'World Book Day gives me so much hope' - Award-winning West Midlands author promises to keep up the fight against declining reading figures in schools
A West Midlands author has praised the 'inspiring' work done in schools ahead of 2026 World Book Day, and vowed to continue to work hard to fight the decline in young readers.
Award-winning author Serena Patel grew up in Walsall and attended infants and primary school in Blakenhall Heath, where she says her passion for reading and storytelling first blossomed.
She is now the author of the hugely popular Anisha, Accidental Detective series, which has won widespread acclaim, including the Sainsbury’s Children’s Book Award and the CrimeFest Award for Best Crime Novel for Children.
At the heart of Serena's writing is the belief that all children deserve to feel seen in the stories they read, and she explained how what once was nothing more than an internal aspiration became a career, and a way for her to inspire the next generation of literacy lovers.
"In primary school I always loved reading, and often we'd go to the Wulfrun Library where I'd fill up my bag with as many books as they would let me take," Serena said. "Books for me were a real comfort growing up, and they were an opportunity to escape the every day life.
