Product Description

Everybody knows Tracy Beaker, Jacqueline Wilson's best-loved character. But what do they know about Jacqueline herself? In this fascinating book, discover...how Jacky played with paper dolls like April in Dustbin Baby...how she dealt with an unpredictable father like Prue in Love Lessons...how she sat entrance exams like Ruby in Double Act.But most of all how Jacky loved reading and writing stories. Losing herself in a new world was the best possible way she could think of spending her time. From the very first story she wrote, "Meet the Maggots", it was clear that this little girl had a very vivid imagination. But who would've guessed that she would grow up to be the mega-bestselling, award-winning Jacqueline Wilson! Jacqueline Wilson takes a look back at her own childhood in this captivating story of friendships, loneliness, books, toys, parents and much more. She explores her early years with the same warmth and lightness of touch that imbues her novels and covers such difficult issues as her parents' extra-marital affairs with delicacy. With photographs and new illustrations by Nick Sharratt, this book is a delight for all of Jacky's fans, and a treat for any new readers too.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #5487 in Books
• Published on: 2008-03-13
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 304 pages

From the Inside Flap
Everybody knows Tracy Beaker, Jacqueline Wilson's best-loved character. But what do they know about Jacqueline herself? In this fascinating book, discover . . .

. . . how Jacky played with paper dolls like April in Dustbin Baby.

. . . how she dealt with an unpredictable father like Prue in Love Lessons.

. . .how she chose new toys in Hamleys like Dolphin in The Illustrated Mum.

. . .how she enjoyed Christmas like Em in Clean Break.

. . .how she sat entrance exams like Ruby in Double Act.

But most of all how Jacky loved reading and writin stories. Losing herself in a new world was the best possible way she could spend her time. From the very first story she wrote, Meet the Maggots, it was very clear that this little girl had a very vivid imagination. But who would've guessed that she would grow up to be the mega-bestselling, award-winning Jacqueline Wilson!

£12.99
CAN $28.00

From the Back Cover
'Literary superstar'
Independent

'A true children's writing genius'
Good Book Guide

Children's Laureate 2005-2007

About the Author
JACQUELINE WILSON: Jacqueline Wilson is one of Britain's most outstanding writers for young readers. She is the most borrowed author from British libraries and has sold over 25 million books in this country. As a child, she always wanted to be a writer and wrote her first 'novel' when she was nine, filling countless exercise books as she grew up. She started work at a publishing company and then went on to work as a journalist on Jackie magazine (which was named after her) before turning to write fiction full time. Jacqueline has been honoured with many of the UK's top awards for children's books, inclusding the Guardian Children's Fiction Award, the Smarties Prize, the Red House Book Award and the Children's Book of the Year. She was awarded an OBE in 2002 and is the children's Laureate for 2005-2007. NICK SHARRATT: Nick Sharratt knew from an early age that he wanted to use his artistic skills in his career. He went to Manchester Polytechnic to do an Art Foundation course, followed by a BA )hONS) in Graphic Design at St Martin's School of Art in London. Since graduating in 1984, Nick has been working full-time as an illustrator, with his work hugely in demand for children's books. His famous collaboration with Jacqueline Wilson began with The Story of Tracy Beaker, published in 1991 and he has illustrated every one of her best-selling books published by Doubleday/Corgi since then. Nick also illustrates full-colour picture and novelty books such as Eat Your Peas (Bodley Head), written by Kes Gray, which won the 2000 Children's Book Award and Pants (David Fickling Books), written by Giles Andreae, which also won the Children's Book Award and was shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal in 2003. He also writes his own picture books. Nick lives in Brighton, Sussex.

Customer Reviews

The True Jacqueline Wilson Story
The true Jacqueline Wilson story. I Have only read one of her other books, but I think I can still say that this book is very true to her fictional style. JW really can write for children. She knows what they want and need and how to present it. Easy and entertraining. 100% child friendly.

