Open call for Welsh-langauge primary school teachers

The Books Council of Wales is encouraging primary school teachers from Welsh-language schools to register for the Teachers Love Reading scheme and benefit from a free training and mentoring opportunity during the 2025/26 academic year.

The scheme is perfect for primary school teachers, wherever they are in their teaching career, to help them to develop reading provision in the classroom, celebrate reading for pleasure and to inspire young learners to read.

So, if you’re a teacher working with learners age 8-11 in a Welsh-language primary school and:
–  looking for support to embed reading in the classroom and inspire learners
–  enjoy meeting other teachers to exchange ideas and share experiences
–   keen for development opportunities, training and to build confidence in the field of literacy and reading
then, register to be part of the scheme before Tuesday 15 July on the Books Council’s website: HERE

This three-year project is funded by the Welsh Government Education Department under the Curriculum for Wales Grant Support Programme. It’s a partnership between the Books Council of Wales, Bangor University and CYDAG to hold a series of workshops over the academic year to expand practitioners’ professional learning to support them to equip learners with effective reading strategies and to help them to enjoy reading.

Over the course of the year the teachers will have the opportunity to join four workshops, both virtual and in-person, with a lecturer from Bangor University to discuss 6 books from Wales covering a variety of topics. The reading list features a broad range of genres, styles, authors, publishers and themes.

Bethan Jones Head of Children’s Books and Reading Promotion at the Books Council of Wales said: “We’re very pleased to be able to offer this scheme thanks to the support of Welsh Government’s Education Department.

“The main aim of Teachers Love Reading is to nurture a love of reading amongst teaching professionals so that they can then inspire their pupils to do the same. With support and expertise of a lecturer from Bangor University, this bespoke training will build and reinforce practitioners’ understanding of the pedagogical principles and approaches to the foundations of literacy.

“Support will be available to release teachers to attend these sessions and so it’s a great opportunity for free professional development that will have a lasting positive impact on teachers, schools and learners. We’re looking forward to welcoming the class of 2025 in September!”

Registration is open until Tuesday 15 July on the Books Council’s website – HERE. There are 50 places on the 2025/26 scheme for teachers from Welsh-language primary schools. There will be opportunities for Welsh-language secondary and teachers from English-medium schools to take part as the scheme develops in the second and third years.

Love books? Buy books!
Celebrating Independent Bookshops Week
If you’re lucky enough to have an independent bookshop on your local high street, Independent Bookshops Week (14–21 June) is the perfect excuse to pop in and pick up your next read.
As booksellers across Wales take part in the campaign, which is run annually by the Booksellers’ Association, the Books Council of Wales is highlighting some of the new titles that have been published this year and encouraging booklovers all over Wales to support their local bookshop.

Helgard Krause, Chief Executive of the Books Council of Wales said: “Independent bookshops in Wales are often at the heart of their high streets and communities, and we’re very fortunate to have a network of dedicated booksellers who are passionate about books and who work tirelessly to keep books on the high street and in shop windows.

“This year is shaping up to be a fantastic year for books from Wales in both Welsh and English, and by choosing to buy books from our local bookshops, we can all make a difference. Your next £10 paperback will support shops, jobs and help publishers print their next book – so we say, if you love books, buy books!”

Author Fflur Dafydd said: “There is something unique about independent bookshops, they create their own universe; each one a special treasury where the bookseller’s personality can be felt in the way the books have been placed and displayed, where the love of books seems to shimmer on every shelf.”

