Illustrated Mum Books in Order

The Illustrated Mum is one of Jacqueline Wilson’s most talked-about standalones, and it reads like a family diary you’re not supposed to peek at, but can’t stop reading.

The story is told by Dolphin, the older of two sisters. Their mum, Marigold, is covered in tattoos and can be dazzlingly fun, the kind of parent who turns a normal day into an adventure. She can also be unpredictable, and her moods can swing hard.

Love is not the same as stability.

Dolphin spends a lot of time trying to protect her little sister, Star, and trying to keep the family looking “normal” to the outside world. School, friends, and adults who mean well all press in, and Dolphin has to decide what she can handle on her own, and when she needs help.

Wilson doesn’t make this an easy problem to solve. The book holds two truths at once: the girls adore their mum, and their mum’s choices can put them at risk. That tension runs through every scene.

If you’re looking for a Jacqueline Wilson book with humour, tenderness, and a very sharp look at family life, this is a powerful place to start.