The Story of Tracy Beaker is a British children's dramamedia franchise that focuses on the lives and experiences of young people and their care workers in care. The franchise began with the publication of The Story of Tracy Beaker on 14 February 1991. Since then, the franchise has had six further books, three television series and their spin-offs, a television movie, a Children In Need special, a musical and two magazine collections. The Story of Tracy Beaker merchandise has also been released.[1][2]
Publications
The Story of Tracy Beaker franchise currently has seven books. The books are The Story of Tracy Beaker, The Dare Game (reissued in 2018 as I Dare You, Tracy Beaker) Starring Tracy Beaker, My Mum Tracy Beaker, We Are The Beaker Girls, Tracy Beaker's Thumping Heart and Ask Tracy Beaker and Friends.[3][4]
The Story of Tracy Beaker also had two magazine collections. Totally Tracy Beaker came with free art and craft supplies, which the reader collected, and the second magazine released, The Story of Tracy Beaker: The DVD collection, came with a DVD with episodes from the series and the reader would eventually have all five series.[5]
The BBC adapted the book for television and The Story of Tracy Beaker ran for five series on CBBC from 8 January 2002 to 9 December 2005, featuring Dani Harmer as Tracy Beaker.[6] In 2009, a spin-off from The Story of Tracy Beaker, was announced called Beaker's Back, but the show was changed to Tracy Beaker Returns and it aired on CBBC for three series from 8 January 2010 to 23 March 2012.[7][8][9][10] In 2012, a spin-off from Tracy Beaker Returns called The Dumping Ground was announced as Harmer chose to quit her role as Tracy and has aired on CBBC since 4 January 2013; it is currently in its ninth series.[11][12]
In 2006, The Story of Tracy Beaker was adapted into a musical, featuring Sarah Churm as Tracy Beaker.[29][30][31] Suzie McGrath played Justine Littlewood, Jessica Martin played Tracy's mum and Louise, Alice Redmond played Tracy's foster mother Cam, Gemma Page played social worker Elaine, and Andy Steed played Peter.[30]