Dame Jacqueline is a novelist known for her popular children's literature, including The Story of Tracy Beaker. Her novels have been notable for featuring realistic topics such as adoption and divorce without alienating her large readership. Since her debut novel in 1969, Wilson has written over 100 books.

 Jacqueline has won many awards for her work, including the Special Award at the BAFTA Children’s Awards, the Smarties Prize, the Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize and the Blue Peter People’s Choice Award. She was appointed an OBE in 2002 for services to literacy in schools and in 2008 she was appointed DBE. From 2005 to 2007 she was the Children’s Laureate and as well as Corpus Christi College she has received honorary degrees and honorary doctorates from a number of UK universities, including the University of Roehampton and the University of Dundee.

 “I’m very pleased and proud to be an Honorary Fellow of Corpus. I’m not an academic like my daughter, Professor Emma Wilson. I think I’ve been selected because my books have made many children keen readers. 

I chose Emma’s book-filled study as my favourite location. I’ve propped a lovely old copy of my favourite E. Nesbit book behind me. It’s fun to think of it shelved there amongst all the serious books.”