Patrice Lawrence Appointed UK Children's Laureate, Vows to Champion Reading for All
Patrice Lawrence, the acclaimed author of Orangeboy and Indigo Donut, has been appointed as the UK's next children's laureate, taking over from Frank Cottrell-Boyce. At 59, she plans to tackle social inequalities and promote reading access for isolated children during her two-year tenure. Lawrence gained recognition with her debut YA novel, Orangeboy, published in 2016, which won both the Waterstones children's book prize and the inaugural Jhalak prize. Inspired by Malorie Blackman's 1999 version of Pig-Heart Boy, she was born in 1967 to Trinidadian parents and raised by a white family. Despite a report from the National Literacy Trust indicating a decline in reading enjoyment, Lawrence remains hopeful about young readers in UK schools and libraries.
Key facts
- Patrice Lawrence is the new UK children's laureate, succeeding Frank Cottrell-Boyce.
- She is the author of Orangeboy, Indigo Donut, Needle, and Is That Your Mama?
- Lawrence won the Waterstones children's book prize and the inaugural Jhalak prize for children's and young adult literature.
- She was born in 1967 to Trinidadian parents and was fostered by a white working-class family in Brighton until age four.
- Lawrence credits Malorie Blackman's Pig-Heart Boy (1999 BBC adaptation) for helping her find her voice.
- She plans to focus on children in care, refugee families, and children of prisoners during her laureateship.
- The National Literacy Trust reported that only one in three 8- to 18-year-olds enjoyed reading in 2025.
- Lawrence argues reading in schools has become too focused on assessment, losing its pleasure.
Entities
Artists
- Patrice Lawrence
- Jacqueline Wilson
- Quentin Blake
- Michael Rosen
- Julia Donaldson
- Malorie Blackman
- Frank Cottrell-Boyce
- Enid Blyton
- Arthur Ransome
- J.R.R. Tolkien
Institutions
- Waterstones
- Jhalak Prize
- National Literacy Trust
- BBC
- BookTrust
- Royal Society of Literature
Locations
- United Kingdom
- Brighton
- Hull
- Penrith
- Salford
- London
- Hastings