Jacqueline Wilson - thoughts?

[whattimeisitrightnow]

Posting in AIBU for traffic and also because there's another thread currently running here that's sort of about her works.
I grew up reading JW obsessively, really loved her work. If I'm honest, I'd probably still enjoy reading some of her books as an adult! However, now that I'm older I'm easily able to identify problems with a lot of them: some of it was my own fault, as I read the ones for teens/mature readers when I was too little for them.

That being said (talked about this on the other thread) there's one book, Love Lessons, based on a student-teacher relationship where said relationship is presented in an almost positive light, in a very romantic way. The female student is pretty much blamed entirely for what happens and is kicked out of the school while the teacher keeps his job. The abuse of power isn't explored at all. Generally, I think JW books really seek to give a voice to children, especially those in extremely difficult situations who might feel particularly powerless, and that's commendable. LL seems to be an exception.

What do people think of JW books? Did you enjoy reading them? Do you think they're too 'dark' for children? Did you even find them helpful at times? (I remember the ones with abusive parents really resonating with me, even before I was old enough to articulate why.) And do you let your own kids read them?

Love Letters was published 15 years ago and things have changed a lot in terms of attitudes. In the 1980s I remember a Grange Hill story line about a teacher student romance that would not be acceptable now!! I think at the time she wrote this, the consideration of abuse of power etc would not have been as mainstream.

@WearyandBleary

Love Letters was published 15 years ago and things have changed a lot in terms of attitudes. In the 1980s I remember a Grange Hill story line about a teacher student romance that would not be acceptable now!! I think at the time she wrote this, the consideration of abuse of power etc would not have been as mainstream.

I agree. Look how many people STILL blame the teenage victims of grooming gangs. 15 years ago it would have been even worse.

I was a teenager in 2005 and it wasn't that different. But I would imagine it takes a few years to write a book, possibly JW had the idea for it years before, a lot of her books were quite dated even for the time they were written. Illustrated mum for example goes on about going to McDonalds and getting Sundaes, which were around in the 90s but by 2001 when that book was published the McFlurry had overtaken them (I think?) It also referred to the "Giro" as in a benefits cheque rather than receiving benefits directly into a bank account which I'm sure was how it happened in 2001.

By 2005 most teenagers had mobile phones and used MSN messenger, which would have played a huge part in a romance like that, especially as our parents generally had no idea how that kind of thing worked. I know she was written with overprotective parents, but still.

@otterlielovely Oh no, I absolutely agree, both male and female characters are presented as complex and there are lots of lovely men in them too. I also really like the one dad in The Illustrated Mum: he was so responsible and grounded in contrast to the more idealistic mum (and the other dad); he made it clear that he cared about his daughter and wanted what was best for her.

Yeah, some of her books are outdated now unfortunately. As I said upthread, I really doubt LL would be published today, at least not without some changes.

However I don't think the girl was blamed - the two of them needed to be separated and Pru was told the teacher would have to leave the school if she didn't so she was just doing a decent thing. It wasn't to punish her, it was to stop the relationship
But the point is that she never should have been put into that position. They shouldn’t have made it seem like her responsibility at all: the teacher should have lost his job and probably also faced legal repercussions. They made her feel guilty about the whole situation.

My main thought about Jacqueline Wilson is how her books encouraged children to read.

@CluelessBaker not related to this at all but I went to primary school in Botswana too and although we didn't read the same book there was definitely some dodgy reading material I encountered at primary!

I hated reading as a child except for JW books. I was from a messy family but attended a very middle class prep school where everyone appeared to have perfect nuclear families. JW was something that showed me I was not alone, and opened my eyes to all sorts of issues.

I also adored Tracy Beaker on CBBC.

I do remember watching the film version of the Illustrated Mum and getting nightmares after from the scene where she tries to commit suicide.

Sadly, as a teacher, I find JW is often discouraged by parents. I don't know if they see it as 'easy reading' or the issues too much but I think they are about so much more than reading to improve vocabulary and so valuable in other ways.

@Ca55andraMortmain that’s so cool!

I definitely think a more robust approach was taken to reading material over there - not saying that it was better though!

Illustrated Mum was 1999, I think. Probably written in 97/98.

