Patrice Lawrence outlines her priorities as Waterstones Children’s Laureate

Just a decade after becoming a published author, Patrice Lawrence has been named as the 14th Waterstones Children’s Laureate. Lawrence formally took over from her predecessor Frank Cottrell-Boyce during a ceremony hosted by poet, author and broadcaster Lemn Sissay at the Barbican Centre in London on Tuesday 7th July.

At the ceremony, she delivered a speech outlining the focus of her tenure: the benefits of shared reading and the power of books to create connection, belonging and voice. Managed by children’s reading charity BookTrust and sponsored by Waterstones, the title of Children’s Laureate is awarded biennially to a renowned writer or illustrator.

Born in Brighton and raised in an Italian-Trinidadian family in Sussex, Lawrence writes for children of all ages in all genres. Before becoming a full-time author, she worked for charities promoting the rights of children, families and adults who often go unheard. Her 2016 debut YA novel, Orangeboy (Hodder Children’s Books), won The Bookseller’s  YA Book Prize and the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize for Older Children’s Fiction. She has since published 16 books, which often centre on the experiences of young people today, encompassing inclusivity and representing diverse family structures. In 2021, she was awarded an MBE for Services to Literature, and in 2023 she was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.

Talking to The Bookseller ahead of the announcement, Lawrence described finding out she had been appointed to the role of the UK’s foremost representative of children’s literature as “a real, genuine, complete and utter shock”. She said: “I knew I was being considered… I had no expectation that it would be me – and I don’t mean that in a particularly humble way, I just didn’t.” She found out via email following a meeting of the Waterstones Children’s Laureate 2026 to 2028 judging panel in November last year and admitted that upon reading it, she “in my obviously very professional way, ran around my flat, swearing in shock for a little bit, and then I replied”. 

United vision

In the intervening months, she has been “thinking about what is it that I want to achieve”. This has involved “a lot of meetings with BookTrust to talk about that and really honing it down so that I hit the ground running”. Lawrence’s two decades working in the voluntary sector has influenced the aims of her tenure. “I’ve always had a really keen sense [and] a passion for social justice… All those things that I understood and felt passionate about in working for the voluntary-sector organisations, that went into the books, and now this is one step beyond, to take all that learning to actually try and make a bigger mission.”

Explaining the rationale behind the focus of her laureateship, Lawrence said there are “lots of reasons, both national and personal”. She continued: “It does feel like an incredibly divided time at the moment. It feels that many different communities feel quite isolated and marginalised. Also, just personally, as a Black person, person of colour, child of immigrants, I’m feeling more worried and frightened than I have for quite a long time. That’s me as an adult who’s got some degree of agency and autonomy. What do you feel if you’re a child in that situation?” This has led her to “think about how we use books and stories to bring together shared moments of unity [and] also, how books can show each other our humanity”.

Another priority is addressing “the issues around inequality” facing many children, including those living in poverty and those who are homeless and refugees. “All of the impact of what’s happening nationally and how it affects children is really my interest as laureate, because I think it’s those children that feel that they don’t belong, those that feel less valued that I want to reach. I say over and over again that I know that you can’t read books, you can’t sleep on books, and all those social needs should be met, but also children’s inner lives should be nourished, and I think that’s what we can do with books and stories.”

Social needs should be met, but also children’s inner lives should be nourished, and I think that’s what we can do with books and stories

As such, she plans to “spend a couple of years visiting organisations or children or groups that do feel they’re on the outside”. She explained: “There’s work already happening on the ground, grassroots organisations, so I really want to lift and celebrate those unsung heroes who are already doing some of that work.”

Rising to the challenge

Lawrence feels her voluntary sector background has prepared her for the practicalities of life as children’s laureate. “I know how project management works, and so I think I have that advantage of being able to say in advance that this is my two years, what is it I want to achieve, what is it I want to do, and it will enable it to be more manageable.” She added: “The other thing is really to try and set boundaries around myself… so I can actually give as much attention to the laureateship as I can without just burning out.”

Her voluntary sector experience has also taught her the value of evidence, which she aims to bring into this role. “BookTrust has got a really big research department, so we’re going to look at how we develop some research to show that shared stories work and support vulnerable children.” She is still figuring out exactly what this will look like but wants to “make sure that we do it with sensitivity and thought and care”.

Towards the end of our conversation, I recalled bumping into Lawrence on our way to the ceremony where Joseph Coelho was revealed as the Children’s Laureate for 2022 to 2024. At that time, the thought of taking on the position herself “literally was not a possibility in my head”. She acknowledged that “compared to many laureates, I’m relatively new to the publishing world” and that part of her early tenure will include “saying a little bit about me and why I’m passionate about this, I suppose, to reassure people who don’t know me that I’m the right person to be the laureate at this particular time”.

When I asked if she is ready for her profile to rise over the next two years, she admitted: “I don’t know if I’m prepared for it, because I don’t know what that would actually look like for me, but I’ve got a lot of support at BookTrust and with Midas PR, so hopefully they’ll help me with that.”

She has talked to previous laureates Coelho and Malorie Blackman to understand the realities of the role. “I do expect it to be very intense,” she said. “I do expect it’s going to be a challenge, but for me it’s a challenge in a good way. I love new challenges, particularly around books and stories.”

She added: “I have to say it is a real privilege and an opportunity for me more practically to support the things I care about, which is social justice for children… I expect a lot of time in Premier Inns and on trains – but that’s my life anyway.”