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Author | Jacqueline Wilson |
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Illustrator | Nick Sharratt |
Cover artist | Nick Sharratt |
Language | English |
Genre | Children's novel |
Published | 2 November 2000 (Doubleday) |
Publication place | United Kingdom |
Media type | Print and audiobook |
Pages | 144 pp |
ISBN | 0-385-60040-2 |
Vicky Angel is a children's book by Jacqueline Wilson, about a young girl's struggle with her grief over losing her best friend, Vicky. It was first published in 2000. [1]
Vicky and Jade are best friends. Vicky is a flamboyant and outgoing girl while Jade is timid and usually follows Vicky's lead. After fighting about which extra-curricular activity to take together and arguing as Jade finally sticks up for herself, Vicky dashes out on to the road without looking and is struck by a car. Jade travels in the ambulance with Vicky to the hospital, where Vicky dies from her internal injuries. As a distraught Jade runs from the hospital, Vicky appears to Jade as a spirit- although Jade is the only one who can see or hear her. After Jade attends Vicky's funeral, Vicky's spirit revisits her.
When Jade returns to school, she is encouraged to attend the running activity Vicky had signed them up for. There, she makes an unlikely friend in Fatboy Sam, who Jade originally assumed had a crush on Vicky; he later reveals it was on Jade that he had a crush. However, Vicky's spirit is snide about her friendship with Sam. She influences Jade into saying cruel things to him, although he forgives her.
As Jade tries to get used to life without Vicky, or at least without a Vicky that other people can see, Vicky's spectre becomes more and more controlling. Jade is forced to do as Vicky wishes, and can't get on with her life and make new friends. Jade finally goes to a Bereavement counsellor and discovers how to control Vicky. Eventually she must attend the inquest into Vicky's death. During it, she is overcome with guilt and emotion when trying to recall Vicky's death and she flees the court building, running down the street and into the road where she is nearly hit by a car. Vicky appears and pulls her back. Vicky tells Jade that the accident was not her fault, freeing her from her guilt. After saving Jade's life, Vicky grows angel wings and can finally move on, floating into the sky and leaving Jade to move on with her life.
Before the start of the novel, Wilson states that many people have asked her if Vicky is really there, or if it is just Jade's imagination. She says that "You will have to make up your own mind!"