series and follows the life of Ellie Allard and her best friends Nadine and Magda, as they turn 40 years of age.[37]
^Since 1995, there are usually eight books on the Carnegie shortlist. CCSU lists 32 "Highly Commended" runners-up for the Carnegie Medal from 1966 to 2002 but only three before 1979 when the distinction became approximately annual. There were 29 "HC" books in 24 years including Wilson alone for 1991 and 1995.
^"Jacqueline Wilson".Major Authors and Illustrators for Children and Young Adults, 2nd ed., 8 vols. Gale Group, 2002. Reproduced inBiography Resource Center. Retrieved 2 January 2010, From 2005 to 2007.
^'WILSON, Dame Jacqueline',Who's Who 2008, A & C Black, 2008; online edn, Oxford University Press, December 2007. Retrieved 30 May 2008. "Born 17 Dec. 1945; d of late Harry Aitken and of Margaret Aitken (née Clibbens) who was known as Biddy; m 1965, William Millar Wilson (marr. diss. 2004); one d".
