Jacqueline Wilson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jacqueline Wilson
GBE FRSL
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Wilson in 2019
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| Born | Jacqueline Aitken 17 December 1945 Bath, Somerset, England |
| Occupation | Writer |
| Period | 1969–present |
| Genre | Realist |
| Notable works | |
| Notable awards | Guardian Prize 2000 British Book Award 2000, 2003 |
| Spouse |
William Millar Wilson
(m. 1965; div. 2004) |
| Partner | Trish Beswick (since 2002) |
| Children | Emma Wilson |
Dame Jacqueline Wilson (born 17 December 1945) is a famous English writer. She is well-known for her many popular children's books. Her novels often explore real-life topics like adoption and divorce. Since her first book in 1969, Wilson has written over 100 books.
Early Life and First Steps as a Writer
Jacqueline Aitken was born in Bath, Somerset, England, on 17 December 1945. Her father, Harry, worked for the government. Her mother, Margaret, was an antiques dealer. Jacqueline loved reading books, especially those by Noel Streatfeild. She also enjoyed American classics like Little Women.
When she was nine, Jacqueline wrote her first "book," called "Meet the Maggots." It was 21 pages long. At school, she was nicknamed "Jacky Daydream." She later used this name for her autobiography, which tells about her childhood.
After leaving school at 16, Jacqueline trained to be a secretary. However, she soon started working for a publishing company called DC Thomson. She worked on a new magazine for girls called Jackie.
Jacqueline Wilson's Writing Journey
Jacqueline Wilson first wrote several crime novels. Later, she decided to focus on children's books. When she was 40, she studied for an A-level in English and earned a top grade. She wrote about 40 books with mixed success before becoming very famous in 1991. This happened with her book The Story of Tracy Beaker, published by Doubleday.
Her children's novels often deal with important themes. These include adoption and divorce. While these topics can sometimes cause discussion, her books are loved by both children and adults.
Helping Others and Universities
In June 2013, Wilson became a special professor at the University of Roehampton. She also became a Pro-Chancellor there. In August 2014, she was appointed Chancellor of the university. This is an honorary role. She taught classes in children's literature and creative writing. She finished her time as Chancellor in August 2020.
Jacqueline Wilson also supports several charities. She is a patron of Momentum, which helps children with cancer and their families. She also supports the Letterbox Club, a program that gives books to children.
Awards and Recognition
Jacqueline Wilson has won many awards for her writing. These include the Smarties Prize and the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize. The Guardian Prize is judged by British children's writers. Her book The Illustrated Mum (1999) won the Guardian Prize and the British Book Award for Children's Book of the Year. It was also shortlisted for the Whitbread Awards.
The Story of Tracy Beaker won the 2002 Blue Peter People's Choice Award. Girls in Tears was named Children's Book of the Year in 2003. Two of her books, The Story of Tracy Beaker (1991) and Double Act (1995), were highly praised for the Carnegie Medal.
In 2002, Wilson was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE). This was for her work in helping children learn to read. From 2005 to 2007, she was the fourth Children's Laureate. In this role, she encouraged parents to keep reading aloud to children. She also worked to make more books available for blind people. She campaigned against cuts to children's television shows.
In October 2005, she received an honorary degree from the University of Winchester. This was to recognize her achievements in children's literature. She also received honorary degrees from the University of Roehampton, the University of Dundee, the University of Bath, and Kingston University.
In 2008, Wilson was promoted to a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE). This was for her great contributions to literature. In July 2012, she became an honorary fellow of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. In 2017, she received a special award at the BAFTA Children's Awards. In 2025, she was again promoted to a Dame Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (GBE) for her services to literature.
For her lifetime work as a children's writer, Wilson was nominated for the international Hans Christian Andersen Award in 2014. A lecture hall at Kingston University is named after her.
Books and TV Shows
Books Adapted for Screen
Many of Jacqueline Wilson's books have been turned into plays and television shows. A play based on Double Act was first performed in 2003. Other plays include The Lottie Project and The Suitcase Kid.
Here are some of her books that became TV series or films:
- Cliffhanger (1995, Channel 4)
- Double Act (2002, Channel 4)
- The Story of Tracy Beaker (2002–2006, CBBC)
- The Illustrated Mum (2003, Channel 4)
- Best Friends (2004, ITV)
- Girls in Love (ITV)
- Dustbin Baby (BBC)
- Tracy Beaker Returns (2010–2012)
- The Tracy Beaker Survival Files (2011–2012)
- The Dumping Ground (2013–) – This show continues the story after Tracy Beaker.
- The Dumping Ground Survival Files (2014–2020)
- Hetty Feather (2015–2020)
- The Dumping Ground: I'm... (2016–2021)
- Katy became a TV series called Katy (2018, CBBC)
- Four Children and It was adapted into the film Four Kids and It.
- My Mum Tracy Beaker became a TV series for CBBC in 2021.
- We Are The Beaker Girls was adapted into The Beaker Girls for CBBC in 2021.
- Little Darlings became a TV series for Sky Kids in 2022.
Personal Life
Jacqueline married Millar Wilson in 1965 when she was 19. Two years later, they had a daughter named Emma. They divorced in 2004.
Jacqueline Wilson lives in East Sussex. In September 2024, she published her first adult novel, Think Again. This book is a sequel to her "Girls" series.
See also
In Spanish: Jacqueline Wilson para niños
