From the Children’s Laureate, Frank Cottrell-Boyce, A British Childhood offers a vital reflection on the lives of children and young people in modern Britain. Drawing from his travels meeting children in diverse settings, including schools, libraries, and young offenders’ institutions, this book connects personal childhood memories with the current realities faced by the nation's youth.

• Explores what it means to be young in contemporary Britain.
• Examines the imaginative connections and sense of community crucial for future adult selves.
• Presents a powerful case for protecting the innocence and imagination of childhood.
• Addresses the nation's failures in supporting its most vulnerable citizens, particularly concerning poverty and reading access.

• Michael Morpurgo states: 'No home, no school, and especially no library should be without this story and this book.'
• The Times describes it as: 'Lively and frequently moving . . . A British Childhood makes a stirring case for children as central to any national story.'
• The Guardian notes it is a 'clarion call about the loss of delight and safety in children’s lives.'

• Author: Frank Cottrell-Boyce
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Print Length: 208 pages
• Publication Date: June 18, 2026
• Publisher: Picador
• Dimensions: 14.3 x 2.1 x 22.8 cm
• Weight: 197 g
• ISBN-13: 978-1035080755
• Reading Age: 18 years and up

This essential read serves as both a condemnation of current societal shortcomings and a stirring call to action to prioritize the well-being and imagination of children.