Books Council of Wales’ newly appointed Young People’s Panel met for the first time on Friday, 7 July. The purpose of the scheme is to ensure opportunities for young people to express their opinions on reading material and current themes, as well as their aspirations for future publications. The panel will also consider various campaignes to promote reading for pleasure among young people.

The panel members were appointed following a call out in February for individuals between 17 and 20 years old. A high number of impressive applications were submitted by young people from across Wales. We would have liked to have been able to include every candidate on the panel. However, following a selection process, nine individuals were invited to join the panel and to attend meetings. Anna Nijo, one of the members, said, “By joining this panel, I hope to increase the number of people who enjoy reading books, perhaps by supporting schools to encourage their pupils to engage with the school or local library.”

The group’s enthusiasm and eagerness to share ideas and feedback in order to shape the future of the publishing industry in Wales is very evident. Gruffydd ab Owain explains, “My vision for the panel is to bridge the gap between books for children and books for adults, to ensure that diversity is maintained and expanded, as well as to explore strategies to better engage with young people.” In addition to this, the panel will be sharing valuable information in order to develop reading for pleasure campaignes in the future. Charlie Evans said, “I would like young voices to be at the root of literature promotion. I am truely looking forward to working with the panel.”

The panel will meet three times a year, once in person and twice in virtual meetings. It will be chaired by Llŷr Titus. Llŷr knows from experience how important it is to maintain teenagers’ interest in reading. Llŷr said, “As someone who remembers having difficulty when younger in finding a Welsh book that I enjoyed, I was very pleased to be able to accept the invitation to chair the panel. I believe that only by speaking with young people, and, more importantly, listening to them, can we learn how to improve the provision for them, and help them to enjoy reading books in Welsh. My hope is that this group’s contribution will lead to improvement, and that the people and organisations who need to listen and learn will do so.”

The Children’s Books and Reading Promotion Department is very grateful to the young people on the panel and to Llŷr Titus for their committment and valuable input, ensuring that we support the publishing industry and inspire new audiences to read for pleasure.

Two new Welsh-language Magazines to launch in 2023

There will be two new Welsh-language magazines available for readers this year after Gwasg Carreg Gwalch and Golwg secured grants from the Books Council of Wales to pilot two new titles.

Gwasg Carreg Gwalch will launch their new popular history magazine, Hanes Byw, in September and Golwg will launch a new digital sports magazine by the autumn.

The two new titles have been set up with funding from the Books Council of Wales, which supports both English- and Welsh-language magazines from Wales, thanks to funding from Creative Wales.

Owain ap Myrddin, from Gwasg Carreg Gwalch, said: “The aim is to raise stories from history and archaeology, etymology and folktales, traditions and art that are still relevant to our lives today, and that shine a light on contemporary issues. It will also include elements of stories and grassroots history that the Welsh community can delight in and feel comfortable to contribute to. The majority of the articles will relate to the past 250 years and there will be an emphasis on weaving the past with the present – as the influences of yesterday can still be felt in daily life today.”

Hanes Byw will launch on 28 September, with 4 issues a year available from bookshops or through subscription on the Carreg Gwalch website.

Golwg will launch their new sports magazine by the autumn. Owain Schiavone, Chief Executive of Golwg Cyf, said: “Golwg is delighted to have the opportunity to pilot a new sports magazine and we have exciting plans for it. We are keen to try to develop an innovative Welsh-language service that offers specialist commentary on a number of different sports, from the popular and mainstream to less well-known sports. We will release more information about the exact nature of the magazine in due course. We are keen to hear from anyone who would like to contribute to the project, via email, to owainschiavone@golwg.cymru”

Arwel Jones, Head of Publishing Development at the Books Council of Wales, said: “We’re pleased to be able to support the pilot programmes for these two new magazines, that bring a new range of subjects to the Welsh-language magazine market. The independent panel that awarded the grant noticed a gap in the provision for magazines relating to sports and to popular history. We have, therefore, been able to offer a one-year grant of £30,000 each to pilot brand new magazines on these subjects and to widen the choice for readers.”

