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 break, along with a resource for any readers that would like to act as unofficial judges (some call it a Shadowing Scheme). It includes details on all the books and authors that have made it on the shortlist as well as suggestions for activities linked to the books.
The judging panel is made up of individuals that have expertise in the field of children’s literature and, although they are all lovely and clever, they are all adults. This is where you come in. We want to hear what you, the readers, think of them.
This is the plan.
We will send you a set of the shortlisted titles before the Easter break (27 March) so that you have time to either read them together as a group or pass them around to read individually. You then discuss the books and decide which one you think should win the Tir na n-Og Reader’s Choice Award.
Your votes would be added to those of all the other Reader’s Choice Shadowing Groups and the winner announced at the Awards Ceremonies, held at Bangor University on May 13, 2020 ( for the best English-language title with an authentic Welsh background) and at the Urdd Eisteddfod in Denbighshire on May 28 2020 ( for the best original Welsh-language titles in the primary and secondary categories).
As part of the Reader’s Choice Shadowing Scheme you would be invited to this prestigious ceremony and there you will have the opportunity to meet the shortlisted authors in the flesh. We would be thrilled if you were to be part of this year’s Awards.
Please let us know (name of school/group, category that you would like to shadow: English-language, original Welsh primary/original Welsh secondary, number of readers and contact details) by 14 February at the latest so that we can make sure that you receive the books.
WE WILL BE DISTRIBUTING THE FREE SETS ON A FIRST COME FIRST SERVED BASIS – SO BE QUICK! (You can still take part in the shadowing but will have to fund your own books.)
Looking forward to hearing from you,
Keep reading,
Helen Jones
Head of Children’s Books and Reading Promotion