Here are some of the books available:

• Afonydd: Poems for Welsh Rivers / Cerddi Afonydd Cymru Sian Northey, Ness Owen (Arachne Press)
• Boundary Waters by Tristan Hughes (Parthian)
• Wales As Is by David Hurn, Richard King (Seren)
• One Woman Walks Europe, by Ursula Martin (Honno)
• Loud Medicine – Dispatches from the Music Industry Underworld by James Kennedy (Calon)
• Beyond / Tu Hwnt – anthology of Welsh Deaf and Disabled Writers, ed. Bethany Handley, Megan Angharad Hunter and Sioned Erin Hughes (Lucent Dreaming)

• Ewro 2025, Y Swistir by Ffion Eluned Owen (Y Lolfa)
• Hiraeth Neifion by Simon Chandler (Gwasg Carreg Gwalch)
• Y Twr by Rebecca Thomas (Sebra)
• Y Cyfan a fu Rhyngom Ni by Iestyn Tyne (Gwasg y Bwthyn)
• Y Caeth yn Rhydd by Jim Parc Nest (Barddas)

You can find your local independent bookshop in Wales on the Books Council of Wales website Bookshops of Wales | Cyngor Llyfrau Cymru

Independent Bookshop Week is a celebration of independent bookshops across the UK and Ireland. It aims to highlight the vital role independent bookshops play in their communities, and to encourage consumers to shop for their summer reads with their local independent.

Books Council of Wales secures over £800,000 to inspire a lifelong love of reading in Wales

The Books Council of Wales welcomes the announcement that it has been awarded a £849,860 grant over three years from Welsh Government Education Department to continue and develop its reading promotion activities.

The Cabinet Secretary for Education Lynne Neagle has announced this week that the Books Council of Wales is one of the organisations that will receive funding under the Curriculum for Wales Grant Support Programme.

The funding is awarded to the Children’s Books and Reading Promotion Department, who run a wide range of campaigns and partnerships to celebrate books and promote reading for pleasure. These will include:

Teachers Love Reading – following a successful pilot in 2024, this project will deliver a series of tailored training for primary and secondary teachers by higher education practitioners from Bangor University, with a particular focus on upskilling teachers in reading for pleasure, embedding reading in the classroom and teaching reading and literacy. The programme aims to nurture a love of reading amongst teaching professionals so that they can inspire their learners in the classroom.

The Summer Reading Challenge – a scheme to encourage children and their families to continue reading during the summer holidays, by visiting a local library. The project attracts over 33,000 children and young people to take advantage of borrowing books from public libraries in Wales each year. In partnership with the Reading Agency and libraries in Wales.

BookSlam / Gornest Lyfrau – reading competitions based on specially created reading lists and resources to enrich learning and enhance comprehension. Schools compete at county level initially, with the winning schools representing their county in the national finals held in Aberystwyth.

Nurturing a Community of Readers – a series of programmes that will encourage and support families to read for pleasure. It prioritises access to books and resources for those who need them most and provides multiple ways for children and families to get involved in the element that is most suitable for them and their needs. This programme includes:

• World Book Day in March, in partnership with World Book Day, and UNESCO World Book Day celebrations on 23 April;
• A collaboration with RhAG (Parents for Welsh Medium Education), to organise reading for pleasure sessions for non-Welsh speaking parents;
• Supporting the publication of a digital magazine, Cyw, for learners aged 3–7 in collaboration with Boom Cymru;
• Continuing the Books Council’s Young People’s Panel, and engaging young adults to read with the ‘Sut i Ddarllen’ podcast.

Head of Children’s Books and Reading Promotion Bethan Jones said: “We’re delighted to have been awarded this essential funding, without which we wouldn’t be able to run so many of the campaigns and activities that inspire children and young people to read for pleasure every year. We have really exciting plans for the next three years and feel very fortunate to have secured multi-year funding, which means that we will be able to collaborate with partners to build on the projects over successive years, getting more books to more children and young people, and to inspire a lifelong love of reading.”

Helgard Krause, Chief Executive of the Books Council of Wales said: “I would like to thank the Cabinet Secretary and her department for their continued commitment through this funding, which underpins the work of the Children’s Books and Reading Promotion Department at the Books Council, and which has safeguarded 2.5 jobs.

This grant enables us to continue to deliver popular annual reading promotion schemes and partnerships for children throughout Wales, such as the Summer Reading Challenge and a World Book Day £1 Welsh-language title. Importantly, it also means that we can deliver specific, targeted interventions to respond to the needs of the Curriculum for Wales as well as current challenges around literacy levels, reaching a million Welsh-speakers, and well-being. We’re looking forward to working with our network of trusted partners to deliver this ambitious and exciting programme over the next three years.”

