Award-winning author Patrice Lawrence has been named the new Children’s Laureate for 2026-2028.
The best-selling author, known for penning Orangeboy, will take on the prestigious role as the foremost representative of children’s literature.
The Children’s Laureate is responsible for promoting reading and children’s literature as well as celebrate creativity and storytelling.
Children’s Laureate, Frank Cottrell-Boyce, at a ceremony on Tuesday at the Barbican Centre in London.
Lawrence said: “My aim is to create a national conversation that champions the benefits of shared reading and sociable reading experiences.
“Alongside BookTrust, I’ll explore how books and reading together help communities connect and cohere, especially in times of fragmentation.
“I’ll work with children and adults with diverse experiences and from diverse backgrounds, children and adults who may feel undervalued in our society, to tell their stories. And, I want to celebrate the unsung heroes who bring joy and nurture reading communities through their work.”
Managed by the UK’s largest children’s reading charity, BookTrust, and sponsored by Waterstones, the title is awarded biannually to a renowned writer or illustrator in recognition of exceptional talent.
The award-winning writer has penned novels for children of all ages and genres with her work often centring on the experiences of young people today, exploring themes of inclusivity and representing diverse family structures.
Lawrence published her debut young adult novel, Orangeboy, in 2016, which follows 16-year-old Marlon as he finds his world unravel after a date ends in a horrible tragedy leading him to be hunted by gangs as he tries to protect the ones he loves.
The thriller went on to win The Bookseller’s YA Book Prize, the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize for Older Children’s Fiction and was shortlisted for the Costa Children’s Book Award.
She has since published 16 books, including Needle, People Like Stars, Is That Your Mama?, Granny Came Here on the Empire Windrush, Our Story Starts in Africa and The Elemental Detectives.
Diana Gerald, co-chief executive at BookTrust, said: “All our work and research at BookTrust shows that books can open conversations and deepen understanding for children, and that shared reading experiences create a sense of belonging and safety.
“When children, families and communities don’t see themselves reflected in books, they can struggle to find their place in the world.
“In this National Year of Reading, the appointment of Patrice Lawrence as Children’s Laureate gives a much-needed voice to the vulnerable children pushed to the edge of our society.
“We’re looking forward to supporting her work with communities across the country to explore how sharing stories can strengthen wellbeing, build relationships and nurture meaningful community connection.”
Lawrence was made an MBE for services to literature in 2021 and later elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature in 2023.
Kate Edwards, chair of the Waterstones Children’s Laureate 2026-28 judging panel, added: “Patrice’s remarkable writing for children of all ages draws upon topics that are relevant to many young people’s everyday lives, creating a safe space for them to explore complex, sometimes difficult, issues.
“In the challenging world we find ourselves, the connections that books and reading offer are more important than ever.”
Lawrence follows in the footsteps of previous Children’s Laureate’s including Sir Quentin Blake (1999-2001), Dame Jacqueline Wilson (2005-2007), Dame Julia Donaldson (2011-2013) and Joseph Coelho (2022-2024).
Credit: Standard UK
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