Jun 29, 2020
The Books Council of Wales and Arad Goch theatre company have teamed up to produce readings of the Welsh-language books for children and young people which have been shortlisted for the Tir na n-Og 2020 Awards.
The Books Council of Wales and Arad Goch theatre company have teamed up to produce readings of the Welsh-language books for children and young people which have been shortlisted for the Tir na n-Og 2020 Awards.
As all their theatrical productions have been postponed due to the coronavirus lockdown, Arad Goch actors in Aberystwyth have turned to performing and recording their voices over the internet.
With everyone contributing from their homes and Jeremy Turner directing from a distance, the actors have been reading extracts from the six Welsh-language books to reach this year’s Tir na n-Og shortlist – three from the primary age category and three from the category for secondary schools.
Files of the readings recorded on Zoom are available free of charge from Monday 29 June 2020 on the Books Council’s #lovereading channel on the amam.cymru platform as well as on Hwb, the Welsh Government’s digital learning website.
Helen Jones, Head of Children’s Books and Reading Promotion at the Books Council of Wales, said: “The quality of the Tir na n-Og books has been particularly high once again this year and it’s really important to share this creativity with children and young people. At a time when libraries and schools have been shut, we are extremely grateful to Arad Goch for working with us to create original and unique Welsh-language content that is available digitally and free of charge. We hope that these readings will be a valuable resource for schools and parents now and in the future, and that they will bring pleasure to children and young people across Wales. We would like to thank Arad Goch, the publishers Atebol and y Lolfa, and the authors for their enthusiasm and support.”
Jeremy Turner, Artistic Director of Cwmni Theatr Arad Goch, said: “Arad Goch has a long and successful history of working in partnership and co-production with organisations in Wales and abroad, including with the Books Council on many occasions in the past. We have also created several theatrical productions based on books and their stories. It’s been a pleasure therefore to have the opportunity once again to work with the Books Council during this strange time, to create recordings of the fantastic books which have been nominated for this year’s awards. I enjoyed reading all of them and would like to thank our actors, technicians and editor for their work. Thanks also to the Arts Council for its support during these uncertain times.”
The actors involved include Ffion Wyn Bowen, Lynwen Haf Roberts, Gruffydd Evans and Ioan Gwyn, with Eugene Capper as sound technician and editing by Carwyn Blayney.
The Welsh-language winners of the Tir na n-Og 2020 Awards will be announced on S4C’s Heno programme at 6.30pm on Friday, 10 July, with the winner of the English-language category announced on the Radio Wales Arts Show on Friday, 3 July 2020.
Jun 19, 2020
The Books Council of Wales warmly welcomes the First Minister’s announcement that bookshops are among the businesses which will be allowed to reopen from Monday 22 June 2020.
The Books Council of Wales warmly welcomes the First Minister’s announcement that bookshops are among the businesses which will be allowed to reopen from Monday 22 June 2020.
As always, the well-being of staff and customers must come first and we have been working with booksellers as they prepare to reopen safely in line with Covid-19 guidance. Not all shops may choose to open their doors immediately and others will revise their opening hours to the public. Whilst welcome, today’s announcement is another step on the long journey towards a new normality and our role as a Council is to support our sector throughout.
This is an incredibly challenging time for us all and over the last few months we have seen bookshops across Wales finding imaginative ways, in difficult circumstances, to continue to offer a personalised service to their customers. Many have been organising special online events, as well as selling over the internet or by telephone and sending parcels of books by post or delivering locally.
We would like to thank all booksellers for their commitment and resilience, especially at a time when books and reading are more important than ever. We are also grateful to Creative Wales for facilitating additional Welsh Government emergency funding for the book sector, which has helped to sustain shops as well as publishers during this difficult period.
On the eve of Independent Bookshop Week (20–27 June), this is an opportunity for us all to show our support for bookshops and celebrate their important contribution to our economy and our communities.
Details of all bookshops in Wales are available on gwales.com.
Jun 8, 2020
A series of short and snappy books by authors from Wales will be available for free download this summer.
A series of short and snappy books by authors from Wales will be available for free download this summer.
From tales of amazing dogs to the challenges of extreme running and from a contemporary love story to a legendary lost world, the Books Council of Wales has made the four latest titles in the popular Quick Reads series available as e-books in association with publishers Y Lolfa and Rily.
And for one month only from 8 June – 8 July 2020, they can be downloaded free of charge from the new amam.cymru digital platform.
This year’s writers include extreme adventurer Huw Jack Brassington, author Cynan Llwyd, journalist and lecturer Ifan Morgan Jones, and author and journalist Alison Stokes.
The aim of the Quick Reads/Stori Sydyn scheme is to get Wales reading with a selection of short, gripping books, which are also available in paperback format from bookshops and online booksellers for £1 each as well as through libraries.
Angharad Wyn Sinclair, Reading Promotions Project Manager at the Books Council of Wales, said: “As a result of the Covid-19 restrictions, we wanted to offer the new e-books free for the first time. These titles lend themselves perfectly to these turbulent times. They capture our imagination and transport us to another world, but they’re short enough to be read in a day or to pick up occasionally and enjoy a chapter at a time. What’s also great about Quick Reads is that they’re suitable for a wide range of readers, including those who may be more reluctant to pick up a book.”
Coordinated by the Books Council of Wales, the Quick Reads/Stori Sydyn scheme is supported by the Welsh Government to ensure that accessible, original material of interest to an audience in Wales is available in both English and Welsh.
Minister for Education, Kirsty Williams said “I’m delighted Books Council of Wales are providing these titles digitally and for free in light of the current pandemic. Whether these are used as a means of supporting learning, or just a means of escaping everyday realities, reading can be powerful, particularly in these strange and unsettling times.
“Part of our National Mission is to provide all learners with high level literacy skills, that form the foundations of all learning and are transferable into everyday life and the world of work. Literacy, numeracy and digital competence, will be mandatory cross-curricular skills within Curriculum for Wales 2022.”
Of the four titles being published this year, two are in Welsh and two in English, with one fiction and one non-fiction book in each language.
Herio i’r Eithaf – Huw Jack Brassington (Y Lolfa). Huw Jack Brassington challenges his mind and body to the limit in incredible races all over the world, such as the 47 Peaks, the Pioneer and the Coast to Coast. His story takes us to the world of triathlon, running and cycling, and he learns some hard lessons along the way.
Pobl Fel Ni – Cynan Llwyd (Y Lolfa). The story takes place over a period of 24 hours in Cardiff sometime in the near future, against a backdrop of racist rhetoric and attitudes, right-wing politics and a fragile economic situation. Lovers Nathan and Sadia attend a concert but are separated following an explosion at the event.
Hidden Depths – Ifan Morgan Jones (Rily). Rees has been running away all his life. But when a tale from his childhood turns out to be fact rather than fiction, he is drawn deeper into a hidden world that reveals a troubled truth – not only about his present, but also his past. The choice is clear: hold on or wait and fight.
Dogs for Life – Alison Stokes (Rily). They’re often our best friends and share a special bond with us. But what if your dog was more than just a pet? This book shares the stories of animals with very important jobs to do and shows how some amazing animals are changing the lives of loved ones.
All four titles will be available for free download from the amam.cymru platform from 8 June – 8 July, with paperback copies also available for purchase for £1 from bookshops across Wales, the Books Council’s gwales.com and other websites.
A wide selection of Quick Reads titles can also be borrowed from libraries, either as e-books or as hard copies, when normal services resume.
