As a fierce rule breaker with a brilliant sense of humour, Tracy Beaker has always been one of our all-time favourite fictional characters.

So three cheers for her creator, Dame Jacqueline Wilson, who has confirmed that she is currently penning another sequel to her infamous children’s book, The Story of Tracy Beaker. The book is due to be released in October this year.

And while we’re (probably) not exactly the target market for a children’s book, Wilson has confirmed that the new story will focus on the life of a grown-up Tracy – a high-flying career woman who sounds just as badass as her younger counterpart – making this a must-read for all the original Tracy fans.

And just as the first Tracy Beaker books were told through Tracy’s eyes, the upcoming title will be told through the voice of her daughter, who gets into “all sorts of funny situations” with her mum.

In case you didn’t read it the first time around, Wilson’s original book, The Story of Tracy Beaker, follows the life of an abandoned 10-year-old living in a care home dubbed “The Dumping Ground”.

Tracy tells fantastical, made up stories about her Hollywood actress mum and concocts elaborate revenge plans against her enemies, including Justine Littlewood and Elaine “the pain”, and basically gets herself into all sorts of trouble – which just makes us love her even more.

Following the publication of the book in 1991, Wilson also wrote three sequels (The Dare Game, Starring Tracy Beaker, and Tracy Beaker’s Thumping Heart) and the story was adapted into a TV show that ran for five seasons from 2002 to 2005.

Speaking about the book, which will be called My Mum Tracy Beaker, Wilson told The Guardian that Beaker will finally get “her happy ending”.

“I don’t want an ‘absolutely everything is quite wonderful’ ending – after all, at the start of the first book Tracy herself says life isn’t a fairy story where everyone lives happily ever after,” she says. “I’m dealing with adults leading adult lives, and I want to be truthful to all that…

“But she is my lucky character … and I have a soft spot for her too.” 

Image credits: Puffin