The 2024 shortlist for the Tir na n-Og Awards - the oldest and most popular awards for children’s literature in Wales - has been announced.
The awards celebrate the very best of stories from Wales and about Wales that were published in 2023 and are held every year by the Books Council of Wales, supported by CILIP Cymru Wales. They celebrate the talents of authors and illustrators who either create original works in Welsh, or who write about authentically Welsh themes or backgrounds through the medium of English.
This year the stories celebrate all things beastly, ghostly and mysterious, and will take young readers on three awesome adventures rooted in Welsh history and myth.
The shortlist for the best English-language book with an authentic Welsh dimension is:
- The Ghosts of Craig Glas Castle by Michelle Briscombe (Candy Jar Books)
- Vivi Conway and the Sword of Legend by Lizzie Huxley-Jones (Knights of)
- Where the River Takes Us by Lesley Parr (Bloomsbury Publishing Ltd)
Highly recommended
The panel also wanted to give special recognition to the four titles submitted from the Welsh Wonders series (Broga); a series of books celebrating the lives and achievements of notable Welsh people, and their lasting influence in Wales and beyond: Ann (by Menna Machreth, illustrated by Emily Kimbell), Laura (by Mari Lovgreen, illustrated by Sara Rhys), Betty (by Nia Morais, illustrated by Anastasia Magloire), and Wallace (by Aneirin Karadog, illustrated by Alyn Smith).
Independent panels of judges select the shortlists and decide on the winners for the Welsh and English awards each year. This year, the judges on the English-language panel were Simon Fisher (Chair), Elizabeth Kennedy, Karen Gemma Brewer and Katie Rees.
This year, young readers can once again choose the winners in a special category: the Readers’ Choice Award. This award is chosen by children and young people who take part in the Tir na n-Og shadowing scheme. Schools, libraries and other children’s reading groups can register to take part and be unofficial judges to choose winners from the shortlisted books, with the guidance of the shadowing pack. You can find out how to register on the Books Council’s website, books.wales
The winner of the English-language category will be announced on Friday 17 May at the CILIP Cymru Wales conference in Cardiff. The winners of the Welsh-language categories will be announced at 1pm on Wednesday 29 May at the Urdd Eisteddfod in Meifod.
Bookshops and libraries will be holding Tir na n-Og Treasure Hunts over the Easter holidays with the chance for children aged 4–11 to take part. Ask your local bookshop or library for details.
Further information about the awards and the shortlisted titles can be found on the Books Council’s website.