I was born an avid reader. For as long as I can remember, my mom used to take me to the library, and we would borrow handfuls of books. Therefore, I always had the impression that I was on the pulse of children’s literature. Not only did I read and know the new releases, but I also had access to the backlist of many authors who preceded my time—the late 90s and early 00s.
I read and fell in love with plenty of international voices: Cornelia Funke, Roald Dahl,
Christine Nöstlinger, Luis María Pescetti, Elisabetta Gnome and, of course, some authors from my own country, such as Laura Gallego and Elena Fortún.
Luckily, I had the chance to start travelling on my own as a teenager. Indeed, I was one of those children walking around with matching backpacks. My first trip to Ireland was in 2010 when I was fourteen. At nineteen, I returned to study in college for an Erasmus year. Now, I have started a PhD at Mary Immaculate College, Limerick. Through my Irish perils, I browsed hundreds of new and used bookshops and libraries.
Jacqueline Wilson
One name hooked my attention among all: Jacqueline Wilson. Who was this lady that appeared to be everywhere? Those cartoony and colourful covers caught my eye immediately. They were childish with a hint of humour, and I could not resist them. Besides, I even found annuals, diaries and lots of merchandising about her novels, so I knew she was well-loved and read here. However, only a few of her books have been translated into Spanish, and they were not easy to find; most were out of print already.
I went on a mission to research her works and, more concretely, her impact on English-speaking children. Soon, I discovered more about the background of Dame Jacqueline Wilson and became fascinated with her history. In fact, it reminded me of my own, so I could not help but feel some attachment towards this person I did not know. She described herself as a highly imaginative child who wrote little stories and dreamed about becoming an author. I especially admired her passion and devotion to telling stories about real children, their struggles and desires, and talking to them respectfully.
Certainly, I could not continue my reading life without getting a taste of this beloved author. So, I collected a few old copies of her backlist and dived into her world. I met Andrea —from The Suitcase Kid—, a girl who struggles to adjust to her parent’s divorce and relies on a little Sylvanian pet to ease her anxiety (another unknown cultural item to me are these toys that are now trendy again!); Tina —from The Butterfly Club—, the smallest of a set of triplets, who lives with a health condition; and my favourite of all, Lottie —from The Lottie Project—, a lively and mature child of a single mom. From these stories, I understood what makes Jacqueline Wilson so unique and transcendent. Her characters feel real and not one-dimensional, her worlds are rich, and her stories have multiple layers that involve sadness and misery, yes, but especially humour and hope, which are the best ingredients in children’s literature.
No wonder she achieved such success: I have since read and watched many testimonies of people touched by her writing. And from what I can infer from the conversation as an outsider, she has a reputation for writing unforgettable books.
For instance, I learnt she was the most borrowed author in UK libraries for about a decade. Even now, most of her books (and she has many of them) are on hold in the Borrow Box, the online version of Dublin Libraries. I am waiting to meet “the famous” Tracy Beaker as well as other Wilson girls! In the meantime, I had the chance to interview Jacqueline for a Spanish literary magazine for young readers. You can read the original English version here. She was even more candid and cheerful than I anticipated, making me admire her even more.
I wish I could have read these stories when I was younger. They depict many realities outside my own with such care and sensitivity that would have enriched my perspective on the world. Nonetheless, I feel lucky to have wandered through other worlds equally special and powerful. I do not see many of my childhood authors on the shelves here, so I would love to encourage you, the readers, to follow my journey and discover a new internationally celebrated children’s author as an adult. There are plenty of outstanding minds out there.
Unfortunately, some might not yet be translated into your language, but I trust we can encourage publishers to attend to our needs for more diverse voices. My next picks are Tove Jansson and Eiko Kadono! What would be yours?
Children’s Literature
Gabriela Portillo