Our News

The Books Council of Wales is inviting applications for a third round of the New Audiences Grant, thanks to £500,000 of funding from Welsh Government through Creative Wales. The purpose of the grant is to support and develop the publishing industry in Wales. Grants are available for publishers, charities or organisations based in Wales to: Create promotional and marketing plans that will reach new audiences  Grants available for up to £20,000 per applicant for book promotion and marketing...

  The Books Council of Wales and influencer, presenter and book lover Ellis Lloyd Jones revealed the English-language shortlist for this year’s Tir na n-Og Awards on Friday 15 March at 12pm, on their Instagram and TikTok channels. The awards celebrate the very best of stories from Wales and about Wales that were published in 2023. The Tir na n-Og Awards are the oldest awards for children’s literature in Wales and are held every year by the Books Council of Wales, supported by CILIP Cymru...

​ The Books Council of Wales revealed the Welsh-language shortlist for this year’s Tir na n-Og Awards on S4C’s programme, Heno on Wednesday 13 March. The awards celebrate the very best of stories from Wales and about Wales that were published in 2023 The Tir na n-Og Awards are the oldest awards for children’s literature in Wales and are held every year by the Books Council of Wales, supported by CILIP Cymru Wales. They celebrate the talents of authors and illustrators who either create...

​The Books Council of Wales has published details of the projects that have been funded by the second year of the New Audiences Grant, with projects from across Wales receiving a share of £400,000 of funding in 2023/24. The New Audiences Grant is funded by Welsh Government through Creative Wales. Its purpose is to strengthen and diversify the publishing industry in Wales. Grants of up to £40,000 were available for organisations and new ventures in Wales to: develop new authors, illustrators or...

Celebrating World Book Day in Wales 2024 The charity World Book Day® is holding its annual celebration on Thursday 7 March. Children throughout the country will be encouraged to enjoy reading, receiving £1 book tokens to exchange for one of the many specially published £1 books for FREE, or to put towards another book of their choice. This year’s Welsh-language book, supported by the Books Council of Wales and published by Rily Publications, is Ffeithiau Ffiaidd: Y Corff.  Written and...

The Books Council of Wales is inviting applications for a 4-year contract (2024–28) for a brand-new English-language literary magazine as it opens the tender process today, 4 March 2024. £80,000 per annum is available to develop and establish one new title. The remit of the magazine is for an English-language literary magazine with a strong focus on fiction and creative non-fiction, featuring robust reviews and commentary, and which has a sustainable and adaptable business model at its core. ...

Schools Love Reading project gives a boost to young readers In November 2021, the Minister for Education and Welsh Language, Jeremy Miles announced a multi-million-pound investment in reading engagement… and we were about to embark on the most ambitious book-gifting project we have ever managed! The Schools Love Reading programme would provide every child in a state school in Wales with a book of their own to keep, as well as provide additional books for every school’s library. Two years,...

SEASON'S GREETINGS 2023 The Books Council and the Distribution Centre will be closed from Thursday afternoon, 21 December 2023 and will re-open after the holidays on Tuesday, 2 January 2024. We wish you all a happy and peaceful Christmas.

The Books Council of Wales has today (7 December) announced the successful recipients of the English-language Cultural Periodicals Grant for 2024–28. The grant, which is funded by Welsh Government through Creative Wales, is awarded as new, standalone funding every four years following an open competitive tender process. The tender was advertised in May, with interviews taking place in November 2023. Grants are awarded by an independent panel following a rigorous application and interview...

50 new books to be published in Wales for children and young people, to help with empathy, literacy and to promote reading for pleasure. The Books Council of Wales’ Rhyngom Project, which is funded by the Welsh Government, aims to promote diversity in reading books for pleasure for children and young people aged 3–16 years. The project, which will take place over the next two years, will lead to the publication of 50 reading books for pleasure, celebrating the culture, people and history of...

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...

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...

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. Continue Reading Congratulations to Manon Steffan Ros and her novel The Blue Book of Nebo – winner of the Yoto Carnegie Medal

HISTORIC WIN AS YOTO CARNEGIE MEDAL FOR WRITING AWARDED TO A BOOK IN TRANSLATION FOR THE FIRST TIME;A GRAPHIC NOVEL WINS ILLUSTRATION MEDAL FOR THE SECOND CONSECUTIVE YEAR CELEBRATED BOOKS OFFER AN IMMERSIVE READING EXPERIENCE AND ENCOURAGE YOUNG READERS TO LOOK TO THE FUTURE yotocarnegies.co.uk | #YotoCarnegies23 | @CarnegieMedals Wednesday 21 June 2023: The winners of the UK’s longest-running and best-loved book awards for children and young people, the Yoto Carnegies, were announced today...

LANSIO Y GRAGEN YN EISTEDDFOD YR URDD, SIR GAERFYRDDIN Lansiwyd Y Gragen, llyfr stori-a-llun gwreiddiol gan Casia Wiliam, yn Eisteddfod yr Urdd, Sir Gaerfyrddin. Darluniwyd y gyfrol gan Naomi Bennet, enillydd cystadleuaeth arbennig a drefnwyd gan Gyngor Llyfrau Cymru ac Urdd Gobaith Cymru i ddarganfod talent newydd ym maes darlunio llyfrau plant. Dyfarnwyd y wobr i Naomi Bennet nôl yn 2022. Y dasg i ymgeiswyr rhwng 18 a 25 oed oedd creu gwaith celf gwreiddiol i gyd-fynd â’r gyfrol Y Gragen,...

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...

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...

