Jacqueline Wilson:
an author to live by

Ask any ks2 reader who their favourite author is and chances are you won't have to wait long to hear the name of Jacqueline Wilson. Alternatively, look at any nine-year-old's reading diary and Jacqueline Wilson's titles will feature again and again, The Illustrated Mum and The Story of Tracy Beaker topping the charts. Her name is writ large in the mind of every child aged seven upwards, especially 8-12 year old girls. Indeed, it should come as no surprise, as Wilson was named the most borrowed author from libraries in 2004, knocking Catherine Cookson off the perch where she had reigned supreme for seventeen years. No mean feat! That is in addition to the millions of books sold across the length and breadth of the globe, clocking up thirty different languages in translation.

Fortunately, Jacqueline Wilson loves writing as much as children love reading what she writes. She always wanted to be an author, producing her first 'novel' when she was nine! In adulthood, she moved swiftly from journalism to authorship and has never stopped writing since, with over 70 books to her credit to date. Children await her next book with eager anticipation. There may not be quite the media hype associated with the Harry Potter books but the mile-long queues when Wilson appears for a bookshop signing speak for themselves. Her books have reached an even wider audience via radio, TV and the stage. Most notable among her many achievements is her appointment as the Children's Laureate, an OBE, and a special award from ChildLine.

So, where does the appeal lie? Jacqueline Wilson stands out in her field because her books involve challenging subjects. There is no ducking of issues, no condescension, no sentimental, fairytale happy ending. She tells it how it is: divorce, bullying, foster care, children's homes, mental illness, one-parent families, bed and breakfast families, dysfunctional families, death and domestic violence are all confronted with honesty. However, a sharp sense of humour stops her books from depressing or worrying children.

She has an uncanny knack of striking just the right tone. Children recognise a world they know, life as they live it, warts and all. But the underlying rays of sunshine, crumbs of comfort are there: her characters are tough; they survive. Although some boys, such as Tim in Cliffhanger, figure as main characters, in the main the star roles are played by girls, sending a powerful message in a male-dominated society.

Jacqueline Wilson's sensitive understanding of life and its problems in the world of today ensures her instant appeal to youngsters and pre-teens. The emotions of childhood, the depth of feeling and raw emotion - anger, love, loneliness - come across very strongly. She writes in the first person, so she makes a direct impact, creating an immediate involvement with the reader, guaranteeing total commitment.

With support from skilful teachers, children are able to talk about, write about and act out the experiences from her fiction, allowing them to articulate and confront difficulties in their own lives. The reassurance of encountering others experiencing the same problems is a potent tool in learning to cope with whatever life throws at you.

Jacqueline Wilson works to a strict schedule, writing two books a year so, thankfully, we have many more to look forward to.