Love Frankie: Jacqueline Wilson's love story has a lot to teach young readers

OF the many authors I grew up with, reading and adoring each new book as it was published, one that had a particularly big influence on my love of writing was Jacqueline Wilson, and I am far from alone in that. She is the writer of more than a hundred books, each one a uniquely funny and heart-warming experience.

But there is one common thread that has never changed: every protagonist in her books has an intense strength of character that gets them through whatever new challenge is thrown at them.

What’s so special about this trait is that it teaches children reading these books that they too can get through whatever it is that they may be struggling with, whether they relate to the exact situation in the book or not. This sense of determination and resilience is important for young people to develop and seeing it represented so proudly in the books they enjoy is a wonderful first step.

This story is told from the perspective of its main character Frankie, who as her 14th birthday approaches sees changes in a number of aspects of her life, most noticeably in her relationships with the people around her. There’s a certain attention to detail with all of the characters and the way they interact, particularly with Frankie, that apears to be effortless but is extremely effective in helping the reader to understand what’s going on with these individuals and empathise with them. Frankie’s mother is a loving and strong woman who, although she tries to hide it for the sake of her three daughters, is struggling more and more with multiple sclerosis. Mother and daughters get into a couple arguments over the course of the story, but there’s a constant sense of understanding that they all rely on each other, especially after their parents’ divorce and managing a relationship with their father.

Aside from the carefully handled and easy-to-follow subplots and friendships that develop in the book, the central relationship is the one between Frankie and Sally.

They are originally enemies but it is only when they have their first honest conversation about their feelings and circumstances in life that the relationship starts to change. The two go on to become close friends and Sally become one of the most interesting characters as she learns and grows.

In time Frankie begins to wonder if her feelings for Sally are something more than friendship and finds herself falling in love for the first time, figuring out what that means to her and to the people around her.

This journey for Frankie is one that’s so important and is never made light of because she’s still only 13, but rather considered with care. The fact she can sometimes come across as a little naive or makes some mistakes along the way is not used to invalidate her feelings but instead makes it easier to understand and feel for her as a character.

I would highly recommend this book because it deals with big issues in a way that’s always sweet and mostly light-hearted.