Baby Love

Oh My Gosh I adored this book. I have read Jacqueline Wilson since I was a child and Tracy Beaker has always been a firm favourite, one that Wilson has not, for me, been able to topple off of the top spot, until now. This is possibly one of the best books of hers that I have ever read, it is incredible. It is so well written with such well developed chatacters and a uplift, yet in many ways heartbreaking storyline.
This has quite dark undertones within the book as the proitagonist is a 14 year old girl, who with a lack of sex education in schools doesnt even realise she has had sex and then finds herself pregnant. Whilst reading this book I realised that I was shocked by the attitudes towards Laura when she finds out she is pregnant, representing in issues such as consent, victim blaming and young people getting pregnant that was happening in the 1960's, but then I also realised that actually as a society, we havent actually moved on that much in terms of victim blaming and so forth. This book has actually inspired me to look more into it.
This book was hardhitting, emotive and yet sensitively done, one of the best books I have read this year so far, and possibly contender for one of my best books ever. I loved it

I’m absolutely lost for words after reading Baby Love. It Jacqueline Wilson has ever written a great young adult book set within the 1960s.
This is a heaver read than many of Wilson’s books that I have read. Being a big Jacqueline Fan it has been exciting to see her write in a different style than normal. Fantastic book

If I am honest, Baby Love is one of the few books that has rendered me rather lost for words. In truth, it is one of the best books Jacqueline Wilson has ever written.
Baby Love is set in 1960 and we follow Laura’s journey through a teenage pregnancy. It is light heartedly written, as we see it through Laura’s tender, fourteen year old eyes, but the sinister references to lacking consent (in more than one area in the story), is truly haunting.
Wilson balanced everything beautifully. The story is incredibly relatable - as Laura, before her pregnancy, is living a very ordinary teenage life in the ‘60s, with classic but pressing dilemmas (crushes, friendship drama, parents, and so on). She is also very likeable- clever, kind and a bit vulnerable.
Wilson very much embeds the attitudes of the ‘60s into the story- the lack of awareness and morality amongst some of the characters regarding sexual consent, and victim blaming. It is frightful to read, but in my opinion, it is crucial we do, to enable our society to never revert to such appalling attitudes to teenage pregnancy and sexual consent.
This was a darker read than many of Wilson’s books, but it was exquisitely and sensitively written. I have always been her biggest fan, and every time I read a new book of her’s, I am once again reminded as to why.
I am a teacher and I think this book has the potential to be iconic in educating teenagers regarding their sexual rights - boys, girls and non-binary (and more) teens alike. A fantastic book.