The Books Council of Wales extends its warmest congratulations to Manon Steffan Ros as she is announced the winner of the Yoto Carnegie Medal for Writing, for her novel The Blue Book of Nebo. It is the first time in the award’s almost 90-year history that it has been awarded to a book in translation. The Yoto-Carnegies are the UK’s longest-running and best-loved book awards for children and young people.

The original Welsh novel, Llyfr Glas Nebo, won the Prose Medal at the 2018 National Eisteddfod and was a winner in three categories of the Wales Book of the Year in 2019. Set in post-apocalyptic Nebo, the poignant story unfolds through the shared diary entries of mother and son as they adapt to survive and create a new life after The End.

The Blue Book of Nebo is published by Firefly Press, Cardiff-based children’s and YA indie publisher, which celebrates its tenth anniversary this year.

Arwel Jones, Head of Publishing Development at The Books Council of Wales said: “We’re absolutely delighted for Manon and send our warmest congratulations to her for winning the Yoto Carnegie Medal for Writing. It is wonderful that Manon’s work has been recognised in this way and is a testament to her exceptional talent as a storyteller. Although The Blue Book of Nebo is Manon’s first YA book in translation, she has of course written many Welsh-language books and has honed her skills and her craft as a writer over time and in different genres, competing in Eisteddfodau, writing books for adults and children as well as writing for stage and screen. We hope that winning the award will enable more people to discover and enjoy Manon’s work.”

First Minister Mark Drakeford said: “I would like to congratulate Manon on the incredible achievement of The Blue Book of Nebo being the first ever translated book to win the Yoto Carnegie Medal for Writing, showcasing the strength of storytellers from Wales on the international stage. I look forward to Manon’s books being enjoyed by an even wider audience in Wales and beyond.”

The winners were announced at a ceremony in London on 21 June 2023. As a Yoto Carnegie winner, Manon joins a selection of acclaimed authors such as Neil Gaiman, Philip Pullman and Terry Pratchett who have won the award in previous years.

As part of the prize, winners receive £500 worth of books to donate to a library of their choice. Manon is making her donation to her local library, Tywyn Library in Gwynedd, where she wrote a few of her books when she didn’t have the means to get internet at home. To celebrate Manon’s achievement, the Books Council of Wales has announced that they will match this amount through a donation of £500 of Welsh book tokens.

The Drowned Woods by Emily Lloyd-Jones (published by Hodder & Stoughton) is the 2023 winner of the Tir na n-Og English-language Award for children and young people’s literature.

The winning book was announced on The Review Show on Radio Wales at 18:30 on Friday 2 June 2023.

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, the library and information association. The winning authors each receive a cash prize of £1,000 sponsored by CILIP Cymru Wales, as well as a specially commissioned trophy created by Aberystwyth and Tregaron-based designers Dawn’s Welsh Gifts.

The Drowned Woods is both fantasy and thriller, set in a time in which the kingdoms of Wales are rife with magic and conflict. The main character, eighteen-year-old Mererid – or ‘Mer’ as she is known to the reader – is well-acquainted with both the good and the bad aspects of these kingdoms. As the last living water diviner, she can manipulate water with magic, a unique elemental power many would kill to possess. For years, Mer has been running from the prince who bound her into his service and forced her to kill thousands with her magic. Now, all Mer truly wants is a safe, quiet life, far from power and politics. But then Mer’s old handler, the king’s spymaster, returns with a proposition: she is to use her powers to bring down the very prince that abused them both.

This winning title is the second book to be won by an author living in America. Emily Lloyd-Jones joins author Nancy Bond, who won the 1977 Tir na n-Og English-language Award with her novel A String in the Harp.

