Jacqueline Wilson: ‘The first book that made me cry’

I’m not sure if Rumer Godden wrote An Episode of Sparrows for children or adults. It was originally published on an adult list but I read it when I was about ten, Lovejoy’s age. She’s the heroine of this book, a small, strong-willed girl with the tenacity and determination of 20 adults. She’s got a feckless mother, no father at all, and scarcely any friends. It’s not perhaps surprising. Lovejoy is fierce and selfish because she had to learn to be tough to survive. She snatches, she steals, she’s witheringly scornful if she doesn’t like anyone. I knew as I read the book that I’d be very wary of Lovejoy in real life — but even so, I cared about her passionately.

I was a shy, bookish child who worried if I was told off and agonised if I hurt people’s feelings, whereas Lovejoy has far more spirit. She’s quite relentless with poor Tip, the 13-year-old boy who is her only friend, always pushing for more and more help with the little garden that means so much to her.