Nurturing a love of reading is gifting young readers with roots and wings – Hunaniaeth

Bethan Jones

In October 2022 I had the privilege of starting my post as Head of Children’s Books and Reading Promotion with the Books Council of Wales. Without a doubt, the ability to initiate and develop projects to promote love of reading and reading for pleasure is a true passion of mine.

These reading projects repesent a worthwhile opportunity to ignite a love for literature, and have an outstanding potential to significantly impact the lives of children and young people today. One of the elements that gives me the most pleasure is the opportunity to create partnerships and to collaborate with others whether they are writers, illustrators, teachers, various organizations, and the wider community. These partnerships provide us with remarkable opportunities to celebrate what reading can offer, from entering new worlds, to the thrill of discovery and a sense of belonging. These are critical ingredients, which inspire and drive a positive impact on the well-being of children and young people, as well as shaping them as individuals. These powerful partnerships can enable us to bestow exciting and appealing literature for children and young people; there is a book out there for everyone!

Wales is renowned for its natural beauty and drama, from ubiquitous sheep grazing peacefully on the sodden earth to sparkling seas and rolling hills. Wonders sure to inspire any aspiring author. The ancient tales of the Mabinogi, deeply rooted in Wales’s heritage, manifest the rich legacy of our language and culture, a quintessential combination. But Welsh literature brings to life not only tales of imposing castles and ferocious dragons, but the magic of the people and a sense of identity or hunaniaeth. The importance of belonging has long been seized by Welsh authors and transformed the way we approach storytelling. Books are a window, which allow us to peer out into the unknown and help us accept and comprehend others’ challenges. 

The Books Council of Wales and publishers across Wales strive to deliver a wealth of books to fulfil the needs of our children and young people, books that give an insight into the world of others but also reflect their own world. Our hope is to share a wide selection of books, helping readers build resilience, empathy, empowerment, realism, hope and life. A sweet shop of books brimming with a pick and mix of flavours and themes, fostering a sense of belonging and of being held in a warm cwtsh. This year our annual children’s literature Tir na n-Og Award showcased a wide range of characters, from neurodiverse individuals to characters overcoming grief and loneliness, woven into stories about trusted friendships and the power of resilience.

2023 proved to be an especially successful year for the publishing industry in Wales on an international platform, with Welsh author Manon Steffan Ros winning the Yoto Carnegie Medal for Writing for The Blue Book of Nebo. This momentous achievement not only acknowledges Ros’s incredible talent but also opens the world’s eyes to Wales and its fresh talent. This thought-provoking and unforgettable story highlights the importance of acceptance for language, relationships and culture. In addition, in 2023 the Books Council of Wales was very pleased to support the Welsh government’s trade mission to celebrate the very best of books and content from Wales and about Wales at the Frankfurt Book Fair in October. Frankfurt is the largest book fair in the world, allowing us the opportunity to showcase the publishing industry in Wales on an international stage. 

Shortlisted for 2024’s Carnegie Medal for Illustration was April’s Garden, written by Isla McGuckin and masterfully illustrated by Catalina Echeverri, which is published by Graffeg. The bleak and dismal opening conflicts with our expectations of the story that come from the colourful cover and the promise of the title. It opens with the poignant feelings of April and her mother as they are displaced from temporary accommodation. It’s a powerful story that explores the themes of hope, patience and emotional growth.

2023’s Tir na n-Og winner Dwi Eisiau Bod yn Ddeinosor shared a wonderful clear message with readers without preaching or forcing its point. This masterful picture book, authored by Luned Aaron, illustrated by Huw Aaron and published by Atebol, lures us in with its bold and impressive artwork. As we feast on the humorous and bright illustrations, with a side helping of punchy prose, we are rewarded with a brilliant surprise that highlights the importance of being comfortable in your own skin.

Also given special recognition within the Tir na n-Og Awards was the Welsh Wonders series published by Broga Books, which is brimming with inspiring and influential individuals from Wales. Authors and illustrators were cleverly paired to produce this compelling collection of books celebrating the legacy of such varied individuals as Shirley Bassey, Billy Boston, Betty Campbell, Laura Ashley and Alfred Wallace. This influential series marks a trend for children turning to books to find more representative and aspirational role models. 

