Jacqueline Wilson is TikTok’s latest unlikely star, and the childhood nostalgia is real

Children’s author Jacqueline Wilson has set off a wave of nostalgia on TikTok after announcing an adult sequel to her popular ‘Girls’ series and sharing her delight at being named a “gay icon” after coming out publicly in 2020.

In one of a number of recent promotional interviews (posted to the BBC’s TikTok account), she describes being “touched” by the title.

@bbcnews Since announcing that she was in a long-term relationship with a woman, Children's writer Jacqueline Wilson has a new title: gay icon. #JacquelineWilson #TracyBreaker #Writer #Author #BookTok #Books #LGBTQ #Gay #Lesbian #WLW #DragRaceUK #DragRace #BBCNews ♬ original sound – BBC News

And check out this sweet surprise encounter with a superfan, organised by Penguin Books.

@penguinukbooks ‘Thank you for providing me with a world to escape to, and making me feel seen and known.’ Is someone cutting onions in here? Superfan Charlie thought he was here just to talk about his love of Jacqueline Wilson’s books, when the icon herself made a surprise appearance! #ThinkAgain #girlsinlove #jacquelinewilson #thegirlsseries #booktok ♬ original sound – penguinukbooks

Wilson’s media presence has been a blast from the past for many TikTok users, though the memories of reading such heartbreaking books as My Sister Jodie and Vicky Angel are not the usual rose-tinted kind.

@jodiegrrrnish behind every traumatised girl there is Jaqueline Wilson #book #booktok #booktokfyp #jaquelinewilson #teenbooks #ya #yafiction #bookshelf #bookworm #viralbooks #books #fyp #author #bookrecommendations ♬ ballad of a homeschooled girl – Olivia Rodrigo

@webuybooks How were these for children? #books #reading #TBR #JaquelineWilson #tracybeaker #booktok #tbrlist #bookworm #bookclub ♬ original sound – WeBuyBooks

@houseofya What was your favourite Jacqueline Wilson book? #houseofya #jacquelinewilson #girlsinlove #dejavu ♬ original sound – Vogue

There’s also the influence of Tracy Beaker, which had a generation of kids copying the title character’s cheeky catchphrase.

@katslaters BOG OFF #eastenders #katslater #uktiktok #britishmemes ♬ original sound – Total✨slags x

@randomstuffxzxz #britishhumour #britishmemes #greatbritishmemes #tracybeaker ♬ original sound – Randomstuffxzxz

@lauzzal_ #fyp #cbbc #tracybeaker #scottishtiktok ♬ original sound – Crop videos

Let’s just hear the inimitable Dani Harmer making it iconic.

@bbc Posting AFTER 10am #TracyBeaker #bbc #iplayer #bogoff ♬ original sound – BBC

Of course, we’ve all grown out of that now. Now bog off and read something else.

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Source BBC Image Screengrab, Screengrab