Emily Lloyd-Jones said: “I’m thrilled that The Drowned Woods has won the Tir na n-Og English Award! I can’t imagine having to choose between the shortlisted books — all the authors are so talented. I would like to extend my gratitude to the panel of judges, to the Books Council of Wales, and to my publishing team at Hodder. My love of reading was kindled by books based on Welsh folklore, and I’m excited to share those myths with a new generation of readers.”

Simon Fisher, from the judging panel, said: “Game of Thrones comes to Cardigan Bay! The Drowned Woods is a vividly imagined medieval heist full of danger, threat and magic. Drawing on Welsh mythology, including the legend of Cantre’r Gwaelod, this YA fantasy thriller is hugely enjoyable and will have wide appeal.”

The books on the 2023 shortlist introduce young readers to a whole cast of memorable characters that star in an array of exciting and enjoyable stories. The shortlisted titles exemplify the power of a good book to spark the imagination.

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

• The Mab by various authors edited by Eloise Williams and Matt Brown, illustrated by Max Low (Unbound)
• The Blackthorn Branch by Elen Caldecott (Andersen Press)
• The Blue Book of Nebo by Manon Steffan Ros (Firefly Press)

This year, the Books Council of Wales introduced a new element with the introduction of the Readers’ Choice Award. This is a special award chosen by children and young people who took part in the Tir na n-Og Shadowing Scheme. The winner of the Readers’ Choice Award was also announced today with The Mab, by various authors and edited by Eloise Williams and Matt Brown, illustrated by Max Low, named the 2023 winner.

Amy Staniforth from CILIP Cymru Wales said: “Many congratulations to the winners on their terrific achievement. We are proud to sponsor the Tir na n-Og Awards again this year, and to continue helping children and young people to discover the very best of books from Wales and about Wales.”

Helgard Krause, Chief Executive of the Books Council of Wales, said: “Thank you to everyone involved in this year’s competition, and many congratulations to the winning authors, whose stories have stood out among the many fantastic titles on the shortlists. And a special thank you this year goes to the children and young people who have taken part in the Shadowing Scheme and contributed with such enthusiasm to the Readers’ Choice awards.”

The winners of the two Welsh-language category Tir na n-Og Awards 2023 were revealed at the Urdd Eisteddfod in Carmarthenshire on Thursday 1 June 2023. The winning titles are Dwi Eisiau bod yn Ddeinosor by Luned Aaron and Huw Aaron, and Manawydan Jones: Y Pair Dadeni by Alun Davies. Manon Steffan Ros was awarded the Readers’ Choice Award in both the primary and secondary age categories with Enwogion o Fri: Nye – Bywyd Angerddol Aneurin Bevan and Powell.  

The other shortlisted Welsh-language titles are:

Primary age category

• Enwogion o Fri: Nye – Bywyd Angerddol Aneurin Bevan by Manon Steffan Ros, illustrated by Valériane Leblond (Llyfrau Broga)
• Dros y Môr a’r Mynyddoedd by various authors, illustrated by Elin Manon (Gwasg Carreg Gwalch)

 Secondary age category

• Gwlad yr Asyn by Wyn Mason, illustrated by Efa Blosse Mason (Gwasg Carreg Gwalch)
• Powell by Manon Steffan Ros (Y Lolfa)

Books full of fun and excitement, together with strong messages, win the Welsh-language Tir na n-Og Awards 2023

The winners in the Welsh-language categories of the Tir na n-Og Awards were announced in a special ceremony held at the Carmarthenshire Urdd Eisteddfod today, Thursday 1 June 2023. The prize-winning books – Dwi Eisiau bod yn Ddeinosor by Luned Aaron and Huw Aaron, and Manawydan Jones: Y Pair Dadeni by Alun Davies – celebrate each child’s uniqueness, and the importance of accepting what makes you amazing. And, in addition, both books show how powerful a good story and strong characters are in firing the imagination.

The annual Tir na n-Og Awards, established in 1976, celebrate the best books for children and young in Wales. They are arranged by the Books Council Wales with sponsorship by CILIP Cymru Wales, the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals in Wales.

