Clean Break

by Jacqueline Wilson

If you loved Jacqueline Wilson’s Best Friends, here is another superb, thought-provoking novel for readers of 8+.

Em adores her funny, glamorous dad – who cares if he’s not her real father? He’s wonderful to her, and to her little brother and sister. True to form, at Christmas, Dad gives them fantastic presents, including a real emerald ring for his little Princess Em. Unfortunately, he’s got another surprise in store – he’s leaving them. Will Dad’s well-meaning but chaotic attempts to keep seeing Em and the other children help the family come to terms with this new crisis? Or would they be better off with a clean break – just like Em’s arm?


From the Hardcover edition.

Genres: Childrens, Fiction, Middle Grade, Contemporary, Young Adult, Teen, Family

320 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Jacqueline Wilson was born in Bath in 1945, but spent most of her childhood in Kingston-on-Thames. She always wanted to be a writer and wrote her first ‘novel’ when she was nine, filling in countless Woolworths’ exercise books as she grew up. As a teenager she started work for a magazine publishing company and then went on to work as a journalist on Jackie magazine (which she was told was named after her!) before turning to writing novels full-time.

One of Jacqueline’s most successful and enduring creations has been the famous Tracy Beaker, who first appeared in 1991 in The Story of Tracy Beaker. This was also the first of her books to be illustrated by Nick Sharratt. Since then Jacqueline has been on countless awards shortlists and has gone on to win many awards. The Illustrated Mum won the Guardian Children’s Fiction Award, the 1999 Children’s Book of the Year at the British Book Awards and was also shortlisted for the 1999 Whitbread Children’s Book Award.

Double Act won the prestigious Smarties Medal and the Children’s Book Award as well as being highly commended for the Carnegie Medal. The Story of Tracy Beaker won the 2002 Blue Peter People’s Choice Award.

Jacqueline is one of the nation’s favourite authors, and her books are loved and cherished by young readers not only in the UK but all over the world. She has sold millions of books and in the UK alone the total now stands at over 35 million!

In 2002 Jacqueline was awarded the OBE for services to literacy in schools and from 2005 to 2007 she was the Children’s Laureate. In 2008 she became Dame Jacqueline Wilson.

Reviews

[Taja]

The beauty of Jacqueline Wilson's books is in the fact that she writes about bad family situations, about flawed people, about parents who are not necessarily good parents, about abuse and guilt and courage to defy adults who are not always correct and not always smart ... And she writes about these things in books targeted for children.

It is essentially the most important thing, to tell children that they are not alone in their experiences, that they should not feel ashamed for not loving a parent, that sometimes, they are the ones who are right, despite their age and inexperience. It is important to have books like these for children who experience such things and cannot find themselves in other books, but can identify with the children in Wilson's books.

That was exactly what her books meant to me - it gave me a sense of importance that I never received as a child, it gave me reassurance, that I'm not the one who is bad and that sometimes, adults are the ones who make mistakes. I read every single Jacqueline Wilson book I could get my hands on and found myself in a lot of her kid characters and it made me feel less alone. It gave me courage, as cheesy as that sounds.
This one in particular, hit home hard, along with 'Lola Rose'.

I recommend her books immensely, every parent should give their child at least one JW book, because even if they live in a happy home, they will learn a lot through these books; and in a light and children-appropriate way. Her books are easy to read, they're fun and beautifully written and I've not yet found anyone who didn't enjoy them.

[Bee]

Clean Break has always been one of my favourite Jacqueline Wilson books, and I think it gets an extra star just for the amount of meta references to her own in-universe equivalent, Jenna Williams. Honestly, the only author who could get away with something like that is Jacky haha!

I didn't remember the ending being so open, however, so I'm really excited to discuss this one as part of Maddie and I's Jacqueline Wilson book club later in the year.

