A FEAST OF BOOKS
 
The Books Council have recently published their latest supplement of Welsh-language books, Gwledd y Nadolig, which is full of the latest publications.
 
The supplement has already been distributed widely through the community newspapers, papurau bro, and it will be very helpful for all those looking for that special present for a friend.
 
‘Once again the publishers have produced an extensive range of titles,’ said Phil Davies, Head of Marketing at the Books Council.  ‘We hope that you’ll all have an opportunity to read some of these excellent books.’

POLICY REVIEW: ENGLISH-MEDIUM WRITING IN WALES

The National Assembly’s Culture, Welsh Language and Sport Committee is undertaking a Policy Review of English-medium Writing in Wales during the autumn and contributions were invited by the end of August.
 
The Welsh Books Council will be participating fully in the Review and has submitted papers (click paper to download) for consideration by the Committee.

TIR NA N-OG SHORT LIST 2004
 
The following titles have been nominated for this year’s short list:
 
Best English-language book with an authentic Welsh background
 
A Wind From the Sea,
Jennifer Morgan (Pont Books/Gomer)

The Battle of Mametz Wood, 1916,
Robert Phillips (CAA)

Now That I’ve Found You,
Rex Harley (Pont Books/Gomer)

Weird Tales from the Storyteller,
Daniel Morden (Pont Books/Gomer)
 
Best Welsh-language Fiction
 
Y ‘Fo’ yn y Tŷ,
Mair Wynn Hughes (Gwasg y Bwthyn)

Iawn Boi?;-),
Caryl Lewis (Y Lolfa)

Mewn Limbo,
Gwyneth Glyn (Y Lolfa)
 
Best Welsh-language non-fiction
 
Ffeithiau Ffwtbol,
Gary Pritchard (Dref Wen)

Mae Modfedd yn Llawer Mewn Trwyn,
ed. Myrddin ap Dafydd (Carreg Gwalch)

Stori Dafydd ap Gwilym,
Gwyn Thomas and Margaret Jones (Y Lolfa)
 
The final winners will be announced on World Book Day, Thursday, 4 March.

WELSH CHARITIES SUPPORT WORLD BOOK DAY
 
As part of World Book Day celebrations in Wales, held on Thursday 4 March, members of the Women’s Institute in Wales are busy collecting books to donate to charity shops in Wales.  These shops will be displaying World Book Day posters in their windows as part of the campaign.
 
Last year, the British Red Cross, Barnardo, Tenovus, Hope House, Oxfam, Ty Hafan, the Salvation Army and Cancer Research Wales took part in a similar campaign, and this year they have been joined by the R.S.P.C.A. and the British Heart Foundation.
 
‘We are grateful to all the charities for their support,’ said Delyth Humphreys, World Book Day co-ordinator at the Books Council, ‘and congratulate them on using Book Day to raise funds for good causes.’

A TASTE OF WALES’ IN PARIS AND DUBLIN
 
The Books Council is organising book promotions at W.H. Smith in Paris and Easons in Dublin to coincide with St David’s Day.  The ‘Taste of Wales’ promotions will feature a strong selection of books covering travel, cookery, literature and history, and will be held for two weeks, from 25th February to 10th March.
 
‘This is a great opportunity to fly the flag of Wales,’ said Bridget Shine, the Books Council’s Overseas Marketing Officer, ‘and to promote the excellent range of books available from Welsh publishers.’

WORLD BOOK DAY: 4 MARCH 2004

The preparations for World Book Day celebrations are well in hand, and a comprehensive information pack for schools has already been produced and will be distributed to all schools in the near future.

Once again the pack is full of interesting material to help celebrate the event, including colourful posters and a useful practical ideas leaflet.  Further information can be seen on the World Book Day 2004 website by clicking HERE.

‘We have made a special effort this year to create an interesting pack for schools,’ said Delyth Humphreys, World Book Day co-ordinator at the Books Council, ‘and we are sure that thousands of pupils will join us in the celebrations.’

WELSH BOOKS COUNCIL ANNUAL MEETING
 
The Books Council’s Annual Meeting was held at Wrexham recently at the invitation of the Mayor, Councillor Aled Roberts.
 
It was a successful meeting, and Gwerfyl Pierce Jones, Director of the Books Council, had the opportunity to present a copy of the Annual Report to the members.
 
The Annual Report features the work of the Books Council during the year and can be seen by clicking HERE.

WORLD BOOK DAY
 
The World Book Day Steering Committee has already been busy making plans for next year’s event which will be held on Thursday, 4 March 2004.  The information pack for schools and libraries is being prepared and will be distributed early in the new year.
 
