The Illustrated Mum

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'''The Illustrated Mum is a children's novel by the renowned British author (and now Children's Laureate) Jacqueline Wilson, and illustrated by Nick Sharratt, a long-time collaborator of Wilson's. It was published in 1999, and was subsequently made into a television drama under the same name. The Books is narrated through the eyes of Dolphin, the youngest daughter(her older sister is Star), and as the story progresses, she learns more and more about her mother Marigold, and her past. The Illustrated Mum is so named because of Marigold's heavily tattooed body, representing important events from her past. The book deals with the effects of Bipolar_disorder (suffered by the character of Marigold in the story) and its effects on the children and family.

Marigold is obsessed with one of her past boyfriends, Micky, who is Star's father. Micky and Marigold meet up again at a concert, and he comes home and meets his daughter for the first time.

He soon offers to let both girls come and live with him, but Dolphin refuses. She needs to be with her mother, even though she is now drinking heavily and suffering from the effects of her bipolar disorder. Star scoffs at her, and leaves with Micky. By now, Dolphin has made friends with a boy called Oliver "Owly" Morris. He is teased by other children because of his glasses.They are soon best friends, and Oliver helps her find her father, who is also named Micky; Marigold was so obsessed with the first Micky, that she dated someone else with the same name.

Both the title and cover of the book are clearly a play on the 1951 Ray Bradbury novel, The Illustrated Man.

[edit] The television adaptation

The television drama stars Michelle Collins as Marigold Westward, and Alice Connor and Holly Grainger as her daughters Dolphin and Star, respectively. The script was by Debbie Isitt, and it was directed by Cilla Ware. Ware had previously directed the television adaptation of another of Wilson's books, Double Act, and went on to adapt a third, Best Friends.

The drama won the Children's BAFTA award in 2005 for best schools drama, and Debbie Isitt won the award for best adapted writer.

[edit] Characters

  • Dolphin Westward
  • Star Westward
  • Marigold Westward
  • Micky
  • Oliver Morris (Owly)
  • Miss Hill

[edit] References

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