Themed Series
We work with partners to bring a range of books on specific themes to readers across Wales.
Our Reading Well Books on Prescription series include books which deal with dementia and mental health, while Quick Reads are aimed at encouraging less confident readers to read more. And for those who are learning Welsh, there’s a great selection of titles available as part of the Amdani series.
All these books are available to borrow through your local library, or to buy through your local bookshop or online.
Publishing Development
Publishing Development The aim of the Department is to support publishers in Wales to maintain and develop diverse publishing programmes of high quality. This is achieved mainly through the distribution of grants but also through organising training and...Chief Executive
Helgard Krause was appointed Chief Executive of the Books Council of Wales in April 2017. Originally from Germany and multilingual, Helgard has a wealth of experience in academic, professional, illustrated and trade publishing. Her career in publishing began at...
Avid Readers Shine at BookSlam Finals
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 10-minute discussion and an 8-minute dramatic presentation based on their chosen books. At the end of an exciting day, Cyfarthfa Park Primary School, Merthyr Tydfil, was crowned the overall BookSlam Champions, having impressed the discussion judge with their knowledge of the book Flight by Vanessa Harbour. In the presentation round they performed their own interpretation of Rugby Zombies by Dan Anthony. During the day’s activities, children and teachers also enjoyed a fantastic presentation by author Shoo Rayner. The adjudicators this year were Pam John for the discussions and Anna Sherratt for the presentations. Helgard Krause, Chief Executive of the Welsh Books Council, said: “The aim of BookSlam is to get children from all over Wales reading. By discussing and performing what they have read, the pupils gain a deeper understanding of some of the wonderful children’s books we have here in Wales. It was a great pleasure to see the youngsters brimming with enthusiasm during the national round of BookSlam, and our thanks go to the dedicated and hard-working county organisers, teachers and other supporters that make these events possible.” The 2019 runners-up were Ysgol Penllwyn, Ceredigion with Christ the King R C, Cardiff and Franksbridge, Powys Primary Schools in joint third position. Thanks to the support of Welsh publishers every child who took part in the competition was invited to choose a free book to take home as a memento of the day.