The winners receive a financial prize of £1,000, sponsored by CILIP Cymru Wales, together with a trophy specially commissioned and created by designers from Dawn’s Welsh Gifts, a company located at Aberystwyth and Tregaron.

Winner of the primary age category:

Dwi Eisiau bod yn Ddeinosor by Luned Aaron and Huw Aaron (published by Atebol) This is a picture story book bursting with mischief and imagination. The main character wants to be a dinosaur, or a “robot, rocket, crocodile or dragon” – to name only a few things on his list! Rather than seeing the differences between himself and the other creatures in the book, he comes to realise that he is unique in his own way – and that there is no-one like him. And that, of course, is what makes him special. This is a modern, humorous and very colourful book that discusses an important message – you’re good enough just as you are.

Morgan Dafydd, Chair of the Judging Panel, said: “After the dark years of the pandemic, enjoying a book containing an element of humour was a tonic and a breath of fresh air. The rhyming text flows smoothly and naturally, and the story itself is so playful. This book would be suitable for a child to read independently, or to share with a parent. The panel could imagine an adult smiling whilst reading with a child.

“Even though the book is fairly short, the illustrations are colourful, clear, modern and striking. The judges liked the message in the book, namely ‘being comfortable in your own skin’ – it was clear without being preachy, or feeling forced in any way. We were all agreed that light books, full of humour, are important in order to attract (and retain) readers.”

Luned Aaron said: “It means a great deal to us both to have won a Tir na n-Og Award with our picture story book Dwi Eisiau Bod yn Ddeinosor, and we consider it to be a great honour. It’s a great feeling to be joint winners! Many thanks to Rachel Lloyd from Atebol, the publisher, for her help as creative editor of the book. The sterling promotion work in connection with the competition this year has been wonderful, with numerous activities such as the Shadowing Scheme, the Treasure Hunt and a competition for the best exhibition in bookshop windows adding to the excitement.”

On behalf of Atebol, Rachel Lloyd said: “The Tir na n-Og Awards provide a special opportunity to draw attention to books for children and young people, and to celebrate the wealth of new and exciting publications that we have here in Wales. We are delighted that the book appealed to the judging panel, and that it succeeded in coming to the fore this year. Winning the Primary age category is a great honour for us.”

Winner of the secondary age category:

Manawydan Jones: Y Pair Dadeni by Alun Davies (published by Y Lolfa) The story opens with the discovery of a dead body, and readers soon realise that this book will be full of mystery and suspense. We then meet a young boy called Manawydan Jones, who is different from the other children he knows in school – but that’s not a bad thing. That’s what makes him special – together with the fact that he is related to Manawydan fab Llŷr, a character from the Mabinogi. And this realisation is just the start of the exciting adventure.

But Manawydan Jones is not simply a fantasy adventure book – it is also a sensitive story about family, friendship, identity and belonging. It introduces brave, strong and memorable characters who emphasize the important message of ‘following your own path’. This is an exciting novel that crosses the boundary between the real world and the world of myth and magic: a modern, fresh interpretation of the old tales of the Mabinogi being presented to a new generation of readers.

Morgan Dafydd, Chair of the Judging Panel, said: “The author, in his first attempt at writing for young adults, gives a modern twist on the traditional tales of the Mabinogi. The story moves between the main narrative, namely a young boy’s journey on a magical adventure, and the Police’s attempt to solve a mystery about a suspicious murderer. These sections added to the story and connected the real word with the magical world of the island of Fosgad. This novel would appeal to any reader who is fond of adventure, history and fantasy.”

Alun Davies said: “I’m delighted and very proud to have won a Tir na n-Og Award this year. The shortlist was very competitive, and I warmly congratulate Manon Steffan Ros and Wyn and Efa Blosse Mason for creating such wonderful books. This title is just the start of Manawydan Jones’s adventure, and I’m glad that so many have enjoyed it; I hope the readers are looking forward to seeing more of the character in the near future.”

