melody yarns
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The Illustrated Mum - Children's Novel by Jacqueline Wilson'The Illustrated Mum' by Jacqueline Wilson is on my summer reading list for Uni - I have to read books by at least two authors from the list and some of the listed books, and this is one of them. I have to write a book review for an English assignment when we start in a few weeks time.
I managed to read about a third of the book this morning whilst the boys were at footie practice with Dad, so a nice peaceful house to read in . I can't read when i'm being disturbed all the time! Considering that I find it very difficult to find grown-up books that hold my attention for more than half an hour before I declare them as 'a waste of time reading them', this book written for twelve year olds has me hooked. It's interesting, lively and tackles social problems that much adult literature shies away from. It's fabulously well written, and in my experience, if an adult can read a book meant for children and find it gripping, then a child would as well. I spent much of the morning with a box of tissues by my side, with tears rolling down my cheeks with the problems the main characters have to endure; one paragraph in particular had me bawling.
I bought the book at Borders last weekend, and have already bought one of the Tracey Beaker series of books by the same author, for reading after this one is finished.
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jacquie
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I haven't read any of hers despite her having the same name as me before I got married - give or take an "L" here or there. Sounds like I should!
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Glynis
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I often find that the work of authors who are writing for a child/teen audience is far more engaging than a lot of of the tat that appears for adult readers.
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malteser
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I read a lot of the Jacqueline Wilson books with my daughter and really enjoyed most of them. In fact she has sorted her bookcase out this week and given a lot of the Jacqueline Wilson books to her 9 year old cousin.
The Illustrated Mum was one of my favourites.
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slowasasnail
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I'm listening to one of hers from Audible at the moment.
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blueadt
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DD enjoyed them but has now deemed them too childish so they went to Help the Aged last week 
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cazzie
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Must try them to read with DD - she loves Tracey Beaker on TV 
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jacquie
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Is her writing anything like Anne Fine's who wrote Alias Madame Doubtfire that the movie Mrs Doubtfire was based on. Haven't actually read any of hers either but I know she writes about difficult issues too.
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melody yarns
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Ah! Anne Fine is also on the list of authors that we have to choose from.
I've been reading more Illustrated Mum this afternoon - and sobbing again I obviously read it from an adult's perspective, and know from a childcare practitioner's experience that children like the two characters in the book really do exist in real life....
I could write my review this weekend if I knew what was required from me.
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Seahorse
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My 9 yo liked J.W. a lot (although, like blue's DD, she is now 'too old'  ).
My first thought on reading the title was of reading Ray Bradbury's 'The Illustrated Man' which was quite a disturbing sci-fi read!
Claire
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murdo
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The Pirates ADORE J Wilson, one o their favourite authors. They like how she describes children who donyt come from "stereotypical" happy-family situation. I'm paraphrasing.
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Piglottie
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Jacqueline Wilson is a really good author, and her books were so popular when I was a school librarian. I would say at least a third of the books I read are children's books, and I miss the days of working in the school library and discussing the books with my reading groups 
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PiratePurls oldest
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I love J.W alot I liked the dustbin baby!!!
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ygymraes
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I'll have to look out for that one, it sounds really good.
I love reading "children's" books - I read the Spiderwick Chronicles about a year ago - absolutely fab! Can't wait until DS is old enough to read them. (Haven't seen the film yet though.)
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