Page 13 | 12 year old obsessed with Jacqueline Wilson books.. Aibu to think there is better out there?

Breakdancing · 2024-08-14T11:58:52+00:00

My 12 year old has come back from the library with another stack of Jacqueline Wilson books. I've flicked through some & they are mildly inappropriate but are in the young readers section.. I love that she is a bookworm but aibu to be annoyed with her obsession with Jacqueline Wilson?

notanotheronenow · 14/08/2024 14:06

FawnFrenchieMum · 14/08/2024 13:19

Feeling like I should go read some JW books, I thought they were all aimed at primary age / pre-teen. What sort on content is inappropriate?

She writes for different age groups.

The more mature-aimed books deal with things like parental addiction, suicide, teachers having relationships with underage students, parental mental health issues, eating disorders, full parent abandonment, parental cancer, teen pregnancies.

Her mid-range = parental death, coming out, divorce, fostering, losing virginity, things like that.

AffableApple · 14/08/2024 14:05

I had an amazing English teacher who said she didn't care what we read, as long as we read. I read all sorts of bollocks. And some good stuff. Sometimes you want a soap opera, sometimes Newsnight. It's all good.

Original poster

Breakdancing · 14/08/2024 14:05

BarnacleBeasley · 14/08/2024 14:03

OMG I remember Stranger With My Face. That was pretty disturbing. I did also read lots of Sweet Valley High, and a spin-off family saga all about generations of the Wakefield twins, complete with Bruce Patman-a-like villain in each generation. Now that was quality literature.

At school when I was 12, many of the other kids didn't read at all and I remember our English teacher telling us that it didn't matter what we read, even the back of the cereal packet, as long as we were doing it (this is for @Custardandrhubarbcrumble )

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Bruce Patman & Lila Fowler☺️ Memories!

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HesterRoon · 14/08/2024 14:04

She’s reading! When I was 12, I’d have hated my parents policing my books. I still read Enid Blyton, Jill’s pony books but was also reading The Exorcist and Saturday Night, Sunday Morning. They could be worse-try reading A Little Princess-no foster homes then!

Youcantcallacatspider · 14/08/2024 14:03

Blake77 · 14/08/2024 14:02

Always thought they were a bit mid, far better out there

But they're what her daughter wants to read right now. It doesn't really matter what we think. If you stop her reading them she'll be turned right off reading and switch to crappy tiktoks about skincare for 50 year olds which from what I can see are a million times more mind-numbing

BarnacleBeasley · 14/08/2024 14:03

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OMG I remember Stranger With My Face. That was pretty disturbing. I did also read lots of Sweet Valley High, and a spin-off family saga all about generations of the Wakefield twins, complete with Bruce Patman-a-like villain in each generation. Now that was quality literature.

At school when I was 12, many of the other kids didn't read at all and I remember our English teacher telling us that it didn't matter what we read, even the back of the cereal packet, as long as we were doing it (this is for @Custardandrhubarbcrumble )

crossiant · 14/08/2024 14:03

I really can't see the problem here. Her reading educational books that bore her will turn her away from reading. Even as an adult, I don't want to read educational books, sounds dull! I want an immersive story.

At 12, jacquline Wilson and Ally's World was the only thing I was interested in. And it's not inappropriate, she'll hear much worse on the playground and through classroom gossip.

Blake77 · 14/08/2024 14:02

Always thought they were a bit mid, far better out there

notanotheronenow · 14/08/2024 14:01

GreatDarkWing · 14/08/2024 13:45

The books are terrible and JW's obsessive focus on the seamier side of life is frankly weird. Why revel in dysfunction when you could write about things that kids could actually aspire to be or do? I don't get it. But it's a phase. I think all kids go through a phase of reading crud at some point.

Because it's relatable to a lot of kids, and for kids that it's not, it's eyeopening to see that life for a lot of people isn't ballet lessons and disneyland.

Youcantcallacatspider · 14/08/2024 14:01

My 6YO loves mr men and some of their stories are very out of date and condescending. She also loves roald dahl. As amazing as his writing is he has some very grim and again out of date views about parents and children alike. However, both are very well written literature and better than a lot of the david walliams modern crap that's out there so I'd rather she read this than nothing. We just read a lot together and talk about the problematic bits

poppymango · 14/08/2024 14:01

How great that she loves reading! It could be far worse.

