Jess Jackson

Comedian Catherine Wilkins's Jess Jackson series is a pin-sharp, laugh-out-loud take on primary-school friendship politics, illustrated throughout by Sarah Horne. Across four books, cartoon-drawing Jess navigates being ditched for the glossy new girl, the perils of her comic's runaway success, an unlikely alliance with her arch-enemy during a school musical, and the messy business of becoming almost-famous. Warm, quick and hugely relatable, the stories are sharp on the shifting loyalties of friendship, jealousy and staying true to yourself — and they hand real power to a felt-tip pen and a good sense of humour. A great fit for 8–11s who love funny, true-to-life school stories.

A sharp, laugh-out-loud school-comedy series about cartoon-drawing Jess and the friendship politics of primary school — where a felt-tip pen and a sense of humour are the best weapons of all.

Primary themes

• Belonging
• Friendship
• Identity
• Jealousy
• Self acceptance

Tone palette

• Funny
• Irreverent
• Warm
• Heartwarming