£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...

golwg360 receives £330,000 additional funding to expand its Welsh-language digital news service The Welsh-language news website golwg360 has secured £330,000 of additional funding to expand its provision of digital news content. The grant, which is administered by the Books Council of Wales on behalf of Welsh Government, is available to ensure the availability of a range of digital news services through the medium of Welsh. £100,000 a year for three years was still available under the terms of...

Tir na n-Og 2023 English-language shortlist revealed for Wales’ oldest children’s book award Fantasy, other worlds and alternative realities, myths and legends… The Books Council of Wales will reveal the English-language shortlist for this year’s Tir na n-Og Awards on the Radio Wales Arts Show on Friday, 24 March at 6:30pm. This year’s titles celebrate the power of storytelling – a theme that is at the heart of the four books shortlisted for this year’s English-language prize. The Tir na n-Og...

Welsh-language shortlist revealed for Wales’ oldest children’s book awards – the Tir na n-Og Awards 2023 The Books Council of Wales revealed the Welsh-language shortlists for this year’s Tir na n-Og Awards on S4C’s progamme, Heno, on Thursday, 23 March. The awards celebrate the very best of stories from Wales and stories of Wales published in 2022. This year’s shortlist celebrates the wide range of different formats published over the last year to inspire young readers. Including story and...

Make it YOUR World Book Day in 2023 Working in partnership to help more children than ever discover a love of books and reading The charity World Book Day® is holding its annual celebration on Thursday, 2 March 2023, a day dedicated to ensuring all children can develop a love of reading. World Book Day will give families and children a huge number of opportunities to mark the day in fun and affordable ways that are meaningful to them – in 2023, it’s YOUR World Book Day! With reading for...

Stories of Wales and Africa: Publishing success for families’ storybook Families and children from the North Wales Africa Society will see their own story in print this year as Y Lolfa prepares to publish The Fish Princess – a story created by the families through workshops with author Casia Wiliam and illustrator Jac Jones. The project was coordinated by the BLAS programme at Bangor’s Pontio Arts Centre, which has a long-standing relationship with the North Wales Africa Society. It was one of...

The Books Council and the Distribution Centre will be closed from Thursday afternoon, 22 December 2022 and will re-open after the holidays on Tuesday, 3 January 2023. We wish you all a happy and peaceful Christmas.  

Reading Well for teens supports the mental health and wellbeing of young people between 13 and 18 years old, providing information, advice, and support to help them manage their feelings and cope with tough times. The books have been chosen and recommended by leading health professionals and co-produced with young people. The Reading Well scheme has been developed by The Reading Agency in partnership with public libraries across England and Wales, with the Books Council of Wales making a...

Newsquest and Books Council of Wales joint statement – Corgi Cymru The Books Council of Wales and Newsquest have agreed to end the funding and provision of Welsh-language digital news service Corgi Cymru. Both parties came to a mutual agreement to propose to close Corgi Cymru’s digital channels at the end of October and allow the service to be wound down over the following month. One full-time and one part-time role are now at risk and a consultation will be held with affected Newsquest staff,...

Books Council of Wales joins Welsh Government campaign to ‘take Wales to the World’ As part of Welsh Government’s World Cup Partner Support Fund, the Books Council of Wales is one of 19 organisations getting behind the Wales team as they head for Qatar in November. Economy Minister Vaughan Gething has announced the projects that will promote and celebrate Wales at the tournament. A total of £1.8 million will be shared among 19 projects which aim to project our nation’s values and work to...

Congratulations to our Chief Executive, Helgard Krause, as she joins the Gorsedd of the Bards for services to the arts in Wales. Originally from Pfalz in Germany and multilingual, Helgard has a wealth of experience in publishing both in the UK and internationally. She came to Wales in 2005 when she started working for the Books Council of Wales as International Sales Officer. She learnt Welsh in order to become the Council’s Head of Sales & Marketing and became fluent within a few months....

Linda Tomos CBE appointed as Chair, Books Council of Wales Linda Tomos has been appointed as the Chair of the Board of Trustees at the Books Council of Wales at the Council’s AGM, held on Monday, 25 July. Linda succeeds Professor M. Wynn Thomas, who is retiring after leading the Council for 20 years. Members also confirmed Rona Aldrich to continue in her role as Vice-Chair of the Books Council, a role she has held since 2015. Upon her appointment, Linda Tomos said: ‘I look forward to working...

A DAY OF CELEBRATION FOR YOUNG READERS FROM ALL OVER WALES Aberystwyth Arts Centre was full to the rafters with children from all over Wales on 21–23 June when they came to take part in the national rounds of Darllen Dros Gymru and BookSlam, reading competitions organised by the Books Council of Wales for primary school pupils in Wales. The national rounds are the culmination of months of work and activity on a county level, with the winners of the county rounds progressing to the finals in...

Strong characters lead the way to win the Tir na n-Og 2022 Welsh-language children’s book awards This year’s winners of the Welsh-language Tir na n-Og children’s book awards were announced today, Thursday, 2 June, in a special celebration at the Urdd Eisteddfod in Denbighshire. Although very different in setting and theme, memorable characters who readers will care about are at the centre of the winning novels – Gwag y Nos by Sioned Wyn Roberts and Y Pump, edited by Elgan Rhys. Established in...

Winner of children’s picture book illustration competition announced The Books Council of Wales is delighted to announce the winner of a special competition organised with Urdd Gobaith Cymru to find new talent in the field of children’s book illustration. The prize is awarded to 21-year-old Naomi Bennet for her ‘exceptionally executed’ artworks and her ‘command of narrative illustration’. The task for entrants aged 18 to 25 was to create original artwork illustrating a short children’s story...