[Sophie Crane]

This is a sad and heartwarming book. It's about Em her sister and brother Vita and Maxie. This book starts on christmas day and all the siblings are buzzing with excitment. Especially Em who thinks it's going to be the best Christmas ever. They open all their presents and are still so happy. But after Christmas Lunch things turn sour everybodys crying and heartbroken. Will thngs ever return to normal or Will everbody still be heartbroken? Read the book to find out what happens x

[Remy]

'You promise you'll stay for ever?'
'I promise I'll stay for ever,' he said. 'Now give me a kiss night-night. You never know, you might just transform me from a loathsome toad into a handsome prince.'
'You're a handsome prince already, silly,' I said, kissing him.

I was wrong. He was a total toad.

I know I'm getting old. But I really didn't remember this being so extraordinarily excruciating. No one in this book has any semblance of spine except Gran, and we're supposed to see her as a villain. Em, Vita and Maxie cry and bawl at the drop of a hat. AND I WANT TO KICK FRANKIE IN THE JAW. I get that the children are MEANT to be annoying—I have a little brother of my own and he would've given Maxie a run for his money—but it was totally unbearable. I liked Maxie sometimes, even Vita, but I'm going to excuse this bit. I think the issue lies somewhere else and of course it's Fucking Frankie. I think it's not until you reread this book as an adult do you realise just how shitty he is.

FIRSTLY, he leaves his family and kids for another woman on Christmas. A WOMAN HE'S BEEN SEEING FOR SIX MONTHS. AND WHEN HE TELLS HIS WIFE THIS, WE GET THIS:
Dad took a deep breath. 'I've met someone else, Julie.'
Mum scarcely blinked. 'Yes. Well. That's nothing new.'
W H Y. I *KNOW* that there are women who stay with their husbands even when said husbands cheat but Jesus Christ. When he left we got to see Julie slowly pull herself together, starting her solo hairstylist business and actually start to make something of herself, BY herself. I thought that was bloody excellent. And when Em started to take matters of getting fitter and healthier into her own hands. But we're not done yet!

SECOND, the first time he brings his kids out, he LEGIT BRINGS THEM TO MEET HIS MISTRESS. Which goes about as well as you would expect. And then when he comes and basically abducts his children from school for a day out, he berates Em for trying to be practical and then says THIS when she begins to cry from him snapping at her:

'Dry those tears, Princess Emerald. You're the brave little girl who looks after us all and never cries, right?'

TAKE A FUCKING WALK INTO THE OCEAN FRANKIE

THIRD, I can't believe Jacky Wilson rlly inserted a version of herself into this book. You must OWN it, Jacky! I LIKE when you show off! Anyway, Em, lugging hundreds of Jacky Wilson books, runs after her dad upon seeing him, falls and dramatically breaks her arm. THAT'S WHEN WE FUCKING LEARN THAT FRANKIE SPLIT UP WITH SARAH AGES AGO AND DID FUCK ALL BEFORE SHACKING UP WITH HANNAH, WITHOUT COMING TO SEE THE KIDS OR SENDING MONEY FOR THE KIDS. HIS REASON FOR DOING SO?

'I knew I wasn't wanted. It was going to be a clean break, remember? That's what your mum wanted.'
'She just said that because she was cross with you then. She didn't really mean it.
'You were all pretty cross with me. I felt dreadful. I thought maybe you were better off without me. I didn't want you all getting so upset and angry. I honestly thought it was for the best.'
I looked at Dad.
'Don't look at me like that, Em, I can't bear it,' said Dad. 'All right, all right, I didn't really think that. I just couldn't stand all the rows and the sadness and feeling it was all my fault. I always want everyone to be happy. Then I'm happy too. So I tried to put you all out of my mind, and I know I should've kept in touch, I should have sent your mum money, though I truly didn't make much. That's another reason why I went—I've been such a failure, I can't make a go of anything, I just don't seem to get the breaks. So I thought a fresh start, a new love, it would all work out for me. Only it didn't.'

