Books Council on the Hunt for the New ‘Gruffalo’

Nov 1, 2019

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 sketches for a children’s picture book as well as finished artwork for at least four double-page spreads. Manon’s words will form one part of the story with the illustrations adding another dimension to the narrative.”

She added “We will naturally be looking for a visually creative talent that will appeal to a young audience as well as to the adult who will be sharing the story. We will also be assessing the artistic skill of the applicants to use text with imagery, their interpretation of narrative, storytelling and characterisation.”

Arwel ‘Rocet’ Jones, Head of the Publishing Grants Department at The Books Council said “Many of our most iconic children’s books in Welsh are picture books, from the Sali Mali series to Rala Rwdins, and developing illustrators who can tell original stories for younger readers is as important as developing authors. I truly hope that this competition will help to nurture new talent in this field.”

Text for the story will be supplied by contacting the Urdd or the Books Council. Details of the competition can be found on page 57 of the Competition Schedule on the Urdd’s website. Closing date for entries is March 1 2020.

For further information, contact Helen Jones, Head of the Children’s Books and Reading Promotion Department, Welsh Books Council, Castell Brychan, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, SY23 2JB 01970 624151 helen.jones@books.wales

Wales Book of the Year 2020

Oct 29, 2019

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 inspire and encourage a new generation of creative readers and writers from Wales. Literature Wales will engage with children and young people to ensure their voices and opinions are heard, as they will have the opportunity to cast a vote in the Children and Young People’s Choice Award.

Lleucu Siencyn, CEO of Literature Wales said “Getting children and young people involved in literature, to identify with the content they read and fall in love with words and stories, can have a lasting positive effect as they grow into adulthood. Through the development of our new Strategic Plan, and sector and partner consultation it became apparent that our stakeholders were eager to see writing for children and young people represented at Wales’  biggest annual literary celebration. We wholeheartedly agree, and this important addition clearly establishes that literature for children is on a par with that which is intended for adult readership.”

The Children and Young People’s category will join the three other longstanding categories – Poetry, Fiction, and Creative Non-Fiction – in both Welsh and English, with one of the four category winners announced as the overall Award Winner at a glittering ceremony next summer. Submissions for the Children and Young People’s category will be intended for readership up to 16 years of age, and fiction, poetry and literary non-fiction are all eligible.

This is the first of a number of announcements for the 2020 award. Further announcements made in 2020 will include information on new partners and sponsors, as well as revealing the judging panels.

Meanwhile, following a successful event at  Aberystwyth Arts Centre  in 2019, Literature Wales is pleased to confirm that the 2020 Wales Book of the Year Award Ceremony will be held on  Thursday 25 of June 2020  and will return to Aberystwyth Arts Centre’s  Theatr y Werin  for a second year running.

Dafydd Rhys,  Director of Aberystwyth Arts Centre said:  “We are delighted to be hosting the Wales Book of the Year Awards here at Aberystwyth Arts Centre for the second year running. Aberystwyth is without doubt the ‘spiritual home’ of Welsh literature and we are so looking forward to celebrating Welsh writing at its finest.”

Key Dates for 2020

The Wales Book of the Year Short List will be announced on Tuesday 12 May 2020, and the Award Ceremony will be held on Thursday 25 June 2020. The names of the judging panel will be released during March 2020.