English novelist Dame Jacqueline Wilson is well-known for her “Tracy Beaker” children’s book series. She was raised in Somerset, England, and has always had a passion for reading. She was born and reared there. At the age of nine, she penned her first short fiction. She dropped out of school at sixteen. She paid very little attention to academics and had no interest in anything beyond English. After graduation, she began training to work as a secretary. She was hired by a publishing company as a writer. At the age of 19, Jacqueline was married, and she quickly began writing books. She wrote numerous books during the next 20 years, with varying degrees of success. She published “The Story of Tracy Beaker,” the first book in the “Tracy Beaker” series, in 1991. She was able to publish three sequels thanks to the first book’s enormous success. Jacqueline went on to become one of the most well-known and prosperous English writers of all time. Numerous TV shows have adapted her novels, and she has received numerous honors.
Childhood & Formative Years
On December 17, 1945, Jacqueline Wilson was born in Bath, Somerset, England, as Jacqueline Aitken. Her parents were an antique trader and a civil servant. After some time, she relocated to Kingston upon Thames, where she spent the formative years of her upbringing.
It was in “Latchmere Primary School” that she developed her initial book addiction. She liked telling stories in front of her students. Her stories weren’t overly formal or conventional, though, so she didn’t get good ratings in creative writing.
Since she was young, her imagination has been flawless. Her school notebooks were overflowing with made-up characters. She loved reading works by Noel Streatfield, especially “What Katy Did” and “Little Women.”
Meet the Maggots, a little 21-page book, was the title of her first novel, which she had written by the time she was nine years old. It told the story of a family that had seven kids. From a young age, her imagination was wild and colorful.
She was unable to focus when studying, though, and was frequently caught staring out of the classroom windows. This persisted during her time in high school. Oftentimes, her teacher would make fun of her and call her “Jacky Daydream.” Jacqueline had already decided she wanted to be a writer and had no interest in studying anything else but English.
Afterward, she went to “Coombe Girls’ School,” where she eventually graduated at age 16. She feels that her time at “Coombe” was the most influential period in her professional life. She continues to go to school daily.
She wanted to be a writer, but first, she needed to establish financial stability. She so began preparing to become a secretary. But destiny had other ideas for her. She was hired as a writer by the well-known publishing business DC Thomson for the magazine “Jacky.”
Early Work & Matrimony
At the age of 17, Jacqueline applied for a job at “DC Thomson.” Her pick was based on one of her write-ups that described the horrors of teen discos, which had become a craze among English teenagers.
She got to know Millar Wilson, a man when she was employed there. They dated for two years, ending in 1965 with their marriage. At the age of 19, Jacqueline had recently begun working on her literary projects. Two years later, they welcomed Emma Wilson into their family.
Before she was eventually “published,” the author had to endure several rejections. When she was seventeen years old, her first short story was published; at twenty-two, her first novel was.
Career in Professionals
Mixed reviews were given to some of her earliest publications. As she battled to become a well-known author, she published numerous books, including “Let’s Pretend,” “Hide and Seek,” “Ricky’s Birthday,” and “Truth and Dare.” Nonetheless, the majority of her novels saw little or no popularity.
In the 1980s, she picked up the pace, averaging more than two books a year. It was not until the late 1980s that she began to receive notoriety. But it wasn’t until 1991 that she gained recognition as a very talented writer.
The Story of Tracy Beaker, the first book in the “Tracy Beaker” series, was published in 1991. The main character, “Tracy Beaker,” a disturbed 10-year-old girl, told the story in the first person.
The story of “Tracy,” a young child with behavioral issues who was abandoned by her mother and was now residing in a care facility, was told in the book. Tracy, who was described as artistic, used storytelling to entertain the caregivers and her pals at the assisted living facility. At one point, she even mentioned that her mother, a famous actress, would one day come pick her up.
“Tracy” would appear to be a character with significant psychological problems as an adult. Both adults and children adored the book in equal measure. It was a commercial and critical success as well. Everyone was pleased to see her go from writing sex-filled, violent criminal thrillers to writing tender children’s books.
Jacqueline aimed to appeal to young girls with her second book series, “Girls.” The first book in the series, “Girls in Love,” was released in 1997. It was immediately successful. “Girls under Pressure,” “Girls Out Late,” and “Girls in Tears” came next. They were all equally prosperous.
Jacqueline went back to “Tracy Beaker” in 2000 and released “The Dare Game,” the book’s sequel. One more sequel, “Starring Tracy Beaker,” came after this. The most recent installment of the series, “My Mum Tracy Beaker,” was released in October 2018.
In addition, Jacqueline wrote six of the highly praised “Hetty Feather” books, which she started writing in 2009. “Hetty Feather” was the title of the first installment. The sequels “Sapphire Battersea,” “Emerald Star,” “Diamond,” “Little Stars,” and “Hetty Feather’s Christmas” came after it.
She has published stand-alone books regularly in addition to multiple series. “Opal Plumstead,” “The Butterfly Club,” and “Rent a Bridesmaid” are a few of her most recent pieces.
TV shows have been adapted from a number of her books, including “The Story of Tracy Beaker,” “Double Act,” “The Illustrated Mum,” “Hetty Feather,” “The Dumping Ground,” “Katy,” and “Dustbin Baby.”
Honors & Awards of Jacqueline Wilson
Jacqueline Wilson has received numerous accolades and awards for her contributions to literature during her career. Two of the most prestigious literary honors in England, the Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize and the Smarties Prize, have been given to her.
“The Story of Tracy Beaker” was the recipient of the Blue Peter People’s Choice Award in 2002. The following year, “Girls in Tears” took home the British Book Awards’ “Children’s Book of the Year Award.”
The University of Winchester, the University of Roehampton, the University of Dundee, and Kingston University have all awarded her honorary degrees. In 2008, she was also conferred with the distinction of the ‘Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire.’ She received a “BAFTA Children’s Award” in 2017.
Four of her works are listed among the top 100 best-selling books in the UK, per a “BBC” poll. Fourteen of her books were in the top 200.
Later Professional Life of Jacqueline Wilson
At the moment, Jacqueline Wilson is employed as a patron of Kingston upon Thames’s “Momentum” charity. She also contributes to the “Letterbox Club.”
She also works as a pro-chancellor at the ‘University of Roehampton.’
Net worth of Jacqueline Wilson
The estimated net worth of Jacqueline Wilson is about $1 million.