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

[Breakdancing]

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?

I loved the Jacqueline Wilson books at that kind of age

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.

I adored JW at that age, let her read what she likes without criticism. As long as it's age appropriate of course - the Jilly Coopers I pinched off my mum's bookshelf from age 11 and read in secret were definitely not!

She could be reading Forever by Judy Blume which I did younger than 12!!

How about Murder Most Unladylike?

English teacher here: JW is absolutely fine and totally age appropriate. Having a reading craze is an excellent sign. Slightly edgy topics definitely preference for pre teens and so when she moves on, she will probably choose even more challenging/adult topics. Is she moving to year 7 or 8? Noughts and Crosses v popular for yr 8/9 and excellent (but far more adult themes) and The Hate You Give. The Hunger Games series or Divergent also great. My daughter loved the Flawed series which is slightly less edgy dystopia and better if she's just leaving primary. But yeah if she's reading for pleasure then go her!! Just celebrate and encourage that instead of nagging her to read more improving texts. Believe me, lots of parents would LOVE this problem!!

This is making me reminisce over the books I read when younger now. Some of these were younger than 12 probably but:
Worst Witch (found out there's new ones and had to stop myself buying them recently 🤣)
Twilight (if we're talking serious rubbish! But I did have to buy the new one anyway 🤣)
Sweet Valley Farm/Twins/High
Babysitter Club
Animal Ark
Sabrina the Teenage Witch
Harry Potter
Princess Diaries
Jane Blonde

Now, even with my English Degree, I started reading the Murder Most Unladylike books. And I can't miss the latest Disney Twisted Tale and Villain Tale books (those are aimed at teenagers but omg they are dark in places)

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!

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!

Educational? Its the summer!

Lighten up, like reading her choices! 😀

But the kind of aspirational book you describe is clearly not the kind of thing the OP's daughter wants to read. It's her experience so she should be able to own that.

Absolutely fine for you not to like them, but it doesn't make other people's choice to read them wrong. Just different.

If I was using this thread as a brag I would have inserted Tolstoy or Chekov instead of Jacqueline Wilson!

I have the opposite problem, my highly literate bookworm 14 year old is obsessed the Warrior Cats series (labelled for age 9 plus). His English teacher has told him off and said he needs to choose more mature books. I'm torn, I can see why, he's very capable of reading and understanding proper literature. But if he's reading he's not gaming, and also it's light entertainment for him, no worse than an adult woman reading trashy chicklit on holiday. Generally I think if kids are choosing to read, let them read.

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

She has read the other Edie Trimmer☺️

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.

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.

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.

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

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!

@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).

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

I loved the sweet valley high & babysitters club too!

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

She's 12!