A tale of two literatures: the landscape of children’s publishing in Wales

Megan Farr

Wales, a country of just over three million people, has a rich literary tradition in both of its national languages, Welsh and English. This linguistic duality has greatly shaped the landscape of children’s publishing in Wales, creating parallel yet interweaving streams of literature. From religious texts to contemporary novels, the story of children’s publishing in Wales is one of cultural preservation, linguistic revival, and creative innovation.

18th and 19th centuries: Roots in Religion and Education

The roots of children’s publishing in Wales can be traced back to the 18th and 19th centuries, with a strong foundation in religious and educational contexts. During this period, each of the four non-conformist denominations in Wales had its own book room, publishing and distributing books and magazines through Sunday schools. A significant publication from this era was the magazine Trysorfa y Plant (Children’s Treasury), founded in 1862, which at its peak sold around 40,000 copies a month across all denominations. The editor, Thomas Levi, also translated many children’s books from English into Welsh, laying the groundwork for future translation efforts in Welsh children’s literature.

By the end of the 19th century, education had become the driving focus of publishing for children. In 1892, O. M. Edwards launched Cymru’r Plant (The Children of Wales), the first non-denominational periodical that met the reading needs of children. Edwards, a Welsh historian, educationalist, and writer, ensured the magazine was highly illustrated and included folk tales, poems, stories, and history written to a high standard by paid writers. The magazine reached monthly sales of 11,500 at the time, reflecting the growing appetite for Welsh-language content for children.

Additionally, the 1800s saw the establishment of several Welsh printer-publishers, with Gwasg Gee in Denbigh (1808-2001) and Hughes and Son of Wrexham (1824-1977) emerging as major players publishing books for adults and children. Gwasg Gomer in Llandysul, founded as a printer in 1892, began publishing books in 1946. 

19th and 20th centuries: A Time of Challenge and Growth

Wales’s population doubled to 2 million during the 19th century, with the Industrial Revolution bringing diverse workers to South-East Wales. This demographic shift led to English becoming the lingua franca, and Welsh speakers declined from over 50% in the late 1800s to under 40% by 1921. The increasingly bilingual population often chose English books due to their greater variety.

The early 20th century saw the development of original Welsh-language book publishing for children. However, this period also marked significant challenges for the Welsh language. As Siwan Rosser, an academic and Welsh children’s literature expert, observes:

“It is no coincidence that the growth of children’s publishing is juxtaposed with the language’s decline in the twentieth century. As the number of Welsh speakers decreased, producing books for children was increasingly seen as a crucial part of the regeneration project to revive the Welsh language.” (Rosser, 2012)

The mid-20th century marked a critical point for Welsh-language publishing. This crisis prompted action, leading to the Ready report in 1952, which highlighted the difficulties faced by Welsh-language publishing. In response, Westminster issued grant aid and proposed that Welsh-language books be printed, distributed, and financed through local authorities in Wales.

The 1960s and 1970s: A Turning Point

The 1960s was a significant period in Welsh politics and Welsh language activism. This decade saw the establishment of several key organisations that would shape the future of Welsh publishing, including:

1. Cymdeithasyr Iaith Gymraeg (Welsh Language
   Society) in 1962
2. The Welsh Office and Secretary of State for Wales in
   1964
3. The Welsh Books Council in 1961
4. The Arts Council of Wales in 1967

These organisations played crucial roles in supporting and promoting Welsh-language literature, including
children’s books.

One of the most significant developments in publishing for children during this period was the work of the linguist, translator and editor Roger Boore and his publishing house, Dref Wen. Boore, who had learned Welsh as a teenager, set up Dref Wen in 1969 with the mission to “expand Welsh children’s horizons” by bringing “only the best books” to Welsh children, publishing co-editions from outside the English language, financed by local authorities in Wales.

In a recent interview before he died in 2021, Boore explained that he was responding to Gittin’s 1968 report into Welsh language education, which called for good quality full colour illustrated books for children to encourage them to read for pleasure. Boore sourced books at international book fairs from various European countries, including Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Estonia, and the Czech Republic, and translated them into Welsh.

This initiative not only increased the quantity of children’s books available in Welsh but also introduced Welsh children to a diverse range of international literature. Books from Dref Wen revolutionised children’s publishing in Wales, bringing high-quality picture books to children and introducing authors and illustrators beyond the Anglosphere inspiring future authors and illustrators like Huw Aaron.

