Jacqueline Wilson announces adult sequel to popular children’s novel

She will be focusing on the lives of the mum’s children, Dolphin and Star, in Picture Imperfect.

On August 28th, 2025, the new book is set for publication, and in honor of this thrilling announcement, Wilson made an appearance on The Scott Mills Morning Show on BBC Radio 2 to discuss it further.

In reality, there are two versions of me – one who writes children’s books and remains passionate about it, and another who found a new excitement recently by reconnecting with three characters I wrote about as teenagers back in the 1990s. Now, they’re close to turning 40! I thought, ‘What a blast it would be to create an adult novel around these characters,'” she shared about the motivation behind Picture Imperfect.

Throughout the years, a frequently discussed book has been ‘The Illustrated Mum’. This story revolves around a mother suffering from bipolar disorder, who despite her endearing qualities, can be quite unreliable. She has two children, Dolphin and Star, named after popular temporary tattoos. Interestingly, the age of the mother in the initial children’s book is mirrored by the age of Dolphin – a striking 33 years old.

The summary for Picture Imperfect goes like this: “Growing up, Dolphin Westward was often the secondary character in her mother Marigold’s dramatic tale of beauty, wildness, and volatility. At 33 years old, she finds herself stuck in a similar rut, residing in a small apartment, working at a tattoo parlor during the day, and picking up her artistically inclined mother from police stations at night.

Yearning to break free from the cycle she finds herself in, Dol is at a loss as to how to start anew. Could gardener Lee and his daughter Ava provide her with a nurturing family environment? Or perhaps a flirtatious relationship with charismatic actor Joel could be the spark she needs. And there’s also the possibility of moving to Scotland to live with her successful doctor sister Star and her family.

Faced with an abundance of options, will Dol continue to play a supporting character in others’ tales, or will she muster the courage to carve out a unique and independent journey for herself?

In the previous year, Wilson delved further into her 90s characters in the book titled ‘Think Again’. This work continued the narrative of the ‘Girls’ series, focusing on them as grown-ups.

• Pre-order Picture Imperfect now