As it's World Book Day, I wanted to revisit a series of books that I used to love when I was in school by everyone’s favourite author when they were 10 years old, Jacqueline Wilson. I was quite a prolific reader when I was a child, I could get through books very quick, as well as the audiobook right after. Some of my favourite presents when I was really young was getting those combo packs with the book and cassette tape. I collected and read as many of Wilson’s books as I could, even had a few in hardback, which annoyed me as they were heavy to carry around in my drawstring bag. Why have hardback children’s book anyway? As well as the books, I also had some on-cassette tape but in the years since I stopped reading Wilson’s books, probably age 14, the collection has depleted. I wish I had kept all the tapes and not got rid of them, a rare commodity now. But I was feeling nostalgic after another old tape played its last and I had an urge to revisit Wilson’s books.
About 5 years ago there was an exhibition of her work at the Childhood museum, which brought back all the memories and actually spurred me on to keep the remaining books I had held on to. I was particularly wanting to read the Girls series; Girls in Love, Girls Under Pressure, Girls Out Late and Girls in Tears. I actually didn’t own the first three, they belonged to my sister and I had the last one in hardback but its stuck in a box at my parents. So, I did what anyone else would do, I bought Girls in Tears on cassette tape and spent a week listening to it each night. Listening to it with older ears, I can see/hear why it appealed to me when I was a pre-teen/teenager and also how problematic a lot of the characters are. BUT I still enjoyed it.
After the book on tape finished, I went on a deep dive into Wilson’s latest books just to see what had happened since I was 14. I also looked into adaptations of her books and how most had been for TV for movies for TV which is shame as I think some of her stories would be great with a bigger budget.
Girls inLove was made into a TV show in 2003 and a second series in 2005 and when it first aired, I was very excited as I loved the characters and though that the series would definitely work in TV format. However, it wasn’t what I’d hoped as so much of the story and characters were changed. There so much criticism from fans at the time, but mostly about the main characters appearance as they were VERY different from the book. I totally understand casting to be inclusive, no problem there as long as the essence of the character remains, so I had no problem with Zaraah Abrahams as Magda, she was the best out the main characters. But Nadine wasn’t a goth and Ellie was NOTHING like the original character. As you can see from the pictures, straight hair, tall, slim and no glasses. Ellie is a short, chubby, curly wild hair and although she is clumsy and sweet, she can be quite mean. This is not the Ellie I remember. I think the show got away with it claiming it’s an interpretation of the book but that s**t would not fly now. Also, all three did not look in the slightest 14 years old. They were at least in their 20s. But the show still maintained they were all in Year 9.
That’s another main issue I had, apart from awful casting, as this also filtered through the guys in the show, but it was the fact that not once did they wear school uniforms despite being in school in the UK. This also didn’t help with convincing the audience the girls were 14 years old. The clothes the girls wore too were all out of whack. Always colour coordinated, Ellie in red, Magda in yellow and Nadine in purple, even though the latter was mean to be a goth yet she never wore goth like clothes. Overall, it was severely irritating.
The first series cover the first book and some of the third book, skipping Girls Under Pressure because no one was a teenager girl worrying about their weight. Go figure. The second series touched upon a couple of things in book four then just went its own dull way. I actually stopped watching the show after the first couple episodes in series 2 as I had just had enough. I’m surprised the show even reached past series 1! Never the less, the show was released on DVD which I’m sure you can purchase somewhere or you can watch it in terrible quality on Youtube if you want to relive this terrible experience or wonder what I’m moaning about.
Book adaptation can be good but when they are bad, they are the complete worst thing imaginable especially if you really love the source material. I’d say, read the books, they are far better but I know they won’t be everyone’s next read.
I really hope that the series is revisited and maybe handled in a better way as with right casting and correct setting, you might have a hit. But I also fear that the time of Ellie, Magda and Nadine had passed. Unless Wilson wants to revisit the girls and bring them back to life?