‘The support for World Book Day is increasing from year to year,’ said Delyth Humphreys, World Book Day co-ordinator on behalf of the Books Council,  ‘and it all looks very promising for next year.  Schools across Wales have already been in contact regarding their programme of activities.’
 
Would you like to join in the fun on World Book Day? Contact Delyth Humphreys on (01970) 624151 or delyth.humphreys@wbc.org.uk

The first ever Basic Skills Book Awards ceremony was arranged under the auspices of the Basic Skills Agency and the Welsh Books Council in Cardiff on 24 November as part of the Welsh Assembly Government's National Basic Skills Strategy. The jury was chaired by Glenys Kinnock MEP.

The winning publishers were:

Overall Excellence Award:
Hodder and Stoughton:
Fast Forward Maths
Hilary Koll and Steve Mills.

Primary Age-group Awards

Literacy: English-language basic skills books or schemes:
A&C Black:
Go Facts: Animal Starter Pack
Paul McEvoy, Katy Pike and Sharon Dalgleish.

Literacy: Welsh-language basic skills books or schemes:
The Centre for Educational Studies, Aberystwyth
Cyfres Clic 1 & 2

Non-book materials:
Oxford Brookes University with the support of the CaxtonTrust:
The Catch Up Programme Dee Reid, Diana Bentley and Suzi Clipson-Boyles
Dyfal Donc Adaptation Anne Kenyon

Secondary Age-group Awards

Literacy: English-language basic skills books or schemes:
UWIC Press:
New Plays from Wales for Young People, various authors

Literacy: Welsh-language basic skills books or schemes:
Gwasg Gomer:
Cyfres Saeth, various authors

Numeracy books or schemes ǃ� in English or in Welsh:
Hodder and Stoughton:
Fast Forward Maths
Hilary Koll, Steve Mills

Adult Awards

Literacy: English-language basic skills books or schemes:
David Fulton Publishers:
Literacy for Childcare Students ǃ� a Basic Skills Guide (part of the Excellence in Childcare series)
June Green

BOOK TOKENS RE-LAUNCH
 
The Books Council have recently re-launched their book token scheme by re-designing the tokens and cards.  The scheme is well established and the Council were eager to further promote the scheme with the new design.
 
‘Book tokens make a perfect present,’ said Phil Davies, Head of Marketing at the Books Council, ‘and we are delighted with the quality of the finished design.’
 
The book tokens and free cards are on sale at your local bookshop.

CHILDREN’S BOOKS CONFERENCE
 
The first Children’s Books Conference to be organised by the Welsh Books Council was held in Powys in 1979 and it is appropriate that it returns there after twenty-five years, following the same theme of ‘Children and their Reading’.
 
Once again there is an excellent programme of events for the delegates.  The Friday evening guest speaker is Alan Gibbons, a lecturer from Liverpool who has written a number of books for young people.  In 2000 his book Shadow of the Minotaur won the Blue Peter Award and it was also shortlisted for the 2001 Carnegie Award.
 
Jenny Sullivan, one of Wales’s most popular children’s authors, who has written twenty-one books with a Welsh background, will discuss how to enthuse children with the excitement of reading.  When she is not writing she is busy holding workshops in schools.
 
During the conference, the Mary Vaughan Jones Award will be presented to Elfyn Pritchard for his outstanding contribution to children’s literature in Wales, and the winners of the Tir na n-Og Awards will be announced.
 
‘We look forward to an excellent conference once again this year,’ said Menna Lloyd Williams, Head of the Children’s Books Department, ‘and all are welcome to contact us for further details and to join us at the Metropole Hotel, Llandrindod on Friday evening and Saturday, 7–8 November.’

HEALTH MINISTER LAUNCHES NEW BOOK
 
Jane Hutt, the Health Minister, visited the Books Council recently to launch a book that was specially published to promote awareness of the Breast Cancer Campaign.
 
Sexy Shorts for Christmas is a collection of short stories by a selection of popular authors and the diversity of the contributions has produced an exciting mix of stories with something to appeal to everyone.
 
The volume is published by Accent Press, a new publishing company based in Pembroke Dock. The company was established by Hazel Cushion who has combined her previous experience of working in the publishing trade and her drive to support the Breast Cancer Campaign.

