Today – Tuesday 2 July – Frank Cottrell-Boyce, the multi award-winning author and screenwriter, has been crowned the Waterstones Children’s Laureate 2024 – 2026.
Cottrell-Boyce was presented with the bespoke silver Laureate medal by outgoing Waterstones Children’s Laureate, Joseph Coelho, at a ceremony held at Howard Assembly Room, Leeds.
For 25 years, the Waterstones Children’s Laureate has been the foremost representative of children’s literature, awarded biannually to a renowned writer or illustrator in recognition of exceptional talent. Managed by BookTrust – the UK’s largest children’s reading charity – and sponsored by Waterstones, this prestigious role celebrates creativity and storytelling, promotes the vital importance of reading and children’s literature, and champions the right of every child to enjoy a lifetime enriched with books and stories. Each Laureate brings their own passion and creativity to their tenure.
Liverpool-based Frank Cottrell-Boyce is a multi-award-winning children’s author. Since his debut Millions won the CILIP Carnegie Medal (and was made into a film directed by Danny Boyle) he has penned a plethora of much-loved books including Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Flies Again (the official sequel commissioned by the Fleming Estate), Cosmic, Framed, The Astounding Broccoli Boy and Runaway Robot. He is also a highly esteemed script and screenwriter, devising the London 2012 Olympics Opening Ceremony, co-writing the Platinum Jubilee Paddington sketch, alongside writing for Doctor Who, Goodbye Christopher Robin and most recently The Beautiful Game, starring Bill Nighy and Micheal Ward.
At today’s ceremony, Cottrell-Boyce launched his Laureateship with a powerful speech declaring his ambitions for children’s books and the life-changing benefits of reading to be ‘taken seriously’. He pledged to dedicate his two-year tenure to igniting a fierce national conversation about the role books and reading can play in transforming children’s lives, referencing the decades of compelling evidence showing that reading for pleasure is the single biggest factor impacting the life-chances of a child, as well as the ‘crisis point’ facing the millions of children now living in poverty, warning: ‘we risk losing a generation unless we act.’
This campaign – which is called Reading Rights: Books Build a Brighter Future – also includes plans for a national summit bringing together expert voices in the political, education, literacy and early years sectors.
Frank Cottrell-Boyce, Waterstones Children’s Laureate 2024–2026, said:
“I am so proud to be here today, being passed the torch of the Laureateship. Writing and reading has transformed my life – and I write children’s books because I think they help build the apparatus of happiness inside us. I’m privileged to be part of those intimate, crucial, person-forming moments when people share stories with the children in their lives. I’m privileged to visit schools up and down the country – to read to children, and to see a Britain that is innovative, eccentric, funny, up for it, open-hearted.
But I also get to see a different Britain. A Britain that is not fair. A Britain that’s a stranger to equality.
For too long, the life-changing benefits of children’s reading have not been taken seriously. And now – as our children face an unknown future – we risk losing a generation unless we act.
So, my tenure as Waterstones Children’s Laureate will have happiness at its heart, but it will be about urgency.
It will be about addressing invisible privilege and inequality.
It will be about the increasing number of children in poverty being left further and further behind.
It will be about calling for national provision so that every child – from their earliest years – has access to books, reading and the transformative ways in which they improve long-term life chances.
It will be about campaigning for a visible sign that this country values its children – to show them they are important.
That they are in fact our only hope.
So, I’m going to do everything in my power to get reading as a right for all into the national conversation. I’m calling the campaign Reading Rights: Books Build a Brighter Future.
Because it’s about time.”
Diana Gerald, CEO at BookTrust, said:
“Reading can help young children who missed out on critical development opportunities during the pandemic and who have fallen behind in terms of literacy, language development, and communication skills. It can help children overcome the consequences of rising levels of poverty and inequality, particularly if we read with them in their early years. The appointment of Frank as Children’s Laureate gives us a powerful advocate for the disadvantaged and vulnerable children and the transformative effect that reading can have on their lives.”
Kate Edwards, Chair of the Waterstones Children’s Laureate Steering Group and Chair of the Waterstones Children’s Laureate 2024-26 Judging Panel, said:
“The Waterstones Children’s Laureate selection panel invites nominations from a range of organisations across the UK representing librarians, critics, writers, literature development workers and booksellers – on behalf of everyone, I extend Frank our warmest congratulations. We couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome Frank to this prestigious role as the Laureateship celebrates its 25th anniversary – not only does his wonderful writing entertain and inspire, but he has long been a passionate voice in the campaign for children’s books to be given the value and recognition that they deserve. Frank is a wonderful Laureate for these times and the Steering Group is looking forward to working with him over the next two years, helping to bring his vital plans and ambitions to life so that every child can enjoy a life rich in books and reading.”
Nick Campbell, Children’s Campaign Manager at Waterstones, said:
“On behalf of our booksellers, particularly our experts in children’s reading, we’re thrilled to welcome Frank Cottrell-Boyce to the role of Waterstones Children’s Laureate 2024-2026. In the twenty years since his debut novel, Frank’s work has been a cornerstone of our children’s sections, deploying his wit and genius for storytelling in celebration of young people’s imaginative potential. We are so pleased to support him as Laureate in championing those young people and the transformative power of reading.”
For more information, please contact: hannah.mcmillan@midaspr.co.uk | emily.laidlaw@midaspr.co.uk
