'I just try to reflect what life can be like.'
'I don't set out to write a book that will deliberately traumatise children or introduce them to dreadful things. I just try to reflect what life can be like. If you happen to write children's books, people often think your books are like childcare manuals: you're saying this is the way your children should be. And I'm not saying that at all. I'm just trying to write books that are interesting and entertaining and involving.
In fact, I'm quite old-fashioned in my views. Just because I write about disturbed children who might be angry and abusive and not respectful to adults, that's not to say I don't think politeness is great.'
Jacqueline Wilson in the Sunday Telegraph