The Portobello Bookshop hosted an event with Jacqueline Wilson, interviewed by Melanie Ramdarshan Bold at the Assembly Rooms, Edinburgh.

Jacqueline Wilson’s stories evoke a deep sense of nostalgia, drawing readers back to the essence of childhood. Her vibrant, flawed characters come to life on the page, reflecting the complexities of youth. From Girls to Tracy Beaker, each tale offers a comforting embrace, rekindling the joy of friendship and adventure. In Wilson’s imaginative landscapes, we find solace and warmth, reminding us of the timeless stories that shape our lives and linger in our hearts.

Jacqueline Wilson’s latest novel, Think Again, revisits her YA book series, Girls, reimagining the teens navigating their forties in the modern day. With this new perspective, Wilson spoke how YA has changed from when she began writing, 20 years ago. Specifically praising Alice Oseman and how her graphic novels have opened a more open and positive conversation on LGBT+ literature for teens.

Oseman, the creator of The Heartstopper, is arguably the new generations Wilson, being described as ‘Britain’s first truly global breakout children’s superstar in two decades,’ (Tivnan, 2022). Oseman’s latest edition, Heartstopper Volume 5, sold 60,012 units upon release in 2023, claiming her first Official UK Top 50 number one. In addition to being best first-week total for a children’s title in over two years.

As of August 2024, £21.2m has been sold through Nielsen BookScan’s Total Consumer Market YA Fiction category, a 7.4% increase from 2023, as this category continues to grow and gain popularity (Tivnan, 2024). Yet, as the Guardian reports, 74% of YA readers were adults, and 28% were over the age of 28 (Knight, 2024).

Therefore, when asked by an audience member, ‘why did you write this book?’ Wilson spoke about her conversation with her daughter and how it was ‘a treat’ to come back to the girls after twenty years but also explore the ‘value of friendships throughout life.’

For fans of YA literature, Think Again is a captivating blend of nostalgia and growth. It beautifully captures the complexities of adulthood in a way that feels true to the characters’ younger selves. The issues Ellie faces—loneliness, career struggles, and the uncertainties of love—are written with the same care and nuance that Wilson brings to the experiences of teenagers. This seamless transition from adolescence to mid-life crises makes it easy for readers who grew up with Ellie, Nadine, and Magda to reconnect with them on this new journey.

A progression from her previous work, Wilson explores Ellie’s sexuality, stating how ‘it’s wonderful how you can be totally accepted.’ As a woman in a same-sex relationship herself, she spoke of how she felt it was time to explore ‘queerness at an older age.’ As Jim MacSweeney discusses with the Bookseller, ‘in the 1970s,’80s and ’90s, we depended on small, independent lesbian and gay presses to publish books as mainstream publishers were generally not interested,’ (Bookseller, 2023). 

Wilson’s new novel truly illustrates the growth in publishing industry towards printing more inclusive and expansive novels, and their popularity only serves as proof for their necessity.

Bibliography

Knight, Lucy. “More than a Quarter of Readers of YA Are over the Age of 28 Research Shows.” The Guardian, 30 Apr. 2024, http://www.theguardian.com/books/2024/apr/30/more-than-a-quarter-of-readers-of-ya-are-over-the-age-of-28-research-shows.

The Bookseller. “Login.” The Bookseller, 14 Mar. 2023, http://www.thebookseller.com/features/book-trade-figures-welcome-rise-in-lgbtq-storiesand-fall-of-stereotypes.

The Portobello Bookshop, A Talk with Jacqueline Wilson, 16 September 2024

Tivnan, Tom. “2024 Young Adult Fiction — BookTok Boom Continues to Sound for YA.” The Bookseller, 23 Aug. 2024, http://www.thebookseller.com/spotlight/2024-young-adult-fiction–booktok-boom-continues-to-sound-for-ya.

Tivnan, Tom . “Alice Oseman Leads the Way in 2022’S the Bookseller 150.” The Bookseller, 6 Dec. 2022, http://www.thebookseller.com/news/alice-oseman-leads-2022s-the-bookseller-150-most-influential-list.

Image

Cover photo: Greg MacVean https://www.instagram.com/gregmacvean?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==