Igniting a love of reading: a book for each pupil to keep as the Schools Love Reading programme is launched All pupils aged 3–16 in state schools in Wales will be receiving a book of their own to keep as the Books Council of Wales and the Minister for Education and Welsh Language, Jeremy Miles, launch the Schools Love Reading programme today, Thursday, 26 May. Pupils from Ysgol Hamadryad in Butetown, Cardiff were amongst the first to receive their new books. Around 70 pupils celebrated the...

Heartfelt wartime novel wins 2022 Tir na n-Og English-language Children’s Book Award   The Valley of Lost Secrets by Lesley Parr (published by Bloomsbury) is this year’s winner of the 2022 Tir na n-Og English-language award for children’s and young people’s literature. The winning book was announced on the Radio Wales Arts Show at 18:30 on Friday 20 May, with the author receiving a cash prize of £1,000 sponsored by CILIP Cymru Wales, as well as a specially commissioned award created by...

New opportunities for publishing across Wales as Books Council of Wales announces recipients of New Audiences Grant The Books Council of Wales, alongside Creative Wales, has today announced the recipients of £186,000 of grant funding to create new opportunities and develop new audiences within the publishing sector in Wales. The New Audiences Grant will fund thirteen projects initially, with projects ranging from setting up new publishing houses owned and run by editors and authors from Black,...

Welsh Government supporting foodbanks and local community groups with book-gifting for children and young people   Community groups and foodbanks across Wales have added children’s books to the list of resources and support they are able to provide for families from this spring. As part of their delivery of Welsh Government’s book-gifting campaign, the Books Council of Wales have supplied over 40,000 books to foodbanks, community organisations and other local groups to make books...

Books Council of Wales to fund two Welsh-language digital news services from April 2022 Wales will have more dedicated Welsh-language digital news channels from April 2022 as the Books Council of Wales announces the recipients of the digital news service funding for the next 4 years. Golwg 360 and Corgi Cymru will each receive annual funding of £100,000 under the new agreement, which will run from April 2022 until March 2026. The grants were awarded following an open tender process, which...

English-language shortlist revealed for Wales’ oldest children’s book award – Tir na n-Og 2022 Gripping wartime drama… a retelling of ancient legends… a reflective tale of the healing power of nature, and a colourful cast of characters from Welsh history. The Books Council of Wales will reveal the English-language shortlist for this year’s Tir na n-Og Awards on the Radio Wales Arts Show on Friday, 11 March at 18:30pm. This year’s awards are an eclectic mix of the very best of stories from...

Welsh-language shortlist revealed for Wales’ oldest children’s book award – the Tir na n-Og Awards 2022 Exciting mysteries and comic book capers… a fresh look at the history and people of Wales… and powerful and empowering stories of growing up in Wales today. The Books Council of Wales will reveal the Welsh-language shortlists for this year’s Tir na n-Og Awards on S4C’s progamme, Heno, on Thursday, 10 March. This year’s awards are an eclectic mix of the very best of stories from Wales and...

https://llyfrau.cymru/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Poster-Diwrnod-y-Llyfr-2022-A2.pdf Celebrating 25 years of World Book Day This year’s packed programme will help more children than ever to discover a love for reading. The charity World Book Day turns 25 on Thursday 3rd March 2022 and is inviting everyone to its party celebrating the past, present and future of children’s reading. Reading for pleasure is the biggest indicator of a child’s future success – more than their family circumstances,...

The Books Council will be closed from Thursday, 23 December 2021 until after the holidays and will return on Tuesday, 4 January 2022.

Gwales.com will not be available on Wednesday the 15th of December between 9am – 4pm due to important maintenance of the website. We apologise for any inconvenience caused. We will continue to send books via second class mail until 2pm on Wednesday, 22 December, with normal services resuming on Tuesday, 4 January 2022.

Gwahodd ceisiadau ar gyfer Stori i Bawb: Cwrs Creu Straeon Amrywiol i Blant a Phobl Ifanc yng Nghanolfan Ysgrifennu Tŷ Newydd Mae Cyngor Llyfrau Cymru ar y cyd â Llenyddiaeth Cymru yn gwahodd ceisiadau gan awduron sydd â phrofiadau bywyd sy’n cael eu tangynrychioli, yn benodol o fewn y byd llenyddiaeth a chyhoeddi yn y Gymraeg, i ymgeisio am le ar gwrs preswyl yng Nghanolfan Ysgrifennu Tŷ Newydd. Hwylusydd: Elgan Rhys Siaradwyr gwadd/tiwtoriaidar gyfer gweithdai unigol: Cyd-awduron Y Pump, Nia...

Welsh Government announces £5m investment in reading engagement and book-gifting for children and young people across Wales The Books Council of Wales warmly welcomes the announcement of the significant additional funding from Welsh Government which will deliver the #SchoolsLoveReading book-gifting campaign starting in spring 2022. As part of this multi-million-pound investment in reading engagement, a selection of 50 books will be sent to every state school in Wales, in addition to an...

Our Story – publishing voices today To mark our 60th anniversary, two short films have been commissioned, Our Story – publishing voices today and Ein Stori – Lleisiau cyhoeddi heddiw, celebrating the publishing industry in Wales. Through the voices of Richard Davies, Jannat Ahmed, Lynda Tunnicliffe and others, Our Story – publishing voices today explores the contribution of the Books Council of Wales over the past 60 years and looks forward towards future challenges and opportunities....

Wales: A Reading Nation – Launching the Books Council of Wales’s 5-year Strategic Plan For 60 years the Books Council of Wales has advanced its purpose to support the publishing industry in Wales and to promote reading for pleasure. As we mark our anniversary, we are proud to share our new strategy that sets out our ambitions and vision for the next 5 years. It outlines how we will progress with our mission to support the publishing industry and promote reading in the context of a Covid...

