My Mum Tracy Beaker

Name: William Joseph
Price range: $

by Jacqueline Wilson, illustrated by Nick Sharratt

Interest age: 7 to 11
Reading age: 7+

Published by Doubleday, 2018

Chapter books
Funny
Love and romance

About this book

The Story of Tracy Beaker, an award-winning novel about a troubled ten-year-old girl who lives in a children’s home, was originally published to great acclaim in 1991. Now Tracy Beaker is a mum, and this marvellous tale, narrated by her daughter Jess, introduces the spirited character to a new generation of readers.

Tracy works hard to provide Jess with a loving, secure home and they transform their damp, pokey council flat into a palace, with brightly coloured walls and knick-knacks collected from charity shops.

When Tracy starts going out with rich and famous former footballer Sean Godfrey, Jess feels unsettled. She assumes it will fizzle out like Tracy’s previous relationships, so is dismayed when her mum decides to marry Sean. They move into his enormous mansion, complete with swimming pool and housekeeper, leaving all that Jess knows and loves behind. Jess is torn: she wants her mum to be happy, but can she learn to like Sean?

Jacqueline Wilson’s relaxed writing style, together with Nick Sharratt’s entertaining line drawings, ensure this compelling book is accessible to a wide readership. Serious issues such as neglect, bullying and stepfamilies are explored with sensitivity and humour, creating a funny, moving and uplifting tale.

About the author

Jacqueline Wilson was born in Bath in 1945, and spent her childhood in Kingston-on-Thames, Surrey, where she still lives today. She started her writing career as a teenage journalist with D.C. Thompson, writing for the teenage magazine Jackie which was named after her. Today her popular books for children have sold millions of copies and have been translated into more than thirty languages.

Jacqueline's books include The Story of Tracy Beaker, which has become a hugely successful BBC TV series; Girls in Love, which together with its two sequels was filmed for ITV television; and Double Act, which she adapted for Channel 4 and which won the Royal TV Society's Best Children's Fiction Award. As the fourth Children's Laureate (2005-2007) she promoted the importance of sharing books, and reading aloud together.

About the illustrator

Nick Sharratt has created illustrations for over two hundred and fifty books during his illustrious career. He has produced over sixty of his own titles, including much-loved favourites Ketchup on Your Cornflakes and Shark in the Park. He has worked with celebrated writers including Julia Donaldson, Kes Gray and Michael Rosen and is well known for his collaboration with Jacqueline Wilson, for whom he’s illustrated more than fifty novels.

He has been the official illustrator for World Book Day and together with Katrina Charman, was awarded the 2021 BookTrust Storytime Prize, he was also the BookTrust Writer-Illustrator in Residence for 2022-23.

What to read next

We know that children can get hooked on a favourite book series or author and struggle to find something they love as much, but we’re here to help.

Jacqueline Wilson: what to read next

We know it's so easy to get attached to a favourite author, and when their books are as good as Jacqueline Wilson's, it's no surprise that some children feel like they'll never find anything they love as much. But we've got some recommendations about great stories they can try next - and we want to hear your ideas too!

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