An innovative and ambitious project was accomplished when five short novels, inspired and written by emerging young authors paired with new voices, was published in Y Pump.  Young people’s views are paramount in helping us reach young adult readers, thereby allowing them to explore new ideas and develop empathy for others. As expressed by our secondary school focus groups, young people want to read about experiences that are relatable to them, and this is what makes this series so successful. This message has been reinforced by the Books Council of Wales’s Young People’s Panel. This panel ensures that we receive vital information that allows us to identify areas of interest and themes that young people want to read about. We then relay this information to publishers across Wales, helping them meet readers’ needs. 

The following two titles exemplify how this approach is resulting in attractive books of quality from Welsh publishers. A beautifully illustrated book for middle-grade readers is Dros y Môra’r Mynyddoedd: Straeon Merched Dewr y Celtiaid/Over the Mountains and the Sea: Tales of Brave Celtic Women, an incredible collection of international Celtic stories. While each story is unique, they have one thing in common – the strong and determined women at the heart of each one.

. . . Ac Rwy’n Clywed Dreigiau/And I Hear Dragons. I couldn’t resist sneaking in a book about dragons! This glorious anthology by writers from various backgrounds across Wales and edited by Hanan Issa, explores the concept of identity, celebrating the children of Wales as ‘ferociously brave mythical beasts’ taking on discrimination, pollution and more. 

The past few years have seen authors address difficult topics, such as bereavement, poverty and mental health, looking at how these factors can crush families. Two novels that deal with these themes have been published by one of Wales’s oldest publishers Y Lolfa – Jac a’r Angel by Daf James and Hedyn by Caryl Lewis. Both authors tackle these difficult subjects in heartfelt stories sprinkled with humour. 

After the death of his mother, Jac lives with his grandfather who is struggling with his own heartache and unable to care for him properly. With the help of his imagination, his trusted schoolfriend Sam and some unexpected friends in the form of drag queens, he overcomes the burden of grief. 

Hedyn or Seed by Caryl Lewis captures your heart from the very first page. Marty doesn’t have much, unlike his mum, who hoards everything in her struggle with mental health. Marty finds himself drowning, yet there is the glint of something magical on the horizon. It’s a story brimming with hope that is packed with witty, warm and well-rounded characters. This inspiring read shows readers that anything is possible. 

Children need books like this because they face difficult challenges every day. With child poverty set to rise to 30% by 2028, ensuring access to high-quality books is paramount and the cornerstone of our strategy. In 2023 the Books Council of Wales delivered its most ambitious project to date when the Schools Love Reading project gifted a book to every child in Wales aged between four and sixteen – a mammoth 300,000 titles. The success of this project stems from the fact that children were able to choose their book from a carefully curated selection. We believe that every child has the right to realise their potential and achieve their best, and it’s our responsibility to ignite and fuel their passion with a love of reading. 

With the dawn of the new Curriculum for Wales in 2021, came the vision that learners become ethical, informed citizens who are knowledgeable about their culture, community, society and the world, both now and in the past. Books play an integral part in this, giving insight into the lives of others and helping children and young people as members of a diverse society to empathise and respect others. We have a role to play to ensure that our children and young people have access to a wide range of books so they can understand and relate to other people. The Books Council of Wales is extremely fortunate to receive funding from the Welsh Government to deliver the Rhyngom, or Belonging, Project. Rhyngom has true representation at its heart, its main aim being to provide schools with a variety of diverse and appealing books. This project will also nurture the talent of young emerging authors from diverse backgrounds, giving them the opportunity to share their experiences and beliefs. 

