"Younger" Jacqueline Wilsons?

[clemetteattlee]

Hi, my daughter who is about to turn 7,has expressed an interest in reading some Jacqueline Wilson books Nd I wondered if anyone could give me some guidance about which new may be suitable for this younger age group. I read a couple when I was training to be a teacher but that was many years ago...
Thanks,
Sam

I've put all of my eldest dd's old Jacqueline Wilson books in the attic in case dd (8), and potentially sensitive to some of the themes, (unlike her sister), tries to read.
The book about the twins (Double Act) is the only one we have around, I think it's fairly safe, though my dds didn't rate it highly

'Sleepovers' is the best Jacqueline Wilson book for this age group.

I wouldn't bother tbh. My dd1 read Hetty Feather aged 8, and loved it, but I have avoided finding her any other JW books as I can't bear the misery in some of the later books. And there are so many great writers out there whose writing is so much more age appropriate,

I agree with Sassy, they are an older read for the most part and there are fantastic authors around with more appropriate themes and content.
But if you are dead set
www.jacquelinewilson.co.uk/the-books/book-7-9/

My dd2 (age 8) has been reading JW for the last year or two. What I would say is read them first and assess whether she will cope.

Dd2 loves a good cry over a book, and doesn't mine the "sad" stories, but there was one she got hold of which was very boyfriend/anorexia/teenage issues. It looked fairly thin, so I'd let her get it from a charity shop thinking it would be for younger. Then had great misery when I wouldn't let her read it. Think it was part of a series ("Girls in love"? or similar) Some of them are quite good on the subject of friendships and dealing with them.

Dd1 read one and decided it wasn't for her and hasn't touched one since.

"Double Act"and "Candyfloss" are probably some of the less "issue" books, "The Dare Game", which is a Tracy Beaker one has some good thoughts on friendships, and there's one about a history project which is quite good, trying to remember what it's called "The project" or "The History project" maybe, again deals with friendships breaking up and making new friends.

Nooo!

I Hate JW for all it's "ishoos" driven agendas. I think I'm traumatised by them ore than the girls were - looking on with a maternal eye, but still.

THe one about the history project and the doll (is hat hetty feather?) is actually quite good. Double act is OK.

Do not go near THe Cat mummy or the Suitcase Kid (especially the Suitcase Kid! ) You will have nightmares!

Meant to add...

I normally don't censor books at all - Mine are all big now (12/16/18) and I've let them read absolutely anything they want because it soon became clear that anything thing that was too adult or scary they'd just stop reading (so didn't push them to finish books) unlike film/TV stuff which they could get "sucked into" even if they didn't want to (eg scary Dr Who- difficult to stop watching if your siblings are still "loving it").

However JW seemed to be an exception to that -they (well eldest) did keep reading even though it made her very uncomfortable. Not sure why.

Thanks everyone. She does have a taste fr the melodramatic and is fond of "issues" but maybe doesn't need any encouraging...

I read all JWs before I let DD have them, and the only ones she's read so far are Hetty Feather am denying the sequels exist so far and Cookie. I find the others are just "a bit much" - not even sure why, I read all sorts when I was young, my parents never censored anything, but I just find I don't want my precious DD wallowing in the misery that seems to abound in JWs work somehow. It's so damn real I think, I would allow her much more graphic fantasy type books I think... oh and she read Lizzie Zipmouth too, I think that's the only other one.

One of the World Book Days is a JW one (Big Day Out)- I haven't read it but it looks fine for a 7 year old unless she is very sensitive in nature or due to her history.

I'd go for Sleepovers, Buried Alive, Cliffhanger, Best Friends or Lizzie Zipmouth.

My 7 year old has read and coped with and enjoyed: candy floss, the worry website and sleepovers. She actually brought the cat mummy home as her school reading book and enjoyed it. I think I agree that us grown-ups are more traumatised by the 'issoos' than our children are.

Thank you

Look on the JW website, I Find the website age guidelines pretty reliable.

Cliffhanger and the sequel to it are great and fine for a 7 year old I think. My son loved these.

The ones about the boys on holiday are good, and devoid of "isshoos" - I can't remember the name of the books now, I'll look them up.

Cliffhanger, and Buried Alive :)

Also Jeremy Strong is excellent - not JW of course but similar funny style (The Hundred Mile an Hour Dog is hilarious) and the same illustrator.

Sleepovers
Double Act
The Bed and Breakfast star
Cliffhanger
Glubbslyme
The Dinosaurs Packed lunch
The Lottie Project - This one is my 8 year old niece's favourite