OH WOW! I WONDER WHY? WHY WOULD YOU SEEK SOMETHING NEW INSTEAD OF TRYING TO, Y'KNOW, TRY AND FIX WHAT YOU'VE GOT, STAY WITH YOUR FAMILY AND NOT CAUSE THEM A YEAR OF HEARTACHE?

Which finally brings us to the fucking ending.

Then we heard a noise downstairs. A tapping at the door. Then the letter box banging.
'Who's that?' Mum called, her voice high-pitched.
'Ho ho ho!' someone called.
We all four sat up, and then we jumped up and started running downstairs. It looked like there was a Father Christmas after all. Maybe it was going to be the best Christmas ever.

Remember when I said I was happy for Julie pulling herself together to get over Frankie? Yeah. Fuck that. Completely out the window. They just accept him back into their family like none of the absolutely shitty adulterous horrible things he did happened over the course of the story. FUCK!

I can't even be bothered anymore. I'm just glad that this is one of my more recent Jacky Wilsons, and I've got no super good memories or sentiments associated with it even way back then. And seeing as this is what I've uncovered upon my reread... how could I have ever?

[TammyReads]

Is it just me or does Jacqueline Wilson write about the same thing again and again? I truly feel most of her books either have family problems, a disease or kids not fitting in. It's all the same. Some books of hers are different but some, most are the same. It's just repetitive. I want to know something new. Not the same thing again and again.

[Chloe Reads Books]

I can definitely see why this was one of my favourites as a kid, and I'm glad I re-read it, but I won't be keeping my copy!

[Cameron Ramsden]

a really good book it teaches you about what people experience as their parents have a clean break would recommend this book to people that are 13+

[Emy]

It seems like the perfect Christmas Day, until Em overhears her stepdad talking on the phone to another woman. Soon, Dad is gone and Em is wishing wishing wishing he would come back.

This is not one of Jacqueline Wilson's better novels, which is a shame. I mean, the children's love of their dad was realistic and sweet, but I found it hard to feel any affection for a guy who was cheating on his wife and willing to leave his kids to be with this other woman. I didn't want him to come back, so I found it hard to relate to Em's fervent wishes that he would.

I did enjoy the fact that, even though he is Em's stepdad, he doesn't treat her any differently than he does his own children, Vita and Maxie. Even if he is a reckless, cheating scumbag. >8[

I liked Em's character a lot, especially the fact she was struggling with her weight and comfort eating. Thankfully this was not overdone, but handled in quite a subtle, sensitive fashion. I think her character is probably quite relatable for a lot of girls her age and, with all the stick-thin models in the media, it's nice to have a protagonist who does not emulate them. (Not that this is anything new with Jacqueline Wilson, which is something I admire about her.)

I also enjoyed that Em's favourite author was Jenna Williams, who was obviously Jacqueline Wilson. I liked comparing the book plots and titles to real Jacqueline Wilson novels, haha.

Em's mum annoyed me. I just wanted her to get over her husband and get out there and find a man that treated her right. She did stand up for herself a bit at the end, but aside from that she was just like a wet flannel.

The ending was rather ambiguous, but it was okay. I'd have perhaps liked a little more, maybe another chapter, but it was definitely not as annoying as the ending of Lily Alone. XD

Also, I found the entire premise unrealistic. It's not healthy to give kids whose parents have split up false hope of them getting back together. Gah. I thought this would be dealing more with the idea of divorce, like The Suitcase Kid, but I didn't agree with this premise at all. Not sure why Jacqueline Wilson thought it was a good idea, to be honest.

I'd recommend it to Jacqueline Wilson fans, but definitely not as a book to read if your parents split up!

[aconstellationoftomes]

In Clean Break, Em, Vita and Maxie, deal with the aftermath of the separation/divorce of their parents.

I don't have strong feelings, but the children's response to the situation they are in and the emotions that they have to deal with are sad.

I like Gran and the beautiful illustration at the beginning of every chapter. I don't like the fat-shaming.

