Award-winning author Patrice Lawrence has been named the new Children's Laureate, taking on the role as the leading representative of children's literature until 2028. Brighton-born Lawrence, best known for her novel Orangeboy, was presented with the silver laureate medal by the outgoing laureate Frank Cottrell-Boyce at a ceremony in London. The appointment matters because the laureateship carries significant influence in championing reading and children's books across the country.

Lawrence said she would champion the power of books to foster a sense of belonging and to bring people together, with a particular focus on helping vulnerable children feel seen and valued. The title, managed by the reading charity BookTrust, is awarded every two years to a renowned writer or illustrator. BookTrust and the judging panel praised Lawrence for giving voice to marginalised children and for tackling complex, relevant issues in her writing. Now living in Hastings, Lawrence was made an MBE for services to literature in 2021 and elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature in 2023.