Patrice Lawrence MBE revealed as Waterstones’ new Children's Laureate
Award-winning children and young adult author Patrice Lawrence has been named as the latest Waterstone Children's Laureate, taking over from Frank Cottrell-Boyce who has held the title since 2024.
Lawrence, who is the 14th incumbent of the prestigious title, rose to fame following the success of her 2016 novel Orangeboy, which won the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize for Older Readers and the Bookseller YA book prize in 2017.
The acclaimed author has had a total of 16 books published so far, ranging from picture books to young adult and middle grade fiction, with popular titles such as Indigo Donut, Eight Pieces of Silva, and Granny Came Here on the Empire Windrush.
Lawrence’s work often spotlights underrepresented young characters and themes including inclusivity, confronting prejudice, diverse family structures, and contemporary Black British life, and Lawrence was awarded an MBE for Services to Literature in 2021 and was shortly elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature two years later.
The Brighton-born author said: “During my tenure as Waterstones Children’s Laureate, I will champion the power of books to make us feel like we belong, and shared stories as a tool for bringing people together.”
“We are living in a divided world where many people feel isolated, we need this now, more than ever.”
The Waterstones Children’s Laureate is described as the foremost representative of children’s literature and is awarded biannually to a renowned writer or illustrator in recognition of exceptional talent.
“I have written for children and young people of all ages, and I know that stories help children – particularly vulnerable children – feel seen, understood and, most importantly, valued.” She continued.
“Stories help readers explore unfamiliar subjects safely with space to pause and reflect on complex emotions. And, just as importantly, reading helps us understand each other’s stories.”
You can listen to two of Patrice Lawrence’s titles on our website - Eight Pieces of Silva and Indigo Donut.
