A subplot is Frankie’s concern for her mum who, prior to the start of the novel, has been diagnosed with MS. I think Wilson does a wonderful job of illustrating the reality of living with an invisible illness, dealing with fears about employment, and worries about worsening symptoms. As the novel is from Frankie’s perspective, it is worth noting that Wilson does not imply Frankie’s opinions are her mum’s lived experience! However, I really liked how the mum, Jen, is portrayed as someone with a chronic illness who has good days, meh days, bad days. This felt like realistic representation to me and I think it will resonate with readers. If I read this book when I was a young teen, I think I’d be rooting for Sally and Frankie as a couple. As an adult (much like Frankie’s mum/older sister) I felt very wary of Sally and thought she was two-dimensional and narcissistic. The supporting characters, however, were fantastic - I loved Sammy and Coral and Ivneet and thought they were so endearing and well-developed. a b Allardice, Lisa (4 April 2020). "Jacqueline Wilson: 'I've never really been in any kind of closet' ". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 20 April 2020 . Retrieved 20 April 2020.

Love Frankie by Jacqueline Wilson, Nick Sharratt | Waterstones Love Frankie by Jacqueline Wilson, Nick Sharratt | Waterstones

This is very typical Jacqueline Wilson - characters dealing with family issues. She always writes realistically and doesn’t hide the hard stuff because her readers are young people. Frankie and Sally as a couple are cute, although the two do not seem a convincing nor withstanding match and the book closes without resolve of their significant issues. I personally was hopeful that Frankie might realise she was actually in love with Ivneet, Ellie-and-Dan style (sequel idea???). But alas, love, particularly young love, is often shallow. The relationship between Sammy and Frankie is handled with great care. The supporting characters all have their moments too. Frankie's mother, siblings, and Bear are all loveable and are painted so vividly that you feel as if you're in their home with them. Jacqueline Wilson has been one of my favourite authors for the longest time and I have loved every book I have read by her. Her characters are usually going through some challenging times, and though there is never a magical "and they all lived happily ever after" tone to them, they always cheer me up. Maybe because as an author she doesn't make false promises, but she does make it clear that situations can improve. I think it’s so important that books like Love Frankie exist, especially from authors such as Jacqueline Wilson. It’s such an approachable look at growing up, discovering new feelings and diversity. I felt that it really normalised feelings towards the same sex in a way that was approachable and I could imagine quite realistic. I felt that I could relate to the feelings Frankie was facing; first love is first love regardless of gender, and that Jacqueline, as usual, really captured what it’s like to be a teenager and have all these different feelings and emotions and challenges. Frankie is the middle girl in a trio of sisters, trying to look after her Mum after she fell ill, their Dad left them and now her best friend wants to be her boyfriend. Her conversations with her slightly scary big sister and her Sylvanian Family obsessed little sister are lovely, and actually reminded me of my nieces.

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Armistice Day: A Collection of Remembrance - Spark Interest and Educate Children about Historical Moments Admittedly at almost 23 years old I am much older than the intended target audience of Jacqueline Wilson. However, as a child she was my favourite author and I have fond memories of my grandma buying both myself and my older cousin a copy of every new book which she released. I would read these books way past my bedtime hidden under the covers and finish them in one or two sittings.

Love Frankie - Jacqueline Wilson - Google Books Love Frankie - Jacqueline Wilson - Google Books

I'm trying to understand why it felt like a 3 star read; one reason might be the language used by the young characters, which felt inconsistent to me. The words and sayings that the 13 year olds used didn't always suit their age or the time in which it is set (now). Jacqueline Wilson has a very specific dialogue style that cropped up at times then went away. I found it more jarring in this book set in the current day than the newer historical fiction books or even the contemporary novels written in the 90s. Jacqueline is one of the nation’s favourite authors, and her books are loved and cherished by young readers not only in the UK but all over the world. She has sold millions of books and in the UK alone the total now stands at over 35 million! Jacqueline is also a great reader, and has amassed over 20,000 books, along with her famous collection of silver rings. I have been a Jacqueline Wilson fan since I was nine years old and loved reading her novels. I would probably say that Wilson is the one author that gave me the love for reading.There were also several points in the book where I felt that the characters (particularly rowena) said things that didn’t come across as something a person of that age would say. It very much felt like an adult writing about children (that’s not so say, of course, that children can’t be smart, witty or insightful, but there was no real balance of childlike qualities). Double Act won the prestigious Smarties Medal and the Children’s Book Award as well as being highly commended for the Carnegie Medal. The Story of Tracy Beaker won the 2002 Blue Peter People’s Choice Award.

Love Frankie by Jacqueline Wilson - LoveReading4Kids Love Frankie by Jacqueline Wilson - LoveReading4Kids

The writing and storyline was unmistakably Jacqueline Wilson as she has a very distinctive style. The main character lives with her single mother and siblings. Her mother has MS which makes looking after the children difficult. This difficulty in raising children (due to a multitude of reasons) and single motherhood are each commonly recurring theme in many of JW’s books. Saunderson, Ginny (7 April 2020). "Jacqueline Wilson: Alfriston author releasing new book next week". Sussex Express . Retrieved 20 April 2020. This book was everything I could have wanted as a child and I feel incredibly happy that young children now will be able to read this book and potentially see themselves in the characters and know that being gay is completely fine and does not change who you are.

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Frankie's life is not easy; it never had been. I mean, after all, having a mother with a serious physical illness and a dad who is dating another woman isn't exactly a piece of cake, and her sisters are going through the same thing. But at least she has her best friend. Frankie and Sam are best friends; they have been since they were four years old. And to this day, their friendship remains. But when they visit a mall to buy Christmas presents and run into the supposed 'school bully', Sally, things start getting more and more overwhelming, even without the stress at home.... Read Full Review When Sally turns out to be not-so-mean after all, they strike up a friendship and are suddenly spending all of their time together. Hello Yellow - 80 Books to Help Children Nurture Good Mental Health and Support With Anxiety and Wellbeing - Popular, pretty Sally Macclesfield has been thirteen-year-old Frankie’s nemesis for a while, but when they finally start becoming friends, Frankie realises her feelings for Sally go beyond friendship. And Sally, it seems, feels the same way, or does she? While Frankie is wrestling with the confusion of Sally’s hot and cold behaviour, she’s also dealing with her mother’s illness and her two sisters - Zara, the eldest, and Sylvanian-Family-obsessed Rowena, the little one. Then there’s best friend Sam, the boy next door who might want to be something more.