@MorningJuly

My main thought about Jacqueline Wilson is how her books encouraged children to read.

Absolutely!

I remember when my ds1 was at primary school and the Book Fayre stand was there. A lot of parents were discouraging their DC from buying JW books, or Horrid Henry and discussing how they were banned for whatever reason.
Horrid Henry is the first book ds1 voluntarily read by himself so for that alone Francesca Simon has a special place in my heart. We were lucky enough to meet her a few years later and get the book signed.
IMO JW is the same. If you've got a reluctant reader, then anything they will read is good imo.

I met ME a couple of times, she explained she loved Enid blyton , but realized children can't relate to her books, in the same way as she did growing up. Her books are much more true to modern families, schooling and kids in care (although I've yet too see a care home as nice as Tracy Beakers)
My niece loved her books ,she's 13 now, but she did also love me reading her malory towers and secret seven.
I've not read love lessons, I may kindle it and have a read.

ME? I meant JW

Interesting hearing all the different opinions and justifications. Nice that JW encouraged some reluctant kids to become readers!
I still want to know which book it was where the girl was being abused by the mother’s boyfriend: I’ve been wracking my brains and I can’t think which one it could be.

@TheFormerPorpentinaScamander I also love Francesca Simon!

I loved them all, I’ve read all of them I think including Love Lessons. One thing I liked about them is they didn’t always end happily per se, or ‘solve’ the problems, it was just the way things were. My absolute favourite was Lola Rose but I also loved Hetty Feather (and actually all the Victorian books especially Rose Rivers), the Suitcase Kid and the Bed and Breakfast Star!

... I can’t think that there is a JW book about I sexual abuse though?

I read heaps of them as a kid although not love lessons. I think people really underestimate kids and how much they actually know, so not too dark at all. It doesnt patronised them but they would also miss certain bits if not quite aware, so not a concern imo. My only criticism is she had two distinctive character types which could get a bit samey.

Really off topic, but has anyone seen Jack Monroe’s Twitter posts about David Walliams? I have never read anything he has written, I don’t find him funny as a person and didn’t watch Little Britain. Are they suitable for DCs or do people agree with Jack?

David Walliams is the only author censored in this house - cannot stand him or his disgusting books.

Ahhh I loved JW books as a child. I grew up in a fairly conservative religious Muslim family, middle class with no household strife. They taught me so much about other children's lives and definitely made me more empathetic. My parents didn't like them but they didn't restrict me reading them either. I would love to re-read them as an adult. I think what could help is to ensure children only read them at a stage appropriate to their age/development (which I think I did - I didn't read things like Girls In Love etc until I was a bit older, I started with things like Best Friends and The Suitcase Kid) and also having a safe space to discuss challenging themes with a trusted adult. I think the books did raise a lot of questions for me and there were some parts I did find upsetting - I removed finding The Illustrated Mum particularly upsetting, perhaps I was a bit young when I read that one, but I didn't feel like I could talk to my parents about any of it. I hope when my DD is older she will feel able to speak to me about things and we can explore sensitive topics together.

Wow I've just seen read jack's tweets about DW and I have to say I agree. I haven't read the book in question but lots of his others have pretty dodgy stereotypes about working class people - Sheila the benefit scrounger in her tower block in Ratburger for example. The things that Jack have pointed out are really bad though.

My ds loves his books and while I have never found them particularly offensive I did always think they were quite crap. No plot and very forgettable. My ds had the cheek to ask me who was better out of DW and Roald Dahl and I had to give him a stern talking to! But yeah, I think I will be rethinking what he reads now since it so obviously plays into immature and outdated views on class and race.

@ChickenDrumstick

Really off topic, but has anyone seen Jack Monroe’s Twitter posts about David Walliams? I have never read anything he has written, I don’t find him funny as a person and didn’t watch Little Britain. Are they suitable for DCs or do people agree with Jack?

DS2 and my mum have been reading David Walliams books together since forever. They love them. I haven't censored any books in my house, although have had to steer DS2 to age appropriate things at times. (He started Dustbin Baby when he was about 5 and I told him to wait a couple of years).

Haha I've been reading all the descriptions of the books to see which one could be the one referred to - maybe Lizzie Zipmouth? It says it's in the younger readers (7-10) bracket, so probably not.