By Camryn Vodden and Alison Crowley
Think Again, written by Jacqueline Wilson and illustrated by Nick Sharratt, is a sequel to the original Girls series: Girls in Love, published in 1997; Girls Under Pressure, published in 1998; and Girls Out Late, published in 1999. The original trilogy follows the protagonist, Ellie, and her two best friends, Nadine and Magda, as they journey through the highs and lows of adolescence and face young adult themes of sex, sexual pressure, new relationships, body image, eating disorders and jealousy. Wilson encapsulates the teenage experience so that readers, regardless of age, can come together to navigate the world of friendship, love, family and growing up.
Wilson now presents Think Again, revisiting the same characters who are now journeying through adulthood at age forty. The inspiration behind this fifth instalment, occurring twenty-two years after the publication of Girls In Tears, apparently came from Wilson’s daughter, who had wondered what might have happened to Wilson’s characters once grown up. And it works so well; Wilson simultaneously welcomes back a generation of millennials while welcoming a tide of newbie readers to ride the various waves of conflict that life presents us with.
Girls in Love
Wilson’s original novel, Girls in Love, illustrated by Nick Sharratt, was published in 1997. This novel follows Ellie, Nadine and Magda in their quest for love through the trials and tribulations of their teenage years, from peer pressure to relationships. This novel is just as relevant now as when it was written twenty-seven years ago.
Girls Under Pressure
The next instalment in the Girls series is Girls Under Pressure. Illustrated by Nick Sharratt once more, this book was published the following year in 1998. Wilson continues to explore the lives of the three protagonists as they explore their identity and self-esteem. The reader witnesses their unique journeys of self-acceptance, from career choices to body image, and in doing so, Wilson highlights the issues young girls face as they grow up and find their place in the world.
Girls Out Late
Girls Out Late is the penultimate novel in the series. The storyline follows the girls as they fall in and out of love. The girls help each other through their complicated love lives and push parental boundaries. This book is a testament to the girls’ enduring friendship as they withstand the tests of crushes and boyfriends, new and old.
Girls in Tears
Girls In Tears, illustrated by Nick Sharratt and published in 2002, is the last in the Girls series. The story follows the girls as their friendship evolves and changes. The girls need each other more than ever but circumstances prevent them from supporting one another in their time of need. The characters face their first fallout and must find a way to maintain their friendship, despite all that life is throwing at them.
The Author
Jacqueline Wilson was born in December 1945 and has been writing since she was nine. According to her biography, she is “one of Britain's best-selling and most beloved children's authors”. Having written over one hundred books, she has now sold over 40 million copies of her books. She has written for children of all ages, dealing with diverse topics such as divorce and girlhood. She was awarded the Carnegie Medal in 1991 and 1995, followed by becoming Children’s Laureate in 2005 for her contributions to children’s literature. It should come as no surprise that her continued success enabled her to gain the title of Dame in 2007.
Wilson’s books have achieved critical acclaim, and as stated online, her books have been translated into over thirty languages. In fact, in the year 2000, six of her books were listed among the top ten bestselling children's paperbacks. Wilson's love of writing has spanned over twenty years and this latest instalment has proved that she is not going anywhere. Think Again will ensure the longevity of the Girls series, as Ellie, Nadine and Magda guide a new generation of readers through life.