Jane Hutt (canol) yng nghwmni rhai o'r awduron (o'r chwith) Jo Mazelis, Lynne Barrett-Lee, Lesley Cookman, Bernadine Kennedy a'r cyhoeddwr Hazel Cushion.
Llun - Cambrian News

FRIENDS OF THE BOOKS COUNCIL
 
The recent meeting of the Friends of the Books Council was a great success, when Professor M. Wynn Thomas was in discussion with the author Manon Rhys about her life and work.
 
It was an excellent opportunity to hear Manon talking about her early years in the Rhondda and then in Rhyl and gave an insight to her work as a novelist.
 
For further information about the Friends of the Books Council please contact Elwyn Jones elwyn.jones@wbc.org.uk

FOREIGN RIGHTS SEMINAR FOR PUBLISHERS
 
The Books Council and Welsh Literature Abroad recently organised a Foreign Rights Seminar for publishers from Wales.
 
The two literary agents who led the seminar were Ray-Güde Mertin from Frankfurt, Germany, and Tuvia Fogel of Il Caduceo literary agency in Milan, Italy.
Their presentation was packed with information, advice and anecdotes. It was a thoroughly enlightening day and an excellent introduction for publishers, especially for those who will be attending this year’s Frankfurt Book Fair.
 
The seminar was sponsored by Wales Trade International.

A BROAD APPEAL FOR BOOKS FROM WALES
 
During the National Eisteddfod at Meifod, Powys, Alun Pugh, the Minister for Culture, the Welsh Language and Sports, had the opportunity to demonstrate the broad appeal of the Books Council’s gwales.com website by ordering and sending a book from Wales as a gift to his aunt in Canada.

I am pleased that the Assembly Government has been able to provide funding to help gwales.com to gain a broader appeal and to reach a new audience,’ he said.
 
With information on over 20,000 books on the website, it is an ideal way of keeping in touch with the latest books from Wales with an opportunity to order books safely on-line or through a local bookshop.

WELSH-LANGUAGE BOOKS COMPETITION
 
The final round of the Welsh-Language Books Competition was held at Aberystwyth recently.  This year, for the first time, there were separate competitions for pupils in Year 3/4 pupils and in Year 5/6.
 
26 teams came to the Arts Centre at Aberystwyth for the final, and an exciting, successful day was had by all.
 
The pupils had to read a short story that was especially commissioned for the competition, and then they discussed it with the judges.  They also had to give a presentation on a book of their choice.
 
The winners this year were:
 
Year 3/4 pupils
 
1st Ysgol Twm o’r Nant, Denbigh
2nd Ysgol Mynydd Bychan, Cardiff
3rd Ysgol y Login Fach, Swansea
Ysgol Bro Ogwr, Bridgend
 
Year 5/6 pupils
 
1st Ysgol Edern, Gwynedd
2nd Ysgol Llanddoged, Conwy
3rd Ysgol Gymraeg Pontardawe, Neath Port Talbot
 
Congratulations to the pupils and to their teachers

CERI WYN JONES
CHILDREN’S POET LAUREATE 2003-2004
 
During a ceremony at the Urdd Youth Eisteddfod in Margam Park, it was announced that Ceri Wyn Jones will be the Children’s Poet Laureate for the year.
 
A native of Ceredigion, the former teacher now works in the book industry as editor for Gomer Press, Llandysul.  A renowned bard, he won the chair at the 1997 National Eisteddfod.
 
During his term as the Poet Laureate, Ceri Wyn will hold poetry workshops in schools throughout Wales and will compose a special commissioned poem.  He will also contribute to the new website developed to honour the Children’s Poet Laureate.
 
Click HERE for further information on Ceri Wyn.

AT THE URDD EISTEDDFOD
 
At the end of May, the Books Council will attend the Urdd National Eisteddfod, which is to be held this year at Margam Park, and you are warmly invited to call and see us.
 
The Council will share the stand with Siop Tŷ Tawe, Swansea, who will have a comprehensive selection of the latest titles for sale.
 
‘It will be an excellent opportunity for us to meet some of the young readers,’ said Menna Lloyd Williams, Head of the Children’s Books Department at the Council.  ‘Our schools officers will also be on hand to advise teachers and parents regarding the wide variety of books that are available.’

DYLAN THOMAS (1914 – 1953)
 
As part of the Welsh Books Council’s programme to promote books from Wales abroad, posters of Dylan Thomas have been produced and will be displayed in bookshops in cities across Europe.
 
‘This year, we commemorate the death of the Swansea-born writer fifty years ago,’ said Bridget Shine, the Books Council’s Overseas Marketing Officer, ‘and through the work of one of Europe’s most distinguished writers, we hope to promote other books from Wales.’