Patrice Lawrence
Patrice Lawrence was born in Brighton and brought up in an Italian and Trinidadian household. Her first book for young adults, Orangeboy, was shortlisted for the Costa Children’s Book Award and won the Bookseller YA Prize and Waterstone’s Prize for Older Children's Fiction. Indigo Donut, her second book for teenagers, won the Crimefest YA Prize. Both books have been nominated for the Carnegie Medal. Patrice worked for more than 20 years for charities supporting equality and social justice. These themes (along with a serious amount of music) inform her stories. Patrice still lives in Brighton.
Books
Diver’s Daughter: A Tudor Story
Author: Patrice Lawrence
Publisher: Scholastic
Interest age: 9-12
Reading age: 9+
This is a thrilling tale, with the expertly described Tudor world brought to hideous, harsh life with the same verve as Patrice Lawrence’s award winning teen books Indigo Donut and Orangeboy.
Eight Pieces of Silva
Author: Patrice Lawrence
Publisher: Hodder
Interest age: 12-14
Reading age: 12+
When Becks' stepsister doesn't come home after seeing their parents off at the airport, it's down to Becks to figure out where she might have gone. A brilliant read for a teenager.
Granny Came Here on the Empire Windrush
Author: Patrice Lawrence Illustrator: Camilla Sucre
Publisher: Nosy Crow
Interest age: 6-8
Reading age: 6-8
Ava must dress up as someone she admires for a school project, but can’t decide who to be, so Granny offers to help. As they search for inspiration in Granny’s trunk of clothes, Ava is intrigued when she finds a small, cardboard suitcase, containing four objects: an empty jar, a pebble, a small blue hat and a pair of delicate lace gloves. Granny shares the p…
Granny Ting Ting
Author: Patrice Lawrence Illustrator: Adam Larkum
Publisher: A&C Black (imprint of Bloomsbury)
Interest age: 6-9
Reading age: 5-8
Granny Ting Ting is a delightfully funny story that looks at the cultural differences between two cousins who live in different counties: perfect for early readers and children making the transition from picture books.
Is that your mama?
Author: Patrice Lawrence and Diane Ewen
Publisher: Scholastic
Interest age: 4-5
Reading age: 2-3
Josie doesn’t look like her mum, and worries that she should. But her family show her that all families are different, and all are special. A beautiful book full of empathy and heart.
Orangeboy
Author: Patrice Lawrence
Publisher: Hodder Children’s Books
Interest age: 15+
Reading age: 13+
A boy that no one notices becomes a target on the run, when a tragic event prompts him to mix with a world of street gangs and drug dealers. This pacey crime thriller feels unique, realistic and truthful.
Our Story Starts in Africa
Author: Patrice Lawrence Illustrator: Jeanetta Gonzales
Publisher: Magic Cat
Interest age: 6-8
A perfectly pitched story of Black history that brings it back to the personal for a little girl.
Rat
Author: Patrice Lawrence
Publisher: Oxford University Press/Barrington Stoke
Interest age: 9-14
Reading age: 10+
Al's mum is back in prison again - and Al thinks it's their neighbour's fault, so he plots revenge with his beloved pet rats, Venom and Vulture. A moving insight into the world of a young boy affected by poverty, neglect and crime, who eventually learns to trust.
Rose, Interrupted
Author: Patrice Lawrence
Publisher: Hodder
Interest age: 13-17
Reading age: 10+
A dramatic, thoughtful and compelling coming-of-age novel, in which 17-year-old Rose must learn to navigate the unspoken rules of a world increasingly focused on social media.
The Elemental Detectives
Author: Patrice Lawrence
Publisher: Scholastic
Interest age: 9-11
Reading age: 8-9
A thrilling adventure, where two Black children battle Elemental spirits to save Georgian London from a sleeping sickness. Inventive and packed with adventure and accessible historical detail.