Jacqueline Wilson holding a book smiling

Seven Standen

Dame Jacqueline Wilson has announced a new book in her Girls In Love series, this time aimed at adult readers. Think Again (2024) will follow the same characters as grown women dealing with problems like single motherhood, rising rent and new love. 

This isn’t the first time Wilson has appealed to her grown-up audience.

She’s written follow-ups to her older books, such as The Best Sleepover In The World (2023), which corrects some of her ableist writing in the original Sleepovers (2001). Similarly, My Mum Tracy Beaker (2018) and We Are The Beaker Girls (2019) follow Wilson’s most popular character after she ages out of the UK care system.

Previous characters have made cameos as adults in her newer books, including Ruby and Garnet from Double Act (1991) appearing as a TV host and executive producer respectively in The Butterfly Club (2015). These easter eggs are nods to fans of her older books, especially those who now have their own children.

But Think Again represents a significant step away from Wilson’s children’s literature. Although Wilson has published several books for older readers, Think Again is her first book for adults since dabbling in 1980s crime fiction.

Who Are The Girls In Love?

Girls In Love was published in 1997, followed by Girls Under Pressure (1998) and Girls Out Late (1999). What was previously believed to be the final entry in the series, Girls in Tears, was released in 2002.

The books are about three best friends in secondary school: Ellie, Nadine and Magda. Each book follows a central storyline focused on one of the girls, alongside two similarly themed subplots following the two other characters. For example, Girls Under Pressure follows Ellie’s development of an eating disorder, while the accompanying subplots track Nadine’s model career and Magda’s experiences of sexual harassment.

Think Again, like the previous books, will be told from Ellie’s perspective. But it’s unknown if the book will follow the same structure or establish a completely new style. It’s also unclear whether Think Again will be readable as a standalone novel.

Wilson says: “I’ve always wondered whatever happened to Ellie, Magda, and Nadine… I’ve decided to find out what they’re up to nowadays… I think everyone reading Think Again will be surprised.”

Jacqueline Wilson Fans Are All Grown-Up

Although Wilson continues to publish new books, her popularity peaked in the early 2000s. Most of her iconic standalone books were published during this period: Vicky Angel (2000), Dustbin Baby (2001), Lola Rose (2003) and My Sister Jodie (2008).

Many of her earlier books were also already in circulation at schools and libraries, making her an established presence in the minds of young readers. From 2002 to 2008, she was the most borrowed author from British libraries.

“A generation of children grew up reading, and loving, Jacqueline Wilson’s books”

To cut a long story short, Wilson was everywhere in the 2000s. Her publishing rate of one to three books a year meant a constant stream of new stories for her fans. Her tendency to tackle sensitive matters — including the care system, abusive parents, teenage pregnancy, illness and death — was also a major factor in the popularity of her books. At the time, it was novel for children’s books to focus on real-world issues they or their friends might be dealing with, rather than fantasy or action stories. As a result, a generation of children grew up reading, and loving, Jacqueline Wilson’s books.

But now that her biggest fans are adults, it makes sense for Wilson to return to the stories that made her so popular. Facing an uncertain future, her original fans (Millennials and Gen Z) have become incredibly nostalgic. Many adults seek comfort in their childhood books. Considering the popularity of Girls In Love, which resulted in a television adaptation, Wilson’s new book is likely to be well-received by readers nostalgic for their favourite childhood author.

A New Direction?

While Wilson still writes for children first and foremost, she’s proven that she can write just as well for an older audience.

In 2022, she published a YA book about a teenage mother living in 1959, titled Baby Love. It is an incredibly readable, well-written and heartfelt story. Many of the issues covered, such as sexual assault and anxieties surrounding childbirth, are also experienced by women of all ages.

“Books don’t have an age limit and Wilson’s stories are universal enough to be enjoyed by people of all ages”

In her children’s books, Wilson doesn’t talk down to her audience. She doesn’t overexplain the story or try to hold the reader’s hand, instead letting them join the dots themselves. Wilson avoids pop culture references, which could easily become ‘cringey’ a year after publication. As a result, her books survive the test of time better than the cringeworthy slang of Dork Diaries (2009-2023) or outdated technology in Gossip Girl (2002-2011). Many of her plotlines could occur in any time or place, making them easy to read whether it’s 1997 or 2024.

Could Jacqueline Wilson Become An Author For Adults?

Although Wilson doesn’t limit her audience, it’s unlikely she’ll stray from her greatest passion: children’s books. She might continue to publish stories for an older audience, but it’s likely these will be few and far between. Wilson will probably continue her pattern of releasing a mature book every few years, sandwiched between other stories.

However, it’s easy to argue that Jacqueline Wilson is already an author for adults. Books don’t have an age limit and Wilson’s stories are universal enough to be enjoyed by people of all ages. If nothing else, it’s fun to revisit a favourite book from your childhood, even if it’s just for the sake of nostalgia.

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Featured image courtesy of Taylor Herring on Flickr. No changes made. Image license found here.

Seven (they/them) is a BA History and Sociology student at the University of Warwick. They are a freelance journalist, disability advocate, and lover of cats.

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