Western Daily Press (Saturday)
Jacqueline Wilson to release new adult sequel to Girls series
DAME Jacqueline Wilson is set to release her first adult novel since the 1970s as she returns to her beloved Girls series.
The Bath-born 78-year-old bestselling author will revisit the lives of Ellie, Magda and Nadine who are now faced with navigating the highs and lows of adulthood.
The new novel, titled Think Again, will be released in hardback, audio and eBook this September.
The original four-part Girls series began with 1997’s Girls In Love, followed by 1998’s Girls Under Pressure, 1999’s Girls Out Late and 2002’s Girls in Tears.
Narrated by teenager Ellie Allard, the books followed her and her best friends Magda and Nadine as they experienced life and love. The first novel was also adapted into a TV series with the same name which aired from 2003 to 2005 on CITV.
The new novel will pick up with Ellie now as an adult who has a daughter Lottie and a cat named Stella, as well as her best friends Magda and Nadine still by her side.
However, her love life is described as “non-existent” and she is “living on auto-pilot, just grateful to be able to afford the rent on her pokey little flat”, the publisher has said.
“But this year, on her 40th birthday, the universe seems to decide it’s time for all that to change – whether Ellie wants it to or not”, the synopsis adds.
“As she navigates new, exciting and often choppy waters, she’s about to discover that life will never stop surprising you – if only you let it.”
Dame Jacqueline said: “I’ve always wondered whatever happened to
Ellie, Magda and Nadine, the teenagers in my Girls series. I’ve decided to find out what they’re up to nowadays. It’s been great fun writing for adults for a change. I think everyone reading Think Again will be surprised.”
The author, a former children’s laureate, is also widely known as the creator of Tracy Beaker as well as her other children’s novels including Candyfloss and Double Act.
Her agent Caroline Walsh added about the new book: “Over the years, I’ve seen endless heartfelt pleas from Jacqueline’s readers for an update on the Girls’ lives, so it’s hugely exciting to see that dream become a reality at last. As Jacqueline knows only too well, life can take you on the most amazing journey and in Think Again, Ellie both fulfils past dreams and finds new ambitions to guide her into the future.”
Dame Jacqueline adult fiction editor Thorne Ryan said it was a “complete dream” to work with the author having being a fan throughout her life.
Ryan added: “I’ve reread the Girls series many times over the years, so it is such a joy to rejoin Ellie, Magda and Nadine as they navigate the highs and lows of adulthood.
“Through them, Jacqueline explores themes such as expectation versus reality, self-discovery, and the need to push yourself beyond your comfort zone in order to achieve fulfilment.
“She brings to the book everything we all loved about these gorgeous characters, whilst showing readers how they have changed and developed over the years.
“She takes them to new and wonderful places, and I cannot wait for readers to follow.”
POLICE are investigating racist notes that keep appearing in a town’s alleyway.
The notes have been appearing for months across lampposts, on walls, bins and on the pavement.
They include “Migrants not welcome” and “Migrants out now”, and others which feature vile racist terms.
They have been discovered littered across an alleyway that connects two roads in Cheltenham.
It has left locals feeling deeply upset and angry as they fear the hate crimes link to the current state of our “sociopolitical climate”.
One resident, from Cheltenham, has spoken out about the nature of the racist and xenophobic notes scattered across the neighbourhood.
Mehdi Ali, 26, said he found the notes around three to four months ago near Cheltenham town centre.
He said: “It makes me feel disheartened and sad, concerned for the welfare of Muslims and migrants in our area and angry and upset that this is happening right where we live.”
He believes the notes could be appearing due to a combination of factors.
Mr Ali said: “The current state of our sociopolitical climate has enabled racist and hateful behaviours to only grow in our communities.
“These people feel empowered and justified because our government are the ones pushing this poisonous rhetoric about the ‘danger’ of migrants.
“Our area has a fair amount of people of colour and diverse families and businesses, which is also why I think it’s happening here.”
He wants to see more anti-hate crime, counter imagery or posters put up on the alleyway, with more CCTV and CCTV signage “to deter these offenders”.
Inspector Mike Yates, of Cheltenham Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “Officers have been made aware of these notes and are conducting patrols in the area to make further enquiries.
“We would encourage anybody who experiences hate crime to report it either through the Constabulary’s website or by contacting 101.
“We have a dedicated countywide partnership who work together to ensure we drive out hate.
“We are proud of the diverse county we live and work in, and people should be able to go about their normal day-to-day lives without having to live in fear of being singled out and targeted for who they are.”
“He added: “Hate crimes not only have a detrimental impact on the victim, but can also have a wider impact on our local communities.”