The Primrose Railway Children: Jacqueline Wilson

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But the streets of Victorian London are dangerous and soon the girls find themselves under threat from thieves - and even worse, the Workhouse! Phoebe was a wonderful protagonist, imaginative, creative and with a real dramatic flair. But she was also kind and loving and was an exemplary guiniepig owner! Then I suddenly thought of a vintage steam railway – and everything slotted into place. There’s even the magical vintage Bluebell Railway not too far away from where I live, so I could do some very jolly research. I don’t think I’ve ever enjoyed writing a book as much as The Primrose Railway Children. Illustration from The Primrose Railway Children by Jacqueline Wilson (Image: Rachael Dean)

It’s a wonderful, timeless book, a true classic, a heart-warming story with a wonderfully happy ending – and yet it wasn’t as realistic as I’d remembered. It’s more a fairy tale than a reflection of real life. Father is sent to prison – but we all know that he’s a gentleman, so it all must be a dastardly mistake.Struggling to settle and missing her Dad terribly, Phoebe’s only distraction is her gorgeous pet guinea pig Daisy – until the family discover the thrilling steam trains at the nearby railway station and suddenly, every day is filled with adventure. As usual there are learning opportunities in the book. I particularly liked that Perry's autism was a side point, rather than being a big issue for the family, the way that so many novels tend to make it out to be. I felt as though it was a simple way for children to learn a little about being neurodivergent. I first read The Railway Children when I was eight. It’s a compelling story about a comfortably middle-class Edwardian family whose circumstances change dramatically. Father is sent to prison, so Mother takes the three children to a remote country cottage where they live in poverty. There’s a nearby railway where the children play and have various adventures.I absolutely loved E Nesbit’s book and took it out of the library many times. My book Four Children and It (published in 2012) was a pleasure to write and a mild success, though a couple of children wrote to me tetchily, telling me they’d seen a similar title in a library and I was a naughty copycat. Sky made a delightful family film of it, too.

The location of the cottage is fairytale-esque and so magical. I hope that the original setting in “The Railway Children” is just as good as this one. I was torn between waiting to read this book and reading the original first, but I’m assuming that E. Nesbit’s is better for many reasons. I am annoyed however that I know why the dad was missing, which is a major plot twist in this book. I guess I’ll just have to wait and see if the original has the exact same storyline or not. Puffin started out as a non-fiction publisher, with its first title appearing in 1940. As the most iconic and well-known children’s book brand in the UK today, we are always on the lookout for innovative ways to tell the world’s favourite stories and for brilliant new debut talent and brands that connect with today’s young readers, from newborn up to twelve years old.I absolutely loved this book. I think it is definitely one of JW’s best and an easy 5 star. However, there was one issue that really bothered me throughout and that was the ignorant and irresponsible attitude towards animals shown by the main characters. Double Act won the prestigious Smarties Medal and the Children’s Book Award as well as being highly commended for the Carnegie Medal. The Story of Tracy Beaker won the 2002 Blue Peter People’s Choice Award. This story outlines a lot of struggles that children face whilst growing up, especially in the modern world and it showcased ways in which children adapt and learn to cope with difficult environments. It also highlights the importance of learning that your parents aren't perfect, a hard lesson to learn indeed. Phoebe, whose only distraction is a guinea pig, struggles to feel at home and misses her father terribly, worrying about where he is and what terrible secrets her mother is hiding.