Try getting her Angus, Thongs and Full Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison. I read that at 13 and I swear I nearly died laughing!!

Rummly · 14/08/2024 13:59

HerculesMulligan · 14/08/2024 13:50

This made me smile. I was an early reader, have always been a quick reader and now I'm a media lawyer who reads all day long to earn my keep, but when I was your daughter's age, I was reading both Les Miserables by Victor Hugo' and every Sweet Valley High book I could get my hands on. Sweet Valley books were such a big deal for me that I gave them up for Lent one year. She'll be fine!

Get back to that public interest publication defence! You’re not being paid to post on Mumsnet.

Original poster

Breakdancing · 14/08/2024 13:59

No33 · 14/08/2024 13:50

Educational, like what, War and peace?

She's 10 and she's reading a multi award winning author, leave her be.

When I was that age I was reading Stephen king and the like!

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She's 12!

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Needmorelego · 14/08/2024 13:59

@Breakdancing I was half expecting Hetty to pop up in Edie Trimmer too 😁

Original poster

Breakdancing · 14/08/2024 13:58

HerculesMulligan · 14/08/2024 13:50

This made me smile. I was an early reader, have always been a quick reader and now I'm a media lawyer who reads all day long to earn my keep, but when I was your daughter's age, I was reading both Les Miserables by Victor Hugo' and every Sweet Valley High book I could get my hands on. Sweet Valley books were such a big deal for me that I gave them up for Lent one year. She'll be fine!

I loved the sweet valley high & babysitters club too!

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MargotEmin · 14/08/2024 13:57

How fabulous to know there are still little girls out there frustrating their parents with their reading choices, I thought those days were over!

Needmorelego · 14/08/2024 13:57

@GreatDarkWing Jacqueline Wilson wrote a great book about a teenage girl who gets involved with the Suffragettes ("Opal Plumstead")
Hetty Feather (the character) takes no nonsense from anyone and takes control of her life in a way most girls if that era wouldn't have been able too.
Tracy Beaker grew up and in the most recent book is living the life I dream about (by the sea and working at an antique store).

dottiedodah · 14/08/2024 13:57

Alltheyearround I used to love Enid Blyton as a child as well.Surely though she wrote them in the 40s! Times and attitudes change .I still love her books and prefer them unaltered!

Trumptonagain · 14/08/2024 13:56

I remember thinking the same 18 years ago when my DC was the same age.

loropianalover · 14/08/2024 13:56

Leafygreen84 · 14/08/2024 13:37

Hahahaha!!!

Looking at OPs responses and the fact she hasn’t engaged with anyone arguing JW is perfectly fine, I think this thread was just a brag about what an enthusiastic reader her kid is. 🥱

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I agree plus her saying oh I do wish DD would read some more educational books this summer!! God forbid a 12 year old reads for pleasure and enjoys an easy read.

kfellover · 14/08/2024 13:55

I loved Jacqueline Wilson as a kid, I was reading her books when I was younger than your DD. I still have quite a few of them, I think they’re brilliant.

She doesn’t need to be reading educational books, she should be reading for pleasure.

aodirjjd · 14/08/2024 13:54

Blarn · 14/08/2024 13:11

Dd1 who is nearly 10 loves the JW books, I just make sure she doesn't read the ones aimed at a slightly older audience. At 12 I read a lot of Judy Blume and borrowed Junk from the library a lot, the one about heroin addiction in teens. 12 year old reading slightly inappropriate books is not new. I think JW writes really well about the topics kids want to read about, that's why she has been a successful author for decades.

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I LOVED junk. I recently found it when clearing out some old stuff and sat to reread and .. well it just wasn’t the same which is unsurprising given I was so naive when I first read it I didn’t know what junk was. I wish you could bottle that feeling of a good book.

WhatThenEh · 14/08/2024 13:54

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Original poster

Breakdancing · 14/08/2024 13:54

Needmorelego · 14/08/2024 13:40

@Breakdancing has she read the newer historical ones?
Dancing the Charleston has a little cameo of Hetty Feather 🙂

She has read the other Edie Trimmer☺️

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InsensibleMe · 14/08/2024 13:54

Yes. I was reading Kafka at her age. In German.