Shortlist for Wales Book of the Year Awards announced

The shortlist of 24 titles which are in the running for this year’s Wales Book of the Year Awards has been announced.

The annual awards celebrate Welsh writers who excel in a variety of literary forms in both Welsh and English.

There are four categories in both languages – Poetry, Fiction, Creative Non-Fiction and Children and Young People, with one of the category winners going on to win the Overall Award and claiming the title, Wales Book of the Year.

The Shortlist consists of 24 books in total – twelve in each language, three in each category.

The English-language shortlist was revealed by judge Dylan Moore on the Lynn Bowles show on BBC Radio Wales this afternoon, and the Welsh-language shortlist by the Welsh judging panel on Ffion Dafis’ BBC Radio Cymru show.

The judges and presenters were joined by Leusa Llewelyn and Claire Furlong for the announcements, the Artistic and Executive Directors of Literature Wales, the charity that runs Wales Book of the Year.

Welsh Talent

Each year, the Wales Book of the Year Award celebrates talented Welsh writers who excel in a variety of literary forms in both Welsh and English.

There are four categories in both languages – Poetry, Fiction, Creative Non-Fiction and Children and Young People, with one of the category winners going on to win the Overall Award and claiming the title, Wales Book of the Year.

The Shortlist consists of 24 books in total – twelve in each language, three in each category.

The English-language Shortlist 2024, sponsored by Cardiff University’s School of English, Communication and Philosophy and Nation.Cymru is:

Poetry Award
I Think We’re Alone Now, Abigail Parry (Bloodaxe Books)
Cowboy, Kandace Siobhan Walker (Cheerio Publishing)
In Orbit, Glyn Edwards (Seren)

Creative Non-Fiction Award
Sarn Helen, Tom Bullough (Granta Publications)
Birdsplaining: A Natural History, Jasmine Donahaye (New Welsh Rarebyte)
Spring Rain, Marc Hamer (Harvill Secker)

The Rhys Davies Trust Fiction Award
Stray Dogs, Richard John Parfitt (Third Man Books)
The Unbroken Beauty of Rosalind Bone, Alex McCarthy (Doubleday)
Neon Roses, Rachel Dawson (John Murray)

 The Bute Energy Children and Young People Award
Where the River Takes Us, Lesley Parr (Bloomsbury Children’s Books)
Brilliant Black British History, Atinuke (Bloomsbury Children’s Books)
Skrimsli, Nicola Davies (Firefly Press)

Judges

A panel of judges is appointed each year to read, debate and select their favourite titles. This year’s English-language panel are author, journalist, and chair of PEN Cymru Dylan Moore; author, Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, and experienced mentor Patrice Lawrence; novelist, playwright, and former Dylan Thomas Award winner Rachel Trezise; and poet, novelist, and former chair of the T.S. Eliot Prize Pascale Petit.

Dylan Moore said: “From Valleys villages to the mean streets of Canada and fantastical worlds, these books demonstrate the breadth of writing in, of, from and about Wales today. Their authors spin worlds out of words, challenging orthodoxies, and inspiring imagination, hope and courage.”

The Welsh-language Shortlist is:

 Poetry Award
Mae Bywyd Yma, Guto Dafydd (Gwasg Carreg Gwalch)
Mymryn Rhyddid, Gruffudd Owen (Cyhoeddiadau Barddas)
Y Traeth o Dan y Stryd, Hywel Griffiths (Cyhoeddiadau Barddas)

Creative Non-Fiction
Cranogwen, Jane Aaron (Gwasg Prifysgol Cymru)
Y Delyn Aur, Malachy Owain Edwards (Gwasg y Bwthyn)
Trothwy, Iwan Rhys (Y Lolfa)

Fiction Award
Anfadwaith, Llŷr Titus (Y Lolfa)
Sut i Ddofi Corryn, Mari George (Sebra)
Raffl, Aled Jones Williams (Gwasg Carreg Gwalch)

The Bute Energy Children and Young People Award
Jac a’r Angel, Daf James (Y Lolfa)
Y Nendyrau, Seran Dolma (Gwasg y Bwthyn)
Astronot yn yr Atig, Megan Angharad Hunter (Y Lolfa)

This year’s Welsh-language panel includes producer, director, and writer, Nici Beech; actor, director and writer, Hanna Jarman; poet and WJEC senior Literature examiner Tudur Dylan Jones; and author and senior lecturer at Cardiff University’s School of Welsh, Rhiannon Marks.

Wales Book of the Year has been run by Literature Wales, the national charity for the development of literature, since 2004. Over the last twenty years, the award has seen Wales’ most prolific and well-known writers being recognised, alongside new and emerging talents.

Leusa Llewelyn, Artistic Director of Literature Wales, said: “What a feast the shortlists selected by this year’s judges present. Twenty-four books by experienced and new writers, each presenting a different aspect on Welsh literature. It is impossible to summarize so many books, and so many authors – I would encourage you to read them all, each and every one! Congratulations to all the shortlisted writers for your achievement and for entertaining us.”

The winners of Wales Book of the Year will be announced at an Award Ceremony in Galeri Caernarfon on Thursday 4 July. Twelve awards and a total of £14,000 in prizes will be shared amongst the writers – £1,000 each for the category winners and an additional £3,000 for the overall winner in both languages. In addition, each winner will receive an iconic Book of the Year trophy, specially designed by the talented artist Angharad Pearce Jones.

Readers will have an opportunity to have their say once again this year, with The People’s Choice Award and Barn y Bobl polls now open for votes. The prizes are sponsored by Nation Cymru and Golwg360 respectively.

To find out more about the shortlisted titles and the writers who penned them, click here.