Dolphin Westward

Dolphin Westward is the daughter of Marigold Westward and Michael, the younger half-sister of Star and the daughters of Michael, the stepdaughter of Michael's wife and is the main protagonist of the 1999 Jacqueline Wilson book The Illustrated Mum and it's 2003 TV film adaptation.
She is portrayed by Alice Connor in the film.
==Role in the book==
Dolphin is a 10-year-old dyslexic girl who lives in a small flat in London with her 13-year-old half-sister Star and their mother Marigold, who has many tattoos and suffers from bipolar disorder.
At school, Dolphin is bullied and feels that her teacher does not treat her kindly. Dolphin does however have a friend named Oliver, who like Dolphin, is also a victim of bullying.
One day, Marigold returns home from seeing her favourite band Emerald City and has been accompanied by her former boyfriend Micky, whom she had Star with and still holds feelings for. Dolphin takes an dislike to Micky, believing that he had abandoned Marigold and had neglected Star.
Micky later takes Dolphin, Star and Marigold out for a day of fun, before taking them back home and returns to his home in Brighton, much to Marigold's dismay as she had hoped to reconcile with him. Micky later invites Dolphin and Star to stay with him as he is concerned about Marigold's mental behaviour. Star agrees, but Dolphin, who still dislikes Micky, refuses and remains with Marigold. After Star leaves, Dolphin has to phone an ambulance for Marigold, who suffers a mental breakdown and paints herself white with toxic lead paint to cover her tattoos.
After learning that Marigold may have to stay in hospital for a while due to her mental illness, Dolphin is convinced by Oliver to find her father Michael, who works as a swimming instructor. The pair find Michael, who is happy to meet Dolphin, who wishes to live with him. However, Michael has a wife and daughters and contacts child services as Dolphin must stay in foster care before living with him.
At first, Dolphin is worried about living in foster care as she had heard of Marigold's experiences in foster care when she was young. However, Dolphin is taken in by kind older woman, who is also caring for three babies. Michael later takes Dolphin to visit Marigold, who has been given medication for her bipolar disorder.
Back at the foster home, Dolphin is joined by Star, who at first blames her for ruining her time with Micky before reconciling. The two sisters then go to visit Marigold in hospital.
==Gallery==
1413786. SX318 .jpg|Dolphin on the book's cover with her mother Marigold and half-sister Star.
MV5BYzYzODg5YmMtZTJmNS00ZDI5LWEzOGUtNDE4NWIxMThmMGM5XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNDI0MzY2NA@@. V1 .jpg|Dolphin in the TV film adaptation with Marigold and Star.
Category:Female
Category:Kids
Category:Siblings
Category:Book Heroes
Category:Movie Heroes
Category:Protectors of Innocence
Category:Successful
Category:Optimists
Category:Nurturers
Category:Dreaded
Category:Protectors
Category:Wise
Category:Selfless