My Top 5 Children's Reads - Number 3

The Bed and Breakfast Star by Jacqueline Wilson. 

This isn't the most well known book that Jacqueline Wilson has written, but for me, it's the one I always think of when I think of this award-winning author. The story follows Elsa, a lively, happy young girl who has to adapt to a new life living in a Bed and Breakfast Hotel after her stepdad loses his job and the family lose their home. 

One of the things that I like most about Jacqueline Wilson is that she never tries to romanticize life, her stories are true to life and tell stories that many of the children reading can relate to in one way or another. 

Elsa has quite a good relationship with her Mum, but they have drifted apart since her Mum married Mack. Since then, her Mum has had two more children, Pippa and Hank. Elsa doesn't get along with Mack, and throughout the book they are portrayed as opposites; where Elsa is the light side of the book, the funny, happy comedienne, always telling jokes to lighten the mood; Hank on the other hand is the dark side of the book, angry, miserable and very unhappy. As an adult, I can see now that he was probably acting this way because he was guilty that he'd lost his job, and his family had no home because of him. However, through Elsa's eyes, he has ruined her life, ruined her family's life, and she doesn't want him around. Although, Elsa's relationships with her Mum, Pippa and Hank are an important part of the book, they are very close and she clearly cares for her step-siblings, I do think that her relationship with Mack is pivotal to the storyline. Without this, there is no turnaround, there is nothing to work towards. (I won't ruin the ending this time!)

Although the storyline is quite gritty, the narrative is brought to life by Elsa's optimistic attitude. The bad jokes throughout lift the mood and are actually quite funny. She never loses hope that the family will move out of the bed and breakfast and back to their beautiful house that they left behind. She's actually ridiculed for this by the other kids that live there, the ones that don't have hope. This is an important message to the young readers: never give up hope, no matter how hard it gets. 

The grim story does have a happy ending though, of sorts, and is an enjoyable read. As a young nine or ten year old, this was a book I read over and over. I liked Elsa as a character, her ambition and drive, and I liked the rise to the climax of the story towards the end. 

As well as this book, Jacqueline Wilson was my 'go to' author during my late primary and early secondary school years, her books are harsh and realistic but appropriate and funny all at the same time. They are easy to read and you don't have to work hard to understand or see the hidden messages.