Two Rivers from a Common Spring: The Books Council of Wales at 60 published today Two Rivers from a Common Spring: The Books Council of Wales at 60 is published today to mark the organisation’s anniversary. The beautiful volume tells the story of the Books Council over the last 60 years, from its origins in the 1960s to the present day. The volume is edited by Gwen Davies, with original linocuts by artist Molly Brown. It is presented in memory of Alun Creunant, the first Director of the Books...

Hooked on books… Books Council of Wales turns 60 The Books Council of Wales celebrates 60 years of supporting Wales’s publishing industry and celebrating reading with a week of activities from 1–5 November 2021. From looking back to its origins as a charity set up to promote the Welsh publishing industry in 1961, to announcing its vision for the future with the launch of its new 5-year Strategic Plan, Wales: A Reading Nation, the Council will be exploring all aspects of the sector in Wales...

HONOURING CONTRIBUTION TO THE FIELD OF CHILDREN’S BOOKS – MARY VAUGHAN JONES 2021 AWARD Menna Lloyd Williams is the recipient of the 2021 Mary Vaughan Jones Lifetime Achievement Award. The award is presented every three years by the Books Council of Wales in memory of Mary Vaughan Jones, who died in 1983, to a person who has made a special contribution to the field of children’s literature in Wales. Born in Llanfaethlu, Menna Lloyd Williams was educated at Ysgol Ffrwd Win and Ysgol Syr Thomas...

https://youtu.be/FFnOoUaqD8s This is the keynote speech by Professor Charlotte Williams OBE on Harnessing ‘book power’ for race equality in Wales that was delivered at the Books Council’s Annual Meeting, July 2021.

The Books Council of Wales has today announced the appointment of its new Treasurer, Alfred O. Oyekoya, to the Board of Trustees. This important role on the Board will be instrumental in leading the Council as it supports the book industry in Wales through Covid recovery and looks towards its new strategy for 2022 and beyond. Alfred Oyekoya is an MSc Finance graduate from Swansea University and a Chartered Accountant, with many years’ leadership and business development experience. He has...

Gorau’r Goreuon: Introducing three stories from the past to young audiences in 2021 The Books Council of Wales is launching the first three titles of Gorau’r Goreuon (The Best of the Best), a selection of books for children and young people. Gorau’r Goreuon aims to introduce a selection of books that are considered classics in children and young people’s literature to a new generation of readers. The titles that will be appearing in the first selection are Dirgelwch y Dieithryn (Elgan Philip...

On 30 July, Wales lost one of its great benefactors of children literature following the death of Roger Boore at the age of 82. Roger Boore was born in Cardiff in 1938. He had a degree in Classics from Oxford, a PhD in History from the University of Wales Swansea, and was a Chartered Accountant. He returned to Wales and was a life-long enthusiast of the Welsh language, which he began learning in his teens, and raised his family in Cardiff. In 1969 Roger and his wife Anne founded the publishing...

Well-being packs for young carers in Ceredigion this summer 80 packs of books are being sent to young carers across Ceredigion to support their well-being and encourage their reading journeys this summer. Young carers face the difficulty of balancing and juggling their caring responsibilities with those of everyday life, including their own education. These well-being packs will be a boost for them and a recognition of the excellent work they are doing every day. These packs have been provided...

ANNUAL MEETING The Books Council of Wales’ Annual Meeting will be held on Monday, 26 July at 12.00pm on Zoom Keynote speech will be given by Professor Charlotte Williams OBE on Harnessing ‘book power’ for race equality in Wales. Send us an email on castellbrychan@books.wales for the link to the meeting. Further information: Charlotte Williams OBE, academic and writer, is Honorary Professor in the School of History, Philosophy and Social Sciences at Bangor University and holds honorary...

This year’s Darllen Dros Gymru competition was held in a very different way to usual. The tasks set for the readers remained the same; to discuss a book of their choice from a set list and to present a short performance advertising another book. Llinos Penfold adjudicated the discussions, and Mari Lovgreen the performances. Given the current circumstances this year’s competition was held on-line. Year 3 and 4 pupils were the first to take part. Ysgol y Felinheli came first with their...

Go wild for reading with the Summer Reading Challenge 2021 Wild World Heroes – online or at your local library Summer Reading Challenge launching in libraries across Wales and England 10 July 2021 (launched in Scotland and N. Ireland on 19 June) ‘Wild World Heroes’ theme, in partnership with WWF, to encourage children across the country to engage in fun reading activity focused on environmental issues Online Challenge platform offers digital rewards for reading, supporting reading catch-up...

The Books Council of Wales is delighted to announce the winner of a special competition organised with Urdd Gobaith Cymru to find new talent in the field of children’s book illustration. The prize is awarded to 24-year-old Lily Mŷrennyn from the Rhondda for her ‘exceptionally executed’ artworks and her ‘command of narrative illustration’. The task for entrants aged 18 to 25 was to create original artwork illustrating a short children’s story by one of Wales’ leading writers, Manon Steffan Ros....

Modern-day stories about the bravery of two girls who find themselves in very challenging but very different situations have triumphed in the Welsh-language categories of the prestigious Tir na n-Og Awards 2021 for children’s and young people’s literature. The winner in the primary school age category was Casia Wiliam for her novel Sw Sara Mai (‘Sara Mai’s Zoo’, published by Y Lolfa), with #helynt (‘#trouble’) by Rebecca Roberts (Gwasg Carreg Gwalch) taking the top prize in the secondary...

The Books Council of Wales has appointed seven new Trustees to lead the national charity in its work of supporting the publishing industry and promoting reading. Rajvi Glasbrook Griffiths, Alwena Hughes Moakes, Lowri Ifor, Professor Carwyn Jones, Linda Tomos, Professor Gerwyn Wiliams and Dr Caroline Owen Wintersgill will take up their positions on the new Board of Trustees on 1 April 2021. The Board will be responsible for the governance of the Books Council and will oversee the direction and...