The funding has been awarded until March 2028 under the Curriculum for Wales Grant Support Programme. Information about the projects funded by this grant will be published on the Books Council’s website www.books.wales

The winners in the Welsh-language categories of the 2025 Tir Na n-Og Awards were announced today, 27 May, in a special ceremony at the Urdd Eisteddfod Dur a Môr, Margam Park.

The winner in the primary age category is Arwana Swtan a’r Sgodyn Od by Angie Roberts and Dyfan Roberts. The winner in the secondary age category is Cymry Balch Ifanc by various authors, edited by Llŷr Titus and Megan Angharad Hunter.

Winner in the primary age category
Arwana Swtan a’r Sgodyn Od by Angie Roberts and Dyfan Roberts, illustrated by Efa Dyfan (Gwasg y Bwthyn).
This is a short and very funny novel from an author who knows how to amuse and entertain children. When Arwana Swtan arrives in the town of Caernarfon in the middle of a big storm to stay with her grandad, Taidi, things are looking very bleak for the town. But once the inimitable mermaid Swigi Dwgong makes an appearance, things start to look up…
The judging panel said: “What an adventure! You could believe that you’re reading an old nautical tale, but this story is modern and contemporary, with colourful characters and where astonishing things happen. A breath of fresh air – with a whiff of fish!”

Angie Roberts said: “We’re over the moon! This fantastic news will give me the confidence to keep writing all of the stories that are in my head. More adventures for Arwana Swtan, her mates Halan and Finag from the chip shop and the sassiest mermaid in the world, Swigi Dwgong.”

Winner in the secondary age category
Cymry Balch Ifanc by various authors. Edited by Llŷr Titus and Megan Angharad Hunter, illustrated by Mari Phillips (Rily).

An honest and deeply personal anthology collecting real-life stories from 13 young LGBTQIA+ contributors, with information about Welsh Pride. The book aims to increase understanding and empathy towards people in the LGBTQIA+ community by sharing personal experiences.

The judging panel said: “This is an important book for everyone, so that we can come to know ourselves and others. Young people trying to discover their identity will benefit from hearing the contributors’ experiences in this volume, and parents, teachers, grandparents, politicians – everybody – will have the opportunity to learn that everyone has the right to be understood and respected as an individual. It’s important that a book like this is available in Welsh.”

Llŷr Titus said: “In a time when we are seeing attacks from all corners on the rights of LGBTQIA+ people, winning the Tir na n-Og award and being able to celebrate that in a festival like the Urdd, which is unwavering in its support for our community, is a confirmation that everyone has the right to be proud of who they are. As one of the editors of this book it is an immense privilege to win, but also as an editor, I want to emphasise that the stories of the young people within the covers of the volume are the most important thing, and they should be the focus today.

 

 

Many of us could do with more empathy, and when those who don’t understand young LGBTQIA+ people or who feel any sort of prejudice against them, turn to the stories within this volume, I truly hope that you will nurture that empathy, and understanding.”

Established in 1976, the annual Tir na n-Og Awards celebrate the best books for children and young people in Wales. They are organised by the Books Council of Wales and sponsored by CILIP Cymru Wales.

Sue Polchow, Community Development Manager – CILIP Cymru Wales said: “As the membership body for librarians and information professionals in Wales, we are proud to again sponsor the wonderful Tir na n-Og Awards for 2025. Unique book awards which help children and young people discover the joy of reading outstanding stories from Wales which are about Wales. Many congratulations to all the winning authors!”

The other titles on the Welsh-language shortlists are:
Primary:

Ni a Nhw by Sioned Wyn Roberts, illustrated by Eric Heyman (Atebol)

Llanddafad by Gareth Evans-Jones, illustrated by Lleucu Gwenllian (Y Lolfa)

Secondary:
Cynefin, Cymru a’r Byd by Dafydd Watcyn Williams (Gwasg Carreg Gwalch)
Rhedyn, Merlyn y Mawn by Myrddin ap Dafydd (Gwasg Carreg Gwalch)

Also announced today were the winners of the Welsh-language Readers’ Choice Awards. These are special awards chosen by children and young people who took part in the Tir na n-Og Shadowing Scheme and nominated their own winners from the shortlisted titles in each category.