I'm also not a fan of the ending. I hate cheating and I hate reading about cheating because purposely hurting someone and betraying their trust is not okay. Dad might love his children, but he's an irresponsible parent and a terrible partner. He went AWOL and did not take responsibility for his children for months and most likely, he is going to end up cheating again. Why is he a part of the happy ending? I would have preferred something more bittersweet.

[Caroline]

The book is called Clean Break and it is about a girl named Em, and her siblings Vita and Maxie. Their parents are getting a divorce because their dad is with another women. The mother and her children, Em, Vita and Maxie, are very sad and now they don't have that much money as they used to have and the father doesn't want to give his money for the children so they have the very difficult time. It is a very sad book as it is possible to cry, but it's still a really good book and if you read it, you can't take your eyes off it!

[Eve L-A Witherington]

This book focuses on the lives of Em, Vita and Maxie after their dad announces suddenly on Christmas day that he's leaving them as he's met someone new.



Leaving their mum heartbroken as well as them too, they do later see him when he picks them up and takes them to the fair, onky to keep them out late resulting in an argument with their mum and him declaring to go away for good.



Jenny and Yvonne are two girls whom are best friends and like the same book series as Em by Jenny Williams and so the girls all come together when they both comfort poor Em over her dad walking out.



Her home life takes a turn as her mum stresses, her Gran becomes grumpy having to pay all the bills while their dad disappears for good after taking all the kids after school to the fair until midnight worrying their mum and Gran like mad.



But then a holiday escape turns everything round as their gran relaxes and their mum too plus a very random love interest appears in their lives while there!



When they return home, Em gets involved I'm the local swimming baths after finding she's a pretty natural swimmer and especially with her cutting back on all her chocolate snacks, finds her weight falling pretty effortlessly.




The book finishes with the culminating clean break where events come full circle after going to London to meet her beloved Jenny Williams and they all get a shock indeed...



A realistic story of a family which falls apart and at a usually happy time of year. Many families are made up of half siblings and these may be half siblings but they all think of each other as a full family and as they miss their dad they rely on each other for support. They go through highs and lows but they never lose sight of the goal in wanting their dad to return home.

[Guguk]

Em alias Emily alias Princess Emerald (nama julukan dari ayahnya) dan kedua adik-tirinya sayang banget sama Ayah. Sayangnya, si Ayah punya pacar baru dan ninggalin Ibu dan mereka semua. Tapi mereka tetep sayang dan nungguin si Ayah pulang...

aku:


kenapa?? kenapa nggak:




...tapi ini mungkin karena aku ga pernah berada di situasi itu. Pikiranku ngga pake perasaan buat ngimbangi... orz.. Atau bukan soal itu? Aku ngga tau lagi, tapi tadi ada ulasan yang bagus.
Rasanya pas baca buku ini pun bukan lagi seperti sangkaanku sebelumnya ("wah, kisah soal masalah keluarga lagi ya"), karena walau banyak kisah/buku karya JW punya tema keluarga bermasalah tetapi masalah dan manusia-manusianya yang berbeda itu yang bikin istimewa. Ibarat makanan, tiap buku menyajikan rasa yang berbeda. Aku menikmati buku ini di tiap gigitan dan kunyahan~

Oiya, di buku ini JW ikut muncul dengan nama Jenna Williams, pengarang buku anak-anak yang digemari Em ( ´ ▽ ` )

[Maira Asif]

Clean Break. Em wakes up on Christmas morning excited as can be but she didn’t know that things would take a terrible turn. After she at lunch, and got her present she overhears her dad talking to a girl named Sarah who she had never heard before. She threw when she heard the words from her dad’s mouth ,” I love Sarah and after Xmas I’m coming to live with you”. Her dad drops the phone in horror . Em and her siblings beg him to stay. At the end of the book , he asks to come back but we do not know if Em’s mother has agreed.

An amazing book.

