Chris Riddell, creator of the bestselling Goth Girl series, has been announced as the Waterstones Children's Laureate for 2015-17.

Riddell, who's also a political cartoonist for The Observer, commented 'I couldn't be more proud to accept this vital role, on which successive Laureates have stamped their identities in their own distinctive ways. During my term, I want to use the immediacy and universality of illustration to bring people together and lead them all into the wonderful world of books and reading'. He takes over from Malorie Blackman, who spent two years in the role.