Jacky got her first job working in magazines when she was just 17. She was such a typical teenager that they called the magazine 'Jackie' after her.

Jacky has always loved telling stories. When she was young she made hundreds and hundreds of paper dolls. These were her first 'characters'. They were the kind of girls who had a lot of problems in their real lives but they coped with them by escaping into the inner world of their imagination.

Jacky's first book was published when she was 24. She started by writing crime novels for adults but has been writing for children since 1973. She has written over 50 books for children and has won many prizes, including the Children's Book Award twice, which gives her great pleasure as it is voted for by children.

Of her own books she likes Double Act and The Illustrated Mum the best. Channel 4's television adaptation of The Illustrated Mum won an International Emmy in November 2004. Teachers can read the online programme notes , which support the TV dramatisation of the book. The programme notes supply classroom activities and curriculum relevance, plus related web links.