[mariam]

charmed my socks off....just as much as, if not more than, when i first read it more than a decade ago. gran had me chuckling out loud. a cozy and Real family drama, and that's what i love about jacqueline wilson’s books, they feel very real in regards to the ordinary lives of the characters she writes about. money is a very real issue for em and her family and the book doesn't shy away from that. it isn't just that her dad's left and the children are a mess...now they're just barely getting by with both mum and gran working nonstop. now gran has to sell her china so they can afford a summer vacation. it's em waiting for the paperback releases of her favorite author's newest work so she ends up reading them later than her friend who can afford the hardcovers. it's details like these that truly enrich a children's story for me and make it that much more pleasurable to read.

i had such a good time re-reading this. i'm going to slowly make my way through her other books i read all those years ago.

[Danni]

An absolutely brilliant story which I feel a lot of younger readers could even relate to

I love how Jacqueline Wilson writes about relatable scenarios as I feel it could help a lot of younger readers through certain situations

Also there is nothing like getting lost in a good book to help clear your mind. I definitely recommend this one

[Emily Peters]

Very good

[15LoganT]

Em and her family live at their Nan's house but on Christmas Day her stepdad leaves them for another woman. Then on their holiday in Spain their nan gets a crush on a Spanish man and he asks her to go to his on Christmas. And they find their dad in London after em broke her arm.

[t.h.]

I wonder where I kept these books....

[Amelia]

Very good and had a cute ending to it. 😊👍👌

[¸•haven*. (hiatus)]

i love this book so much!!! every time i read it it always makes me cry bcuz my parents also divorced around christmas and i remember it being one of the worst years ever

[Genevieve]

she better not take his ahh back🤚

[Ralph-Peter Hendriks]

Never before read a book with so many annoying characters. The only one with any sense was the grandmother. Excruciating read.

[Ari ˙⋆✮]

❝It looked like there was a Father Christmas after all. Maybe it was going to be the best Christmas ever. ❞

This book is so infuriating to read as an adult. Frankie truly has to be one of the worst characters ever, somehow he manages to suck more than male character in books meant for a much older audience (and there a lot of male characters I hate in them!) I feel so bad for poor Em who spends all her time wishing for her lousy dad to come back. The gran was the only character with a backbone.

I used to read this book so much as a kid so the nostalgia was really nice

[Kim]

I seriously cannot believe that this book came out in 2005! I remember getting it for my birthday and I was so excited because it had literally just come out. Wow I feel old! Although I don't really remember much about this book, I obviously liked it enough to keep it but nothing from the story really stuck with me.

In this book we follow Em and her family. The book starts on Christmas day and what should be a magical time rapidly descends into the worst Christmas ever as Em's (step) dad ends up leaving as he is having an affair with another woman. The family is devastated and try to rally round to make Christmas special. But can they ever be happy again?

Well I see now why I didn't love this book. All the characters are so boring and dislikeable! All the children were incredibly annoying and childish (that's clearly my 23 year old adult voice speaking). I felt absolutely no love for the dad whatsoever and couldn't understand why he didn't just make a decision and go rather than straddling the two families trying to get the best of both worlds. The mum really needed to pull herself together, I get she's devastated and heartbroken but to then continue being walked all over - pull yourself together! 

The main character Em couldn't seem to decide if she was acting as an adult or not. One chapter she would be mature and understanding, the next she'd be crying like a 3 year old. MAKE YOUR MIND UP! I think the only character I actually liked was the grandmother, she was stern and just kept going. Clearly the hero of the book rallying round everyone! 

The story itself was pretty slow, not a lot happened. The kids pined for their dad, he didn't care but then would decide actually he did care and was going to kidnap them for hours (yes really). I really didn't care for him or the entire book. Everyone just needed to sort themselves out. I appreciate that Jacqueline Wilson writes about difficult scenarios so that children can see that bad things do happen but I think she could make the characters a little bit more grown up and with a bit more backbone. Seriously guys sort yourselves out!

