Jacqueline Wilson – July 2012 . ©James Jordan
THE 2019 LECTURE, entitled, Be Careful What You Wish For was given by Jacqueline Wilson on Thursday April 11th in the Mary Allan Building, Homerton College, Cambridge.
Dame Jacqueline Wilson is the acclaimed author of numerous much-loved books for children. She has sold more than 40 million copies in the UK alone, and many more internationally.
Her list of honours is long and glittering, ranging from two Smarties Prizes in 1995 and 2000, the Guardian Children’s Fiction Award in 2000 for The Illustrated Mum, and a special BAFTA Award for its mini television series in 2003, an OBE for services to literacy in schools 2002, and the JM Barrie Award for ‘a lifetime of unforgettable writing for children’ in 2015 – to name but a few.
Children’s Laureate from 2005 to 2007, Jacqueline Wilson found her way into the hearts and minds of her young readers because she combined in her fiction her own experience of growing up with her understanding of, and compassion for, young people, especially those with hard lives. She has never been afraid to delve into challenging terrain, fighting for the underdog, and addressing social issues that don’t have easy answers.