Jacqueline Wilson’s new character can rival Tracy Beaker for sassiness and poignancy. A moving story from a master storyteller.
Hot-headed Esme has a reputation and is often in trouble at school. But it’s tricky when you live with your single mum and life is full of uncertainties, with frequent moves and new schools and social services on your case.
When Esme’s mum is caught shoplifting, arrested and imprisoned, young social worker Alesha has to find somewhere for Esme to stay at very short notice. She pulls in a favour from a reluctant older couple who’ve long since stopped fostering, Moira and Pops. It takes Esme a while to settle in but she is intrigued by Pops’ garden which is full of vintage garden gnomes and the pair are soon hitting it off.
Still, Esme is never far from trouble and when she starts at the new school she soon becomes the target of bully, Big Joseph. But a surprising turn of events sees Esme become the object of everyone’s admiration...
Jacqueline Wilson wrote her first novel when she was nine years old and she has been writing ever since. She is one of Britain’s bestselling and most beloved children’s authors. She is the creator of famous characters such as Tracy Beaker and Hetty Feather and more than 40 million copies of her books have been sold. As well as winning many awards for her books, Jacqueline is a former Children’s Laureate and in 2008 she was appointed a Dame for her services to children’s literature.
Rachael Dean is a British children's book illustrator based on the coast near Liverpool. She studied Graphic Design and Illustration at Liverpool John Moore’s University and works traditionally painting images which are vividly rich and bold. She has illustrated a host of children's books, including Moonchild by Aisha Bushby and Deep Secret by Berlie Doherty.
WEL Publisher: PRH UK, August 2026
Editor: Kelly Hurst
Primary Agent: Christabel McKinley
Film/TV Agent: The Haworth Agency
Age: 8 - 12 years
Extent: 60,000 words, 342 pages
Illustrations: Black-and-white by Rachael Dean
Co-agents: Chinese - Bardon Chinese Media; Japanese - Tuttle-Mori
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