Serena Patel: Fostering Literacy & Representation

0:00On March 5th, award-winning author Serena Patel from the West Midlands is praising the strong efforts in local schools to promote reading ahead of World Book Day in 2026. She's promised to keep pushing hard to reverse the decline in young readers. Serena grew up in Walsall and attended primary school in Blake and Hall Heath, where her love for stories took root. Today, her popular Anisha, accidental detective series, has earned top honors, including the Sainsbury's Children's Book Award and the Crime Fest Prize. For best children's crime novel, at the core of her work is a drive to make sure every kid feels represented in the books they pick up. That personal goal evolved from a quiet hope into a full career dedicated to sparking literacy in the next generation. In 2024, she cut the ribbon on a new library at Perry Hall Primary School in Wensfield. She still recalls her own school days packing her bag with books from the local Wolffront Library to find comfort and adventure.

1:00Her dedication continues to build momentum, setting the stage for more young readers to discover the joy of stories as that big day draws near.