With Welsh-language education thriving, more families than ever are eager to enrol their children into it as they realise the benefits and opportunities that are provided by bilingual learning. This means that there is a greater need for dual-language books to support these families on their journey to acquiring the Welsh language. Within the short space of a few years Welsh publishers have honed their skills in order to develop bilingual texts that complement each other. Publishers carefully consider the typesetting of both languages and use of technology in order to enhance families’ reading experience of both the Welsh and English languages. Rily Press have gone one step further and published a celebration of five languages, featuring more than 500 words, in an exquisitely illustrated hardback book Pawb a Phopeth: 5 Iaith. While Dref Wen are renowned for adapting recognisable picture book titles from English to Welsh, such as Julia Donaldson’s Stick Man and The Gruffalo, ensuring that families can enjoy their favourite characters in the Welsh language. 

Disheartening statistics from the National Literacy Trust show that pupils’ enjoyment of reading is at its lowest level since 2005 and is lower still among those receiving free school meals (39.5% compared to 43.8%).* More than ever these figures highlight the importance of our work now. In 2023 we piloted the Teachers Love Reading programme, a project primarily about nurturing a love of reading among teaching professionals so they can inspire their pupils to do the same. The scheme supports the objectives at the heart of Curriculum for Wales; it will also enable and encourage schools to embrace a whole-school ethos that puts reading for pleasure at its core.

The publishing industry in Wales undoubtedly puts readers at the heart of their publications. Hunaniaeth, identity, is integral to the publishing process, from the first word to the finished volume. At the Books Council of Wales we strive to support these immense efforts from publishers so that every young person in Wales can access bookshelves brimming with different themes and stories in order to foster a love of reading and a true sense of belonging. To this end we are intent on nurturing a nation of readers, of giving every young reader an opportunity to flourish and to be respectful of others, but most of all to be proud of their own hunaniaeth. 

Works cited

Ros, Manon Steffan (2022). The Blue Book of Nebo. Cardiff: Firefly Press

McGuckin, Isla, Echeverri, Catalina (2023). April’s Garden/Gardd Gwenno. Llanelli: Graffeg 

Aaron, Luned, Aaron, Huw (2022). Dwi Eisiau Bod yn Ddeinosor. Atebol

Morris, Ioan, Ros, Manon Steffan, William, Cassi, Llyn, Anni, Gwanas, Bethan (eds)(2022). Welsh Wonders/Enwogion o Fri. Cardiff: Llyfrau Broga

Authors various (2021). Y Pump. Talybont:Y Lolfa

Burnard, Jane (ed) (illus Elin Manon) (2024). Dros y Môra’r Mynyddoedd: Straeon Merched Dewr y Celtiaid/Over the Mountains and the Sea: Tales of Brave Celtic Women. Llanwrst: Gwasg Carreg Gwalchfr

Issa, Hanan (ed) (illus Eric Heyman) (2024). . . . Ac Rwy’n Clywed Dreigiau/. . . And I Hear Dragons. Cardiff: Firefly Press

James, Daf (2023) Jac a’r Angel. Talybont: Y Lolfa

Lewis, Caryl (2022). Hedyn/Seed. Talybont: Y Lolfa

Leblond, Valetiane (2024). Pawb a Phopeth: 5 Iaith Caerphilly: Rily Press)

Projects and Awards run by the Books Council of Wales:

Tir na n-Og Awards for children’s literature in Wales 

Tir na n-Og Awards | Cyngor Llyfrau Cymru

Rhyngom Project to publish 50 books to help with empathy and literacy skills | Cyngor Llyfrau Cymru

Young People’s Panel | Cyngor Llyfrau Cymru

Teachers Love Reading project 

Teachers Love Reading | Cyngor Llyfrau Cymru

*Children and Young People’s Reading Research Report 2023 | National Literacy Trust | National Literacy Trust

In October 2022, I joined the Books Council of Wales as Head of Children’s Books and Reading Promotion. I’m passionate about developing projects that foster a love of reading and literature, impacting children and young people’s lives. I collaborate with writers, illustrators, teachers, organizations, and the community to celebrate diverse reading offerings, inspiring positive changes in their well-being and shaping their individuality. Through these partnerships, we provide children and young people with exciting and appealing literature, ensuring there’s a book for everyone.