Sorry this turned into a bit of a rant review, I really didn't enjoy it. The characters annoyed me and the plot was dull. I definitely wouldn't recommend it to anyone over the age of 15 because you'll be too old for the story and the characters will just be annoying. Also I don't even think I'd recommend it to anyone younger than that because it shows stupid characters making stupid decisions

[Sarah Allen]

Jacqueline Wilson takes on so many tough issues that, especially at the time of publishing, really weren't talked about in children's books. Clean Break is no exception, tackling the issue of parental separation. It's a heart wrenching, funny and entertaining read, but I don't think it delves in emotionally as much as some of Wilson's other books (Tracy Beaker / The Illustrated Mum etc) do. A good read for, I would say, up to around age 12 (or 26!).

[Katy]

I know I just said I didn’t like JW writing in my review of love lessons... and maybe it’s the nostalgia but I think this book was really good, again I did not enjoy the fat shaming and body image obsession throughout band again there wasn’t enough of an ending but I thought the characters were all realistic, especially Gran, Em is a really lovely character and the descriptions of the presents they get and how everything is described through Em I really enjoyed. And her family having lots of heartwarming moments through the grief. I think the writing of her children’s books is good. But that could just be because I’m rereading it. I have such strong memories of all her books (probably because they’re traumatic) and they were a big part of my childhood... these stories and characters are realistic as well and I really enjoyed Em reading other stories where Dads are missing, just shows how important the representation is, and her books do represent a lot of really sad and difficult situations children find themselves in. I just wish there as the so much talk about body image and I wish all her characters would go to therapy or counselling or at least think about it. It is also iconic that Jacqueline Wilson wrote herself in to this book as every characters idol

[Maria Harper]

The book, although written very well and in true Jaqueline Wilson style, only got 3 stars from me based purely on the ending.
I throughly enjoy Wilson’s work and the way she explores difficult family/social situations for children by narrating as the child, I feel is something children and adults both can learn a lot from. The reason I gave this book only 3 stars was because I would have preferred a more powerful ending where the mother (Julie) does not allow herself to be pining for the man that treats both her and her children so badly. Because of this I feel if I interpret the final sentence as it NOT being frankie at the door and perhaps Eddie (grans boyfriend) or even a new boyfriend then the book regains stars, however I have a sneaking suspicion Wilson intends it to be Dad (Frankie) and for this I cannot forgive her on this occasion.
As far as writing and content goes, right up untill the end the book maintains charm and dignity and although it is one of my lesser favourite Wilson novels, this would not stop me reading to me daughter at bed time.

[Laura Angell]

I read Clean Break when it first came out but couldn't remember anything about the story before this reread, two decades later. This is probably my least favourite reread I've done as I didn't find this story particularly interesting or engaging - the mother is an absolute doormat (although it was nice to see her stand-up for herself towards the end) and the grandmother is a bully (no one should ever speak to children the way she talks to Emily), and not to mention the useless tosspot that was their dad: walking out because he'd fallen for someone who (in the illustration) looks no older than 19, and then not even staying in touch with his children.
I hate the ending of him coming back and being treated like a hero, and instead choose to believe that Santa is real and it is him calling through the letterbox to the family, promising to give them a happy and peaceful Christmas - and hooking the mum up with a state-of-the-art therapist.

[Anne]

In contrast to the bad reviews this book I got, I can't help but depart from that .I recall reading this book as an eleven year old, I adored this book enough to read it two times without contemplating whether reading it over again, or leave it as it is. Adding to that, this book's realistic, not departing from its plot. All in all, this book's marvelous, leaving a mark in my heart. I do hope that if you haven't read this book, you'll take my consideration to do so.

[Alentia]

This book needs a trigger warning for eating disorder sufferers!
I think this is one of Wilson's worst books! The characters are awful, Gran maybe talking sense but she doesn't have to be an ass about it. A ending was very unrealistic and pretty ridiculous too.
I read this to my 7 year old and I had to filter quiet a few bits too.