Three stories exploring Wales at different times through history feature in the English-language books shortlisted for the Tir na n-Og Children’s Book Awards 2021 announced today (12 March 2021) on the Radio Wales Arts Show. The periods of history range from the early Middle Ages when Welsh national identity was gathering strength in The Short Knife by Elen Caldecott, to a family emigrating from Wales to the USA at the turn of the twentieth century in The Quilt by Valériane Leblond, and a...

The Books Council of Wales is delighted to announce the six Welsh-language books shortlisted for the 2021 Tir na n-Og Awards, which celebrate the best books from Wales for children and young people. The primary age category includes Ble Mae Boc – Ar Goll yn y Chwedlau by Huw Aaron (Y Lolfa), Mae’r Cyfan i Ti by Luned Aaron (Atebol) and Sw Sara Mai by Casia Wiliam (Y Lolfa). The books reaching the shortlist in the secondary age category are Y Castell Siwgr by Angharad Tomos (Gwasg Carreg...

Books from Wales will be celebrated on the digital stage on World Book Day this year, Thursday 4 March 2021. In a partnership between the Books Council of Wales and multimedia culture platform AM, a 12-hour celebration of reading will be held on amam.cymru from 9am on World Book Day. Throughout the day the platform will showcase author readings, book reviews, reading recommendations and more, with publishers, booksellers and other organisations across Wales contributing new Welsh and...

The Books Council of Wales is encouraging people across Wales to share a story in celebration of World Book Day 2021 on Thursday 4 March. Sharing a story could include reading at home with the family, sharing a story with your pet, reading in your favourite place, reading in an unusual location and more! With only a week to go before the big day, the Books Council is also asking people to share their reading photos on social media during March, using the...

Copyright permissions on re-using published material in schools and colleges have been temporarily increased during lockdown, following efforts by the Copyright Licensing Agency (CLA), the Books Council of Wales and the publishing industry. The CLA announced on 9 February 2021 that, following consultation with their members, there will be a temporary increase in the copying limit in the Education Licence from the current 5% to 20% until 31 March 2021. And the Books Council of Wales has made...

Independent booksellers across Wales continue to take orders online, over the phone or click-and-collect. If you just want to curl up with a good book, our booksellers have got a fabulous selection of titles to choose from. They also offer a unique personal service and great advice on what to buy. We’ve listed below the contact details for independent bookshops across Wales or you can click on our interactive map to find your local bookshop: llyfrau.cymru/en/bookshops-of-wales If you’re a...

Our offices and Distribution Centre will close its doors on Wednesday afternoon, 23 December and will re-open on Monday, 4 January 2021. We would like to wish you a peaceful and safe Christmas and thank you for your support under challenging circumstances this year. Onwards we go to 2021!

The Books Council of Wales is delighted to support a story writing competition for Welsh primary school pupils organised by BBC Radio Cymru. As part of World Book Day 2021 events, the station’s morning presenter Aled Hughes is calling on children to write a Welsh-language story of up to 500 words on the theme of "Y Llwybr Hud" (‘The Magic Path"). There are three categories for different ages, namely: Foundation Phase, 5-7 years Key stage 2a, 7-9 years Key stage 2b, ages 9-11 Aled Hughes will...

The Books Council of Wales is delighted to announce that Huw Aaron is the author of the new £1 Welsh-language book being published for World Book Day 2021. In his own distinctive style, the talented cartoonist and illustrator from Cardiff is creating Ha Ha Cnec for children young and old to enjoy on the next World Book Day, 4 March 2021. As the title suggests, the volume will be packed with jokes and cartoons along with some of Huw's unique characters. To celebrate the announcement of the...

On 20 November 2020, Wales lost one of its great literary figures following the death of Jan Morris at the age of 94. A journalist, novelist, travel writer and historian, she wrote more than 40 books during her lifetime, including Pax Britannica (Faber, 1968, 1973, 1978), a trilogy on the history of the British Empire; The Matter of Wales: Epic Views of a Small Country (Oxford University Press, 1984) and Conundrum (Faber & Faber, 2002), a memoir recording her transition from man to woman,...

Courses to develop new authors and illustrators, arranged by the Books Council of Wales and Literature Wales, are starting to bear fruit. During the past 12 months, a variety of books have been published or are due to be published by authors and illustrators who attended the courses held at Tŷ Newydd Writing Centre in Llanystumdwy, Gwynedd. A course on Writing and Illustrating for Children was held during February 2019, and another on Writing for Young Adults in February 2020, with a total of...

As lockdown restrictions begin to ease, bookshops in Wales have started to reopen their doors since Monday 22 June 2020. Many continue to sell online too, offering click and collect, postal or local delivery services. As lockdown restrictions begin to ease, bookshops in Wales have started to reopen their doors since Monday 22 June 2020. Many continue to sell online too, offering click and collect, postal or local delivery services. We’ve been pulling together information about the arrangements...

One of Wales’ literary greats, the author and poet Emyr Humphreys, died on Wednesday, 30 September 2020. Aged 101, his writing career spanned seven decades. Emyr Humphreys was an Honorary President of the Friends of the Books Council of Wales and a close friend of the Chair of the Books Council, Professor M. Wynn Thomas, who wrote this tribute. One of Wales’ literary greats, the author and poet Emyr Humphreys, died on Wednesday, 30 September 2020. Aged 101, his writing career spanned seven...