In 1974 the highly influential Literature for Children in Wales report by children’s literature expert Mairwen Gwynn Jones was published which highlighted the lack of quality original language children’s literature in Wales in both languages along with recommendations on how to improve it. 

In response to the report, the Welsh Arts Council Literature Committee created the Children’s Books Panel in 1976 chaired by Mairwen Gwynn Jones, which commissioned children’s literature and established the Tir na n’Og Awards in the same year.

New family run printer publishers also emerged during this time. In 1980, Myrddin ap Dafydd founded Carreg Gwalch, which initially focused on local history, amateur plays, and folklore, but later expanded into children’s books. Y Lolfa, founded in 1966, began publishing children’s books in the 1980s, with one of its earliest being the popular Rala Rwdins series by Angharad Tomos.

The 1990s and 2000s saw further growth and diversification in Welsh children’s publishing, with developments in both Welsh and English language publishing. In 1992, Gomer Press set up Pont Books, an imprint specialising in publishing original children’s books in English set in Wales. This initiative was in response to the introduction of Y Cwricwlwm Cymreig in 1989, which stipulated that material with relevance to Wales must be used in Welsh classrooms.

During this period, there was also an increase in the translation and adaptation of popular English-language children’s books into Welsh. Publishers like Rily Publications, founded in 2001, specialised in this area, translating popular brands such as Roald Dahl, Wimpy Kid, and Tom Gates into Welsh. Atebol, established in 2003, began as an educational publisher and translation services company but has since expanded into various types of children’s books. 

The 2000s saw the emergence of new players in the English language field. Firefly Press, founded in 2013, focuses on publishing high-quality, original children’s and YA fiction in English. It has recently started publishing translations from Welsh too from Manon Steffan Ros as well as translating their own titles. 

The graphic design agency and publisher Graffeg set up its children’s imprint in 2017, raising standards in children’s book illustration and design in Wales through high production values. It balances a list of children’s literature by established authors and illustrators like Jackie Morris and Nicola Davies championing new talent and importing children’s picture books from outside of English. 

Awards and Recognition

Awards have played a vital role in promoting and improving the quality of children’s literature in Wales. The Tir na n-Og Awards, established in 1976, have been particularly influential. These awards celebrate the best Welsh-language and English-language books with an authentic Welsh background. Notable winners have been T. Llew Jones, Gareth F. Williams and Catherine Fisher.

Other initiatives, such as the Children’s Laureate Wales (established in 2019) and the Welsh-language Children’s Laureate (Bardd Plant Cymru, established in 1999), have also helped to raise the profile of children’s literature in Wales.

The Contemporary Landscape

Today, the children’s publishing industry in Wales is vibrant and diverse, with publishers producing books in Welsh, English, and bilingually. The industry is supported by grants provided by the Books Council of Wales which is directly funded by the Welsh Government, both to support minority language publishing within Wales and to bolster English-language publishing against a global language industry although recent cuts to the arts in Wales are having an impact on funding. 

Recent years have seen increased efforts to diversify the industry and the literature it produces. Initiatives like Books Council’s New Audiences Fund and Rhyngom project, Literature Wales Representing Wales writer development and the Rising Stars Wales Award, run by Literature Wales and Firefly Press in 2018, aim to discover and promote writers from underrepresented backgrounds. 

The industry has also begun to look outward, with more efforts being made to sell translation rights and promote Welsh children’s literature internationally. The success of books like Llyfr Glas Nebo by Manon Steffan Ros demonstrates the potential for Welsh children’s literature on the global stage. 

Books like The Quilt by Valériane Leblond (Y Lolfa, 2020), published in both Welsh and English versions, represent a growing trend of bilingual publications with publishers like Graffeg and Y Lolfa frequently publishing picture books in both Welsh and English versions. These books serve dual purposes of preserving the Welsh language and making Welsh stories accessible to non-Welsh speakers.

Welsh Government. (2022). Schools Love Reading book-gifting campaign launch.