Even thou I'm not a child anymore (ie a bit too old for this book) I really enjoyed the book. JW just writed in a fun way. All thou at some points i as an adult reader of course really felt that I was not part of the audience she is actaully writing for. But I really feel it workr perfectly for elementary school children. JW has really got emphaty, symphaty for her readers.

Her childhood wasn't that unordinary, but that's probably the point. Her goal is to write about ordinary things. But for children of today her childhood in the 50s might actually seem a bit exotic. But still JW makes sure that any 2000s kid can relate to what she is writing.

JW talks to children, but she doesn't talk down to them. She wants to involve them and includes her authorship in the book by relating every chapter to an episode in some of her fictional books. She shows how there is a connection between her real life and her fictional books. She lets the children in on her writing process. All this in a 100% child friendly way.

As an adult reader I am of course longing for a follow up. What happened next? Because the story of Jacqueline Wilson of course doesn't end when she finishes primary school and knows she will be an author some day. I would really like to know about the adult years of this great author, but that is of course not what this book is about. It is a whole other story and it could of course not be written in a child friendly way, because children want to read about children, not adults. And in JW's case her childhood really is the most relevant part of her life, since that's where she gets her inspiration for her books.

All in all I really understand why Jacqueline Wilson is the most borrowed author in the libraries of Britain.

Review of an 11 year old Jacky Daydream by an 11 year old ...
As soon as I heard about the book Jacky Daydream I longed to have it - for two reasons: one - I needed a good book to read and Jacqueline Wilson has never disappointed me and two, after all the books I'd read by her based on children with problems like their parents splitting up or their best friend moving away or their pets dying, I ached to know how Jacqueline Wilson grew up: had she suffered what many of her characters had suffered?

And Jacky Daydream had all the answers to my questions; it had everything from birth to books! It told me all about how things were when Jacqueline Wilson was a child; it described her rooms and had chapters on her family, friends and teachers. It was like going through a time machine starting on the 17th December 1945 when she was born and seeing how she grew up in a flat with her parents, Biddy and Harry; and how Biddy kept her squeaky clean and their flat too, of course! And going right through to when Jacqueline Wilson and her parents went to live with her grandparents and how Hilda Ellen (her gran) told her stories of her own childhood. Poor Hilda Ellen had a very disrupted childhood, moving about a lot.

I read how Jacqueline Wilson loved dolls and got one every Christmas. I also read about her first day of school and those that followed. She made many friends and when she was 11 - like I am now - I almost cried for her poor friend, Christine's, tragic situation (her mum was dying).

Then there was Jacqueline Wilson's father, Harry, who could be sweet and gentle but could burst into fiery moods which Jacqueline Wilson hated; as well as her parents rowing.

I loved the fact that Jacqueline Wilson had imaginary friends and played imaginary games by herself and sometimes with her friends. And - of course - like any good writer, she loved books and two chapters were dedicated to her love of reading and the books she enjoyed.

At the end of each chapter Jacqueline Wilson would pose a question like:

In which of my books did one of my characters do such-and-such?

And then she would answer her question and include an extract from one of her other books and reveal some of her thoughts on that book. And I could see the connections that she had with some of her characters.

The Epilogue included some school reports and a quick review of JW's teenage years.

And a clever ending!

It must have been hard for JW to recall so much of her childhood with such colourful interest, but I think she did an excellent job of making it readable and so brought a writer I love to life, especially as she included photographs.

by Hattie Rowan, aged 11, Tabora, Tanzania

Jacqueline sure knows how to write
'Jacky Daydream' is the story of Jacqueline Wilson's childhood and follows her childhood memories and experiences. What is interesting about this novel is that many of Wilson's own experiences are portrayed strongly in her novels, such as how she dealt with an unpredictable father. She certainly had an interesting childhood, growing up in post-war Britain with many of the old war customs still in place.

This is lovely read for children and adults who follow Jacqueline Wilson. It shows what life was like for children in the 1940's and how much time has changed since then.

I would strongly recommend this.