Can I ask about Jacqueline Wilson books?

[PawneeParksDept]

I don't know much about the Jacqueline Wilson novels as they became popular " after my time"

I'm considering them for a DC who isn't mine. They have a well above average reading age, but their maturity isn't that of the target audience (age, not SN)

Heavy, or distressing " issue" content would be inappropriate and talk of being in care, divorce and mentally unwell parent (the novels I'm aware of are Tracy Beaker, Illustrated Mum, and Suitcase Kid) is just beyond the child's years really.

My question is, which if any of the JW would be appropriate for a child under 9 reading at an above 9 level?

There is a historical one about a Victorian maid IIRC, but her recurring theme is not child from a two-parent family.

How old is the child in question?

My DD loves the Holly Webb books.

I have a 7yo who is a big reader and so far have avoided JW and other content like that. I can recommend other stuff if you're looking for other suggestions?

Pretty sure I was reading JW books below age 9. Absolutely loved the books, I have very fond memories.

Some of the safer options:
Double Act
The Lottie Project
Sleepovers
The Mum Minder

IIRC none of those have any mature content or themes.

Avoid: Love Lessons, Vicky Angel, the Girls in Love/Under Pressure/Out Late series

They are 7.5

That would be great @HildaSnibbs

The lottie project is good, (the one mentioned above), love lessons and my sister Jodie are quite heavy (first about a teacher grooming a 15 year old pupil, the 2nd ends in suicide), I wouldn't recommend those. I would look for another author tbh, what age is the dc? What about something like the babysitters club series?

I remember The Illustrated Mum really distressing and disturbing my kids. The bit with the paint is really awful.

JW does like to focus on issues. My DD loves Ballet Shoes so you could try that and the other ‘Shoes’ books by Noel Streatfeild.

My dd liked wimpy kid and Tom gates books. Also David Williams.

Hetty Feather
The Lottie Project
Double Act
The Butterfly Club
Wave Me Goodbye
Opal Plumstead

My 8 year old is ploughing through all the JW books. Most of them have the issues you mention.

Sleepovers is relatively tame in terms of issues but deals with having a disabled sister.

Katy is very hard hitting about a girl who breaks her back and ends up in a wheelchair but I think it's one of JW's best ones.

The Lottie Project is good but the main character's mum is a single parent.

Hetty Feather maybe, although that comes with its own issues of living in an orphanage/work house.

I think the books have been really enlightening for my DC who has no idea about a lot of these issues but now can relate to things that may crop up in real life I.e. best friends parents splitting up.

Go with some classics instead. Good language challenges without the grooming, suicide and dead parents.

Little Legends series by Tom Percival
Royal Babysitters series by Clementine Beauvais
Shiny Pippin and the broken forest by Harry Heape (here's a sequel too)
Operation Bunny by Sally Gardner (and rest of series)
Worst Witch series
The Unintentional Adventures of the Bland Sisters (and sequel )
13 storey treehouse series by Andy Griffiths
Madame Pamplemousse series by Rupert Kingfisher
The Wombles series
The Bolds series by Julian Clary
Nelly and the search for captain Peabody (and sequel I think)
Animals of Farthing Wood
The Mennyms
The Boggart series
The Borrowers
Ottoline books by Chris Riddell

Hope some of those are good! I'm also going to give her Swallows and Amazon's and Five Children and It to chew on and see what she makes of them!

Some of these are great!

Though some I've already bought her previously 

Please don't

Also:
Mariella Mystery series
Dotty Detective series
You can't make me go to witch school (and sequel)
Bella Broomstick series
The Unlikely Adventures of Mabel Jones (series)
Sam Wu is not afraid of ghosts (and sequel)
Hopeless Heroes series
Bad Nana
Toto the ninja cat (and sequel)
Princess in Black series

And Terry Pratchett - here are a couple of books of his short stories for kids then also the Truckers Diggers Wings series

@HollowTalk yes! The illustrated mum is awful! Way too deep for a kids book!

I thought The Illustrated Mum was the sort of book to be given to trainee social workers rather than small children!

Is there any reason why specifically they must be JW books?
How old is the child?

It's something else! I remember reading an extract of Lola rose to my mum and dad in 2003 when I was 11 and my mum taking it off me and giving me another book 😂 that's a pretty dark one too!
Mum in abusive relationship, wins the lottery (scratch card) they leave dad and then the money runs out, Mum gets breast cancer and they have to go and live with an aunt. But all the while trying to escape from dad and stay under the radar with new names.
Very very deep!

Pretty much all the contemporary Jacqueline Wilson’s have ‘older’ themes. DD started reading some at 8 and they’ve all involved some explanation and some things she has found upsetting, but she enjoyed the Butterfly Club and the Bed and Breakfast Star and Little Darlings.

Before that she was all about TOm Gates and Big Nate.

My mum was bipolar, my parents were divorced and my best friend was hit and killed by a car when I was 8. The Suitcase Kid, The Illustrated Mum and Vicky Angel were stories I could relate to so it's no surprise I loved JW books as a kid. My life was actually being represented in literature and that comforted me. I think they're a good way of discussing the fact that real life isn't always easy for lots of kids.

Some parents are very anti JW so may be best not to give to someone else's child. However if you choose carefully then they are great for children like mine who lead a pretty sheltered life to realise that everyone else is not so lucky. Her books usually say "for older readers" on back if mature themes and "for younger readers" if safe end of spectrum, with ones saying nothing being in between.