Seran Dolma from Penrhyndeudraeth is the winner of a competition organised by the Friends of the Books Council of Wales to find new ideas for Welsh-language novels for young adults. The news was announced on the Aled Hughes programme on BBC Radio Cymru on Tuesday, 29 September 2020. Seran, who has two children aged 8 and 3, receives a cash prize of £1,000 from the Friends, as well as the opportunity for advice on turning her idea into a published novel. The response to the competition was...

The first in a hundred packs of free books have been delivered to families across Ceredigion this week. In a new partnership between Ceredigion County Council, the Cambrian Rail Partnership and the Books Council of Wales, a selection of six books is being sent to 100 children and young people who receive support services through the local authority. The packs include reading books for different ages and interests, as well as coloured pencils and a range of activity sheets. The aim of the...

The Summer Reading Challenge will be launched in Wales today by the Education Minister and the Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism. The Summer Reading Challenge will be launched in Wales today by the Education Minister and the Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism. The annual Challenge aims to get children between the ages of 4 and 11 to read six books over the summer holidays. This year’s Challenge sees a shift to a new bilingual digital platform, supported by library...

Books tackling some of the big issues of the day have won the 2020 Tir na n-Og Awards for children’s and young people’s literature in Welsh. Pobol Drws Nesaf (‘The People Next Door’) by author Manon Steffan Ros and illustrator Jac Jones took the prize for the best title in the Welsh-language primary age category. Aimed at readers aged 3–7, this picture book urges us to respect each other and not judge someone who looks or behaves differently to us. The prize for the best Welsh-language book in...

Author Claire Fayers has won the 2020 Tir na n-Og English-language award for her fantasy adventure story, steeped in Norse legend and Welsh mythology. Storm Hound was one of four books with an authentic Welsh background shortlisted for the prestigious award for children’s and young people’s literature, which is organised annually by the Books Council of Wales. The announcement of the winning title was made live on the Radio Wales Arts Show on Friday 3 July 2020. Speaking about her win,...

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...

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...

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...

The winners of the prestigious 2020 Tir Na n-Og Awards for children and young people’s literature are to be announced in July 2020. The winners of the prestigious 2020 Tir Na n-Og Awards for children and young people’s literature are to be announced in July 2020. The judges’ choice for the best book written in English with an authentic Welsh background will be revealed on the BBC Radio Wales Arts Show programme at 6.30pm on Friday 3 July 2020. The winning titles in the Welsh-language primary...

Award-winning author Matt Haig's memoir of living with depression has been translated into Welsh as part of the groundbreaking Reading Well Books on Prescription for mental health scheme. Award-winning author Matt Haig's memoir of living with depression has been translated into Welsh as part of the groundbreaking Reading Well Books on Prescription for mental health scheme. Regularly featured on best-seller lists, Matt Haig's Reasons to Stay Alive is among the latest collection of self-help...

A series of online art sessions for children by one of Wales’ leading cartoonists has been viewed more than 30,000 times since it was launched at the start of the school closures due to Coronavirus. A series of online art sessions for children by one of Wales’ leading cartoonists has been viewed more than 30,000 times since it was launched at the start of the school closures due to Coronavirus. Criw Celf is a partnership between Welsh children's magazines Cip and Mellten, illustrator Huw...

On International Children’s Books Day (April 2nd), the University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) in partnership with the Books Council of Wales are delighted to announce that they have awarded a PhD scholarship in the internationalisation of children's literature to Megan Farr from Penarth. On International Children’s Books Day (April 2nd), the University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) in partnership with the Books Council of Wales are delighted to announce that they have awarded a...

During these days of social distancing and self-isolation, many of us will be reaching for a good read. And while independent bookshops across Wales may have temporarily closed their doors in line with official guidelines, the good news is that many are still offering postal and online services. During these days of social distancing and self-isolation, many of us will be reaching for a good read. And while independent bookshops across Wales may have temporarily closed their doors in line with...

The Books Council of Wales has welcomed emergency funding of £150,000 from the Welsh Government to help the books sector during the current coronavirus crisis. The Books Council of Wales has welcomed emergency funding of £150,000 from the Welsh Government to help the books sector during the current coronavirus crisis. The fund will be administered by the Books Council, the national charity responsible for supporting the book industry and promoting reading in Wales. The additional money for the...

Tales of dragons, families, myths and magic set amongst the mountains and coastlines of Wales feature in the English-language books shortlisted today (27 March 2020) for the Tir na n-Og Awards 2020. Tales of dragons, families, myths and magic set amongst the mountains and coastlines of Wales feature in the English-language books shortlisted today (27 March 2020) for the Tir na n-Og Awards 2020. The Welsh-language shortlists include picture books promoting tolerance, tackling materialism and...

Following the introduction of more stringent measures to try to slow the spread of coronavirus, the Books Council’s offices at Castell Brychan and our Distribution Centre in Aberystwyth are now closed at least until mid April. Following the introduction of more stringent measures to try to slow the spread of coronavirus, the Books Council’s offices at Castell Brychan and our Distribution Centre in Aberystwyth are now closed at least until mid April. A number of our staff are working from home...

The Books Council of Wales is monitoring developments closely and implementing a series of special measures in response to the latest situation and guidelines. The Books Council of Wales is monitoring developments closely and implementing a series of special measures in response to the latest situation and guidelines. The aim is to take appropriate steps to ensure our core mission of supporting the publishing industry continues, while doing all that is practically possible to help reduce the...

Welsh Government has announced additional capital funding for the Books Council of Wales to invest in information technology systems which will support the growth of the publishing industry in Wales. Welsh Government has announced additional capital funding for the Books Council of Wales to invest in information technology systems which will support the growth of the publishing industry in Wales. The additional £750,000 has been secured from the 2020-21 budget and will allow the Books Council...

