Patrice Lawrence has been named the Waterstones Children’s Laureate for 2026 to 2028, succeeding Frank Cottrell-Boyce. She was presented with the laureate medal by Cottrell-Boyce at a ceremony hosted by poet and broadcaster Lemn Sissay at London’s Barbican Centre. Lawrence, author of Orangeboy and Needle, said stories help children “feel seen, understood and, most importantly, valued” and that shared reading can help communities “connect and cohere” in “times of fragmentation.” Her laureateship will focus on promoting shared reading to foster belonging, especially for children who feel marginalised, and on celebrating the “unsung heroes” who nurture readers. Lawrence said she wants to build an evidence base showing the impact of books on children’s lives, with particular attention to children in care, refugee children, and the children of prisoners. Lawrence won the Waterstones children’s book prize and the Bookseller YA book prize for Orangeboy in 2017, has published 16 books, received an MBE in 2021, and was elected a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature in 2023.