The winner of the Welsh-language primary category Readers’ Choice Award is Llanddafad by Gareth Evans-Jones, illustrated by Lleucu Gwenllian (Y Lolfa)

The winner of the Welsh-language secondary category Readers’ Choice Award is Cynefin, Cymru a’r Byd by Dafydd Watcyn Williams (Gwasg Carreg Gwalch)

The winners in the English-language category were announced at a special ceremony at Ysgol Penglais School, Aberystwyth on 21 May. The Twelve by Liz Hyder (Pushkin Children’s Books) is the winner of the English-language category 2025 and the English-language Readers’ Choice Award this year goes to Welsh Giants, Ghosts and Goblins by Claire Fayers (Firefly).

More information about the Tir na n-Og Awards can be found on the Books Council website, books.wales.

The Twelve by Liz Hyder (published by Pushkin Children’s Books) is the 2025 winner of the Tir na n-Og English-language Award for children and young people’s literature.

The winning title was announced at a special ceremony held this afternoon, Wednesday 21 May at Ysgol Penglais School in Aberystwyth. The ceremony was hosted by presenter Sara Gibson, with an audience of learners from the school who had the opportunity to meet some of the shortlisted authors.

The Twelve is a deeply captivating, darkly magical Young Adult offering. When Kit’s sister, Libby, vanishes into thin air on a family holiday and no one else seems to remember her, Kit embarks on a dangerous journey to discover the truth. This book wraps you up in ancient magic and folklore, drags you to its rich depths and consumes you with its lyrical and haunting writing.

Liz Hyder said: “I feel very honoured to be this year’s winner for the prestigious English-language award. The Twelve was born out of a deep love of nature and is a love letter to Wales and her landscapes. It was a fantastic shortlist and I was gobsmacked to even be included. I’m very much looking forward to celebrating with a big mug of Welsh tea!”

 

Chair of the English-language judging panel, Elizabeth Kennedy, said: “Congratulations to Liz on winning the award this year. The Twelve is a story that pulls the reader in, tugging until you fall down the magical rabbit hole into Welsh history, folklore and nature. It’s a perfect combination of enthralling writing; beautiful illustrations and undisputed Welsh background, making it the well-deserved winner of this year’s award.”

The other shortlisted titles for the English-language category were:

• Welsh Giants, Ghosts and Goblins by Claire Fayers (Firefly)
• Cynefin, Wales and the World – Today’s Geography for Future Generations by Dafydd Watcyn Williams (Gwasg Carreg Gwalch)
• Megs by Meleri Wyn James, illustrated by Shari Llewelyn (Y Lolfa)

Also announced today was the winner of the 2025 English-language Readers’ Choice Award. This is a special award chosen by the children and young people who took part in the Tir na n-Og Shadowing Scheme. The winner of the English-language Readers’ Choice Award is Welsh Giants, Ghosts and Goblins by Claire Fayers (Firefly).

Established in 1976, the annual Tir na n-Og Awards celebrate the best books for children and young people in Wales. They are organised by the Books Council of Wales and sponsored by CILIP Cymru Wales.

Sue Polchow, Community Development Manager – CILIP Cymru Wales said: “As the membership body for librarians and information professionals in Wales, we are proud to again sponsor the wonderful Tir na n-Og Awards for 2025. Unique book awards which help children and young people discover the joy of reading outstanding stories from Wales which are about Wales. Many congratulations to all the winning authors!”

The winners of the Tir na n-Og Awards in the two Welsh-language categories will be revealed at Eisteddfod yr Urdd Dur a Môr at Margam Park on Tuesday 27 May.

You can find out more about the Tir na n-Og Awards on the Books Council of Wales website: books.wales.