Book lovers across Wales will join together to celebrate World Book Day, which takes place this year on 5 March 2020. Book lovers across Wales will join together to celebrate World Book Day, which takes place this year on 5 March 2020. The Books Council of Wales is inviting schools, bookshops, colleges, libraries, businesses and households to join the largest annual celebration of books and reading in the United Kingdom and Ireland, by taking part in activities and events across Wales and by...

How can books benefit our mental health? That’s the topic for debate at this year’s annual World Book Day event organised by the Books Council of Wales. At Venue Cymru in Llandudno on Thursday 5 March 2020, a panel of six experts will discuss the benefits of ‘bibliotherapy’ where self-help books are used to support mental health and wellbeing. A wide range of books is available as part of the Reading Well Books on Prescription scheme, which provides helpful reading to support health and...

Representatives from 12 book publishing companies across Wales attended a special training session at Castell Brychan, Aberystwyth, in February 2020 on international metadata standards for the book sector. Representatives from 12 book publishing companies across Wales attended a special training session at Castell Brychan, Aberystwyth, in February 2020 on international metadata standards for the book sector. The event was organised by the Books Council of Wales as part of its annual programme...

The Books Council of Wales and Literature Wales are proud to announce the names of the successful writers chosen to take part in our debut Welsh-language Writing for Young Adults course, tutored by Bethan Gwanas and Manon Steffan Ros in February 2020. The Books Council of Wales and Literature Wales are proud to announce the names of the successful writers chosen to take part in our debut Welsh-language Writing for Young Adults course, tutored by Bethan Gwanas and Manon Steffan Ros in February...

Please note that staff at the Distribution Centre will be undertaking their annual stocktake from Monday 27th of January until Wednesday the 29th of January, during which time orders will not be processed.

A special invitation to be part of the Tir na n-Og Reader's Choice Award. Dear Readers, We at Books Council of Wales HQ are busy getting ready for next year’s Tir na n-Og Children’s Book Awards and are very excited to be able to offer you the opportunity to be a very important part of the action. Our judging panel have been super busy over the Christmas holidays reading all the books submitted for consideration. The shortlisted titles will be announced on 27 March, just before the Easter...

The Friends of the Book Council of Wales our holding a competition to find new ideas for Welsh-language novels for young adults, and are offering a generous prize. Authors are asked to send the first few chapters of a Welsh-language novel for young adults, together with a synopsis of the remainder of the novel by 20 February 2020. The competition will be adjudicated by the author Meinir Pierce Jones, the composer and former librarian Robat Arwyn Jones, and Gwawr Maelor, a lecturer in...

A Wici-Llên editathon will be held at the Books Council of Wales office, Castell Brychan, Aberystwyth on Friday, 10 January 2020 between 12:00 and 16:00. Wici-Llen aims to create and enrich information about Welsh Literature on both Wikipedia and Wikidata platforms. The project is a partnership between the National Library of Wales and Menter Iaith Môn, supported by a grant from the Welsh Government. Jason Evans, National Wikimedian, National Library of Wales, will be present at the editathon...

The Books Council of Wales are launching a new competition with the Urdd for the 2020 Eisteddfod. The Books Council of Wales are launching a new competition with the Urdd for the 2020 Eisteddfod. This is a golden opportunity for illustrators aged between 18 and 25 to compete for the chance to see their work in print, alongside a new original story by author Manon Steffan Ros. Helen Jones, Head of Children’s Books explained "The task is to create a ‘dummy’ book that will including rough...

Literature Wales announces a New Children & Young People's Category and Ceremony Location Literature Wales has today announced the inclusion of a new category to the annual Wales Book of the Year Awards. The introduction of a category for books written for Children and Young People will expand the reach and impact of the award and help raise the profile of Wales and its talented authors. Supporting Literature Wales'  Strategic Plan for 2019-22,  this new category will help to...

Free event; Book Signings; Author Readings and more... Friday 01 November 2019 at 7:30pm - Poetry & Music at Monachty Hotel Saturday 02 November 2019 11am-5pm and Sunday 03 November 10am-4pm - Book Fair at the Memorial Hall Authors attending Alun Davies; Alys Einion; Chris Armstrong; Colin R Parsons; Daniel Davies; Derek Moore Geraint Evans; Huw Davies; Ifan Morgan Jones; Jackie Biggs; Jacqueline Jeynes; John M Hughes Karen Gemma Brewer; Kathy Miles; Lazarus Carpenter; L E...

#Her100Cerdd is back to celebrate National Poetry Day Literature Wales is proud to announce that Her 100 Cerdd will return this October for the seventh year in a row. Four poets have been challenged to compose a total of 100 original poems in just 24 hours as part of the National Poetry Day celebrations. The four brave poets undertaking this year’s challenge are Beth Celyn, Dyfan Lewis, Elinor Wyn Reynolds and Matthew Tucker. All four poets will need to write at least one poem per hour in...

Rily Publications is about to publish an innovative Welsh-language book for children that introduces the basics of various underlying emotions, including anger, happiness, jealousy, fear and anxiety. As recent statistics suggest that the number of young children suffering from anxiety is on the increase, it is clear that there is a real need for suitable resources and literature to try to help children understand and cope with their feelings, for the benefit of their mental health. Rily...

Literature Wales has announced that popular Pembrokeshire-based children's author  Eloise Williams  is the first  Children's Laureate Wales.  This new national ambassadorial post aims to engage and inspire the children of Wales through literature, and to promote a child's right to have their stories and voices heard. The announcement was made on Wednesday 18 September in front of 150 pupils at Jubilee Park Primary School in Newport. Eloise is currently the school’s Patron...