Lefi Gruffudd, Head of Publishing at Y Lolfa, said: “We’re very excited that Alun Davies has won his category this year. He is one of our most talented authors and has worked hard over recent years. His trilogy of novels for adults about the detective Taliesin MacLeavy are masterpieces; the novel Manawydan Jones: Y Pair Dadeni is also a joy to read and showcases the author’s craft in introducing Welsh myths to teenage readers.”

The Tir na n-Og 2023 shortlist introduces young readers to a cast of strong characters, both mythical and creative, who take pride of place in remarkable and imaginative stories. The other titles on the shortlist in the Welsh-language categories were as follows:

Primary age category

• Enwogion o Fri: Nye – Bywyd Angerddol Aneurin Bevan by Manon Steffan Ros, illustrated by Valériane Leblond (Llyfrau Broga)
• Dros y Môr a’r Mynyddoedd by several authors, illustrated by Elin Manon (Gwasg Carreg Gwalch)

 Secondary age category

• Gwlad yr Asyn by Wyn Mason, illustrated by Efa Blosse Mason (Gwasg Carreg Gwalch)
• Powell by Manon Steffan Ros (Y Lolfa)

Amy Staniforth from CILIP Cymru Wales said: “Many congratulations to the winners on their terrific achievement. We are proud to sponsor the Tir na n-Og Awards again this year, and to continue helping children and young people to discover the very best of books from Wales and about Wales.”

This year, the Books Council of Wales has introduced a new element to the awards, namely the Readers’ Choice – a special award for which the winner is chosen by the children and young people who have taken part in the Tir na n-Og Shadowing Scheme. The winners of the Readers’ Choice award were also announced during today’s ceremony, where Manon Steffan Ros was the winner in both Welsh-language categories with her books Enwogion o Fri: Nye – Bywyd Angerddol Aneurin Bevan and Powell.

Helgard Krause, Chief Executive of the Books Council of Wales said: “Thank you to everyone involved in this year’s competition, and many congratulations to the winning authors, whose stories have stood out among the many fantastic titles on the shortlists. And a special thank you this year goes to the children and young people who have taken part in the Shadowing Scheme and contributed with such enthusiasm to the Readers’ Choice awards.”

The winner of the award in the English-language category, and the Readers’ Choice award, will be announced on Radio Wales during The Review Show on Friday evening, 2 June 2023.

£400,000 to create new opportunities and develop new audiences in the publishing sector in Wales

Today the Books Council of Wales, with Creative Wales, have announced the details of a £400,000 fund to offer the New Audiences Grant for a second year; to strengthen and diversify the publishing industry in Wales.

Grants of up to £40,000 are available for organisations and new ventures in Wales to:

• develop new authors, illustrators or contributors from culturally diverse backgrounds or under-represented groups from Wales, and provide them with the support and opportunities they may need to be published in Wales;
• target new audiences in Wales by developing original material and/or using media channels or formats currently not funded;
• set up a publishing business or publication that will strengthen and diversify the current offer in Wales.

Helgard Krause, Chief Executive of the Books Council said: “Last year’s fund enabled us to support more ventures and a wider range of projects than we could have imagined. The funded projects, of which there were more than 40 last year, show what can happen when people take the initiative and come together to collaborate, share experiences and create something new.

Thanks to Welsh Government through Creative Wales, we are able to offer the fund again for a second year and continue to build on this vital area of work.”

Dawn Bowden, Welsh Government Deputy Minister for Arts and Sport said: “I am delighted that the Welsh Government through Creative Wales has been able to provide funding to support the New Audiences Grant again this year. The many different projects which received the funding in 2022 have enriched the world of publishing and writing, providing platforms and opportunities to tell more stories that reflect the whole breadth of Wales and Welsh life. I’m looking forward to seeing even more excellent work in the coming year.”

Details of how to apply are on the Books Council’s website books.wales. The closing date for applications is 31 May 2023.