The appointment of Patrice Lawrence MBE as the Waterstones Children’s Laureate for 2026–2028 is a significant moment for British children’s literature. Announced in July 2026, Lawrence becomes the 14th person to hold the prestigious role, succeeding Frank Cottrell-Boyce and is only the second Black woman ever to hold the position - making her appointment an important continuation of the diverse representation Malorie Blackman helped establish.
The Waterstones Children’s Laureate is described as the foremost representative of children’s literature in the UK. Appointed every two years, the Laureate is an established writer or illustrator who uses their platform to champion books, reading, creativity and storytelling, while advocating for every child’s right to experience the benefits of literature.
Since the role began in 1999 with illustrator Quentin Blake, it has been held by some of Britain’s best-loved children’s authors and illustrators. Previous Laureates include Anne Fine, Michael Morpurgo, Jacqueline Wilson, Michael Rosen, Anthony Browne, Julia Donaldson, Malorie Blackman, Chris Riddell, Lauren Child, Cressida Cowell, Joseph Coelho and Frank Cottrell-Boyce. Each has brought their own priorities to the role — from poetry and illustration to libraries, creativity, reading for pleasure and access to books.
Lawrence is an award-winning British author whose work has become particularly influential in young adult fiction. Her breakthrough novel, Orangeboy, published in 2016, won both the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize for Older Children and the YA Book Prize. Her other acclaimed novels include Indigo Donut, Eight Pieces of Silva, Needle and Rat, alongside picture books including Is That Your Mama?
Her writing is notable for its warmth, honesty and refusal to simplify young people’s lives. Her characters navigate questions of identity, family, race, class, belonging, relationships and difficult circumstances, while remaining fully rounded young people rather than stereotypes.
That sense of representation is personal for Lawrence. Growing up, she says she rarely encountered books featuring families or experiences that resembled her own. She has spoken about assuming that children’s books were written by people who were “white and dead” — and therefore never imagining that becoming a children’s author was a possibility for someone like her.
Lawrence’s two-year tenure looks set to centre on belonging, representation and social justice. She wants to explore how books can help people connect, particularly at a time when communities can feel increasingly fragmented. Her central question is how stories can restore humanity to people whose lives are too often treated as unimportant.
That mission makes Lawrence a particularly timely choice. She spent around 20 years working in the not-for-profit sector, including with organisations focused on social justice, before establishing herself as an award-winning author. She has also worked as an ambassador for First Story, supporting creative writing for young people, particularly those from lower-income communities.
Her appointment therefore represents more than another name on an illustrious list. It places an author who understands the transformative power of being seen, heard and represented at the heart of the national conversation about children’s books.
For Lawrence, the challenge is not simply getting more children to read. It is making sure that, when they open a book, every child can find both a window into another life and a mirror of their own.