Rygbi;  the book that contains everything you need to know about the world of rugby, from how to play, iconic players, the World Cup, legendary teams as well as all the facts and figures to make us all excited about this wonderful and all-consuming game! Rygbi;  the book that contains everything you need to know about the world of rugby, from how to play, iconic players, the World Cup, legendary teams as well as all the facts and figures to make us all excited about this wonderful...

The Books Council of Wales is aware of Gomer Press’s decision to stop commissioning new titles. Gomer has made a considerable contribution to Welsh publishing. It is home to some of our most distinguished authors and our most noteworthy titles. Whilst we are very disappointed with this development, we’re pleased that Gomer will continue to take care of the thousands of titles and important authors which comprise their backlist and ensure that popular titles remain in print. We will continue to...

The Books Council of Wales are launching a new competition with the Urdd for the 2020 Eisteddfod. This is a golden opportunity for illustrators aged between 18 and 25 to compete for the chance to see their work in print, along side a brand new original story by author Manon Steffan Ros. Helen Jones, Head of Children’s Books explained ‘The task is to create a ‘dummy’ book that will including rough sketches for a children’s picture book as well as finished artwork for at least four double-page...

Rhiannon Ifans has been awarded the Literary Medal at the 2019 National Eisteddfod for her novel, ‘Ingrid’. Rhiannon Ifans has been awarded the Literary Medal at the 2019 National Eisteddfod for her novel, ‘Ingrid’. This year’s medal is presented for a volume of creative prose of no more than 40,000 words, on the theme of 'Cylchoedd ' ('Circles'). The adjudicators were Mererid Hopwood, Alun Cob and Aled Islwyn.

The winner of the Daniel Owen Memorial Prize for 2018 is Guto Dafydd for his novel, Carafanio. Guto Dafydd, a native of Drefor, has won the Daniel Owen Memorial Prize for 2019 at the National Eisteddfod at Llanrwst, for his novel Carafanio. This literary prize is awarded for an unpublished novel with a strong story line, and this year’s adjudicators were Haf Llewelyn, Dyfed Edwards and Llwyd Owen.

Get ready to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Summer Reading Challenge with Space Chase, a very special reading mission. The Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism, Lord Elis-Thomas, launched the challenge in Newtown Library on Friday, 12 July 2019, and was joined by popular author and illustrator Max Low. This year’s Summer Reading Challenge is Space Chase, which coincides with the 50th anniversary of the moon landings. Endorsed by parents, teachers, the Welsh Books Council and...

On 25 and 26 June, scores of children from 34 schools across Wales took over the Arts Centre in Aberystwyth for two days of keen competition. It was the national round of Darllen Dros Gymru, the Welsh Books Council’s Welsh-language books competition for primary schools.   All pupils were competing for the prestigious title of Darllen Dros Gymru 2019 Champions. The national round is the culmination of reading activities across Wales, with the regional winners making it through to the final in...

From 26 June, health professionals in Wales will be able to prescribe free library books to assist people in managing their mental health or dealing with difficult feelings and experiences in what experts behind the scheme are calling ‘bibliotherapy’.   The Reading Well Books on Prescription for mental health scheme has been developed by The Reading Agency and public libraries, leading health organisations including the Royal College of Psychiatrists, Mind, the Royal College of General...

The Welsh Books Council is delighted to announce the publication of the first Welsh-language adaptations of titles dealing with mental health from the Reading Well Books on Prescription scheme. Working with the translation company Testun, we have been able to translate the first four out of 20 selected books into Welsh in time for The Reading Agency’s launch of the scheme in Cardiff on 26 June. The books, published by Y Lolfa, are: Cyflwyniad i Ymdopi â Gorbryder Cyflwyniad i Ymdopi â Galar...

Pupils from Cyfarthfa Park Primary, Methyr Tydfil, BookSlam 2019 winners. A team of avid readers from Cyfarthfa Park Primary School, Merthyr Tydfil, have been crowned the 2019 Champions of BookSlam, the Welsh Books Council’s annual reading competition for children. The national round, held recently at Aberystwyth Arts Centre, saw hundreds of pupils from primary schools throughout Wales competing for the national championship. Their task was to impress the judges in two rounds, namely a...

The winners of the 2019 Tir na n-Og Welsh-language awards were announced at this year's Urdd National Eisteddfod at the Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff, on Thursday, May 30. The winners of the 2019 Tir na n-Og Welsh-language awards were announced at this year’s Urdd National Eisteddfod at the Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff, on Thursday, May 30. Winners of the primary category are Elin Meek from Carmarthen and Valériane Leblond from Llangwyryfon for  Cymru ar y Map  (Rily), a stunning...

A magical mystery of snow and stars by a master storyteller. In a prestigious event held at the School of Journalism, Media and Culture, Cardiff University on 16 May, as part of the CILIP Wales Conference (Chartered Institute of Librarians and Information Professionals), this year’s award was presented to Catherine Fisher for her novel  The Clockwork Crow, published by Firefly Press. Since its inception in 1976 the Welsh Books Council has annually celebrated the best English-language title...

Full programme details for this year's  Montgomeryshire Literary Festival  have been released, featuring a stellar line up of leading authors including Horatio Clare, Sir Simon Jenkins and Clare Mackintosh.   Press Release Now in its second year, the 2019 Monty Lit Fest will take place over the weekend of 14-16th June in the stunning and historic setting of Gregynog Hall, near Newtown. As with last year’s inaugural Festival, the event celebrates authors with personal and literary links with...

Literature Wales has today announced which titles have been shortlisted for both the English and Welsh-language Wales Book of the Year Awards 2019. Literature Wales has today announced which titles have been shortlisted for both the English and Welsh-language Wales Book of the Year Awards 2019. The Award is presented annually to the best works in the fields of creative writing and literary criticism in three categories: Poetry, Fiction and Creative Non-Fiction. This year's Short Lists include...