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As well as celebrating excellence in writing for children and young people in Welsh, these awards are unique in awarding English-language books with an authentic Welsh background.
Dark is Rising Sequence and again in 1978 with the last in the series, Silver on the Tree (Penguin 1977). T. Llew Jones, one of Wales’ greatest children’s authors, won the inaugural Welsh- language award with Tân Ar y Comin/ Fire on the Common (Gomer 1975) a story about a Roma boy left alone to fend for himself after his grandfather dies. He won again in 1990 with his classic collection of Welsh legends Lleuad yn Olau/One Moonlit Night (Gomer 1990 and 2015).
Recent winners of the English-language award include Wales’ first Young People’s Laureate Catherine Fisher for The Clockwork Crow (Firefly Press 2019) – Catherine also won in 1995 for The Candle Man (Red Fox 1995). The Clockwork Crow is the first in a magical fantasy trilogy set in a Victorian mansion in Wales, with an orphan trying to find a missing boy who has been taken by the Tylwyth Teg (Fairy Folk). Hayley Long who studied English at Aberystwyth University and had her first novels published by Welsh publishers Parthian and Accent Press won with her YA novel The Nearest Far Away Place (Hot Key Books 2018) about grief and healing set between the US and Wales. G. R. Gemin who was born in Cardiff to Italian parents and drew on his Welsh/ Italian heritage to write a story about Italian immigrants in Sweet Pizza (Nosy Crow 2017) also won with his debut story Cowgirl (Nosy Crow 2015). Other notable winners include the storyteller Daniel Morden for his short story collections inspired by Welsh mythology and fairy tales The Tree of Leaf and Flame (Gomer 2013) and Dark Tales from the Woods, 2007.
Spring-Summer 2020
Tir na n-Og 2019 Welsh-language shortlisted authors and illustrators. Back row, left to right: Valeriane Leblond, Elin Meek, Huw Aaron, Luned Aaron, Haf Llewelyn, Manon Steffan Ros. Photo © Sioned Birchall
Irish author Malachy Doyle, who lived and worked in Wales for many years and still has family here, won for Georgie (Bloomsbury 2002) – a hard hitting novel about the effects of trauma on the development of young children. Wales- based author and illustrator Jackie Morris, who won the CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal for The Lost Words in 2019, won with The Seal Children (Otter-Barry Books 2005) and Cities in the Sea by Siân Lewis (Pont Books 1997). Jenny Nimmo won for her classic children’s book The Snow Spider (Egmont 1987). The TV adaptation by Owen Sheers will air on both CBBC and BBC Wales later this year. Noteworthy winners of the Welsh- language awards include Manon Steffan Ros who has won an impressive four times for Fi a Joe Allen/Me and Joe Allen (Y Lolfa 2019), Pluen/Feather (Y Lolfa 2017), Prism (Y Lolfa 2012) and Trwy’r Tonnau/ Through the Waves (Y Lolfa 2010). Her YA novel Llyfr Glas Nebo/The Blue Book of Nebo (Y Lolfa 2018) about a mother and son surviving in a post-apocalyptic Wales was shortlisted for the Tir na n-Og Awards 2019, won the Wales Book of the Year 2019 and Prose Medal at the National Eisteddfod 2018 and has been adapted into a successful theatre production.
Poet and translator Mererid Hopwood who
adapted The Lost Words Geriau Diflanedig (Graffeg 2019) won for her children’s book Dosbarth Miss Prydderch/Miss Prydderch’s Class (Gomer 2018). Gareth F. Williams won five times for his gripping stories Y Gêm/The Game (Gwasg Carreg Gwalch 2015), Cwmwl Dros y Cwm/Cloud Over the Valley (Gwasg Carreg Gwalch 2014), Eira Man, Eira Mawr/Small Flakes, Big Snow (Gomer 2008), Adref Heb Elin/Home Without Elin (Gomer 2007) and Dirgelwch Loch Ness/The Loch Ness Mystery (Collins 1997).
English-language shortlist 2020 The judges for the English-language award include Eleri Twynog Davies (Chair of Judges and Director of Mewn Cymeriad/In Character), Jo Bowers (Principal Lecturer in Primary Education, Cardiff Metropolitan University), Laura Draper (Teacher at Llanfoist Primary School) and Alexandra Ball (Librarian, Caerphilly County Council). Eleri Twynog Davies said: “All four books on the shortlist are of very high quality, from the covers, illustrations and design, to great character building and excellent storytelling. They take us from Abergavenny to Ogmore and Snowdonia, giving us a real sense of place – a central criteria for this award. It is so important
PEN&INC. 33
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