Challenges and Opportunities

Despite its successes, the Welsh children’s publishing industry faces several challenges:

1. Limited market size, particularly for Welsh-language publications
2. Competition from larger English-language publishers
3. The need for greater diversity in both the industry, workforce and the books produced
4. The challenge of internationalising Welsh children’s literature
5. Dependence on grant funding makes the industry vulnerable to funding cuts

However, these challenges also present opportunities. The unique cultural perspective offered by Welsh children’s literature, along with the growing interest in diverse voices in the global publishing industry, provides potential for growth and expansion.

Recent initiatives have aimed to promote Welsh children’s publishing internationally. The Wales stand at London Book Fair has brought Welsh-language and English-language publishers together to showcase their books to an international audience. The creation of Cyhoeddu Cymru/Publishing Wales in 2021 provides a unified platform for the Welsh publishing industry.

English-language publishers like Firefly and Graffeg use rights agents to sell translation rights internationally. Some Welsh-language publishers are also developing international strategies – for instance, Carreg Gwalch is creating an English-language rights catalogue to present at book fairs, with particular interest in partnerships with other Celtic nations.

The tale of two children’s literatures in Wales – one in Welsh and one in English – is a story of resilience, creativity, and cultural pride. From its roots in religious and educational publishing to its current state as a diverse and innovative industry, Welsh children’s literature in both languages has continuously adapted to changing linguistic, cultural, and economic landscapes.

As Wales continues to navigate its place in an increasingly globalised world, its dual-language children’s literature will undoubtedly play a key role in preserving its unique cultural heritage while also sharing Welsh stories with the world. The journey of children’s publishing in Wales serves as a powerful example of how a small nation can nurture its literary traditions while also engaging with the wider world, demonstrating the vital role that children’s literature plays not just in education and entertainment, but in shaping cultural identity, fostering linguistic diversity, and building bridges between cultures.

References

Books Council of Wales. (2021). Wales: A Reading Nation 5 year strategic plan 2022-27.

Büchler, A., Jones, E.H.G. and Lake, C. (2020). Internationalising Reading Experiences of Children and Young People in Welsh. British Council Wales.

Farr, M. (2021). Putting Wales on the Map: Internationalising children’s books from Wales. Presentation at Books Council of Wales Business Conference.

Farr, M. (2021). Interview with Manon Steffan Ros. World Kids Lit. https://worldkidlit.org/2021/09/16/interview-with-welsh-author-and-translator-manon-steffan-ros/

Hughes, M. (2017). Independent review of support for publishing and literature in Wales.

Huws, G. (1998). Producing and Promoting Children’s Books in a Minority Language: The Welsh Experience 1950-1998. Paper presented at the 64th IFLA General Conference, Department of Library and Information Studies, University of Wales Aberystwyth, UK.

Jones, P.H. and Rees, E. (1998). A Nation and its Books: A History of the Book in Wales. Aberystwyth: National Library of Wales.

Lewis, G. (1988). Tir Na n’Og Awards for Children’s Books. Book News from Wales.

Munday, M. (2018). Publishing, printing & bookselling: Analysis of regional economy contribution. The Welsh Economy Research Unit (WERU) of Cardiff Business School.

Rosser, S. (2017). Survey of Books for Children and Young People. Books Council of Wales.

Rosser, S.M. (2012). Language, culture and identity in Welsh children’s literature: O.M. Edwards and Cymru’r Plant 1892-1920. In: Nic Congáil, Ríona ed. Codladh Céad Bliain: Cnuasach Aistí ar Litríocht na nÓg. Baile Átha Cliath: LeabhairCOMHAR, pp. 223-251 

Thomas, M.W. (2021). Two Rivers from a Common Spring: M. Wynn Thomas on how the Council became, and remains, pivotal to the service of a vibrant publishing industry working within two linguistic landscapes from Two Rivers from a Common Spring: Books Council of Wales, Aberystwyth.

Welsh Government. (2017). Cymraeg 2050: A million Welsh speakers.

Welsh Government. (2022). Schools Love Reading book-gifting campaign launch.

Withers, D-M. (2021). Honno: The Welsh Women’s Press and the Cultural Ecology of the Welsh Publishing Industry, c. 1950s to the Present. Women: a cultural review, 32(3-4), pp.354-371.

Megan Farr is a Lecturer in Publishing at Bath Spa University with over 20 years industry experience in publishing and literature promotion in Wales and London.
She is currently finishing a PhD on internationalising Welsh children’s publishing with the University of Wales Trinity Saint David.