Tir na n-Og Awards 2026 English-language winner announced

The Wicked Lies of Habren Faire by Anna Fiteni is the 2026 winner of the Tir na n-Og English-language Award for children and young people’s literature.

Anna Fiteni’s debut novel, The Wicked Lies of Habren Faire is a dark fae romantic-fantasy for teenage readers, inspired by Welsh mythology with legends and traditions woven throughout.

The story follows Sabrina Parry, for whom the world is tough, cruel and practical. With her father in prison, her aims in life are to hold onto her job, to hold her tongue and to set up her sister Ceridwen with a man rich enough to look after her.

But then Ceridwen vanishes into the eerie woods leaving only an iron ring behind, and Sabrina is drawn into a beautiful but decaying world of fairies and monsters of old.

Anna Fiteni said: “I’m incredibly proud to win the Tir na n-Og this year for a novel in the English language. My main ambition when I wrote The Wicked Lies of Habren Faire was to share my love for Wales, my memories of my childhood growing up here, and my hopes for our future.

“Winning any award is far beyond anything I expected; winning this award in particular is an honour and an absolute delight.

“I’m very grateful for the chance to be considered alongside the other excellent authors nominated this year, and for the judges and everyone involved with the Tir na n-Og for all their work promoting and championing excellent works for young people written in Wales.”

Chair of the English-language judging panel, Karen Gemma Brewer said: “Many congratulations to Anna Fiteni for winning this award in the Tir na n-Og Awards’ 50th anniversary year.

“From its bilingual chapter titles and drawings from folklore, to the title of the mythical land where Sabrina’s quest to save her sister Ceridwen takes place, this is a book imbibed in Welsh culture.

“But rather than tick-box tropes, author Anna Fiteni delves into Welsh mythology and mining history in a new and unique way, to produce a hard-edged fairyland fantasy with strong female characters, a duplicitous fae prince, and a fresh twist to established staples of Welsh folklore.”

The other shortlisted titles for the English-language category were:

• Major and Mynah: Project Puffin by Karen Owen, illustrated by Louise Forshaw (Firefly)
• 10 Fascinating Stories from Welsh History (that you’ll want to talk about) by Siân Lewis and Charlotte Williams, illustrated by Kyle Legall (Rily)

The Wicked Lies of Habren Faire by Anna Fiteni is published by Electric Monkey from Harper Collins and is available from all good bookshops.

Also announced today was the winner of the 2026 English-language Readers’ Choice Award. This is a special award chosen by the children and young people who took part in the Tir na n-Og Shadowing Scheme.

The winner of the English-language Readers’ Choice Award is 10 Fascinating Stories from Welsh History (that you’ll want to talk about) by Siân Lewis and Charlotte Williams, illustrated by Kyle Legall (Rily).

The winners were revealed at a special event at Pontypridd library, where local children and library visitors had the opportunity to meet the shortlisted authors and Tir na n-Og Awards Ambassador Richard Parks.

Established in 1976, the annual Tir na n-Og Awards celebrate the best books for children and young people in Wales.

They are organised by the Books Council of Wales and sponsored by CILIP Cymru Wales. 2026 marks the 50th anniversary of the awards.

Sue Polchow, Community Development Manager – CILIP Cymru Wales said: “As the membership body for librarians and information professionals in Wales, we are delighted to sponsor the Tir na n-Og Awards in their special 50th anniversary year.

“Across the years these truly unique Books Council of Wales book awards have both celebrated outstanding stories about Wales and showcased authors from Wales, all of which has inspired young readers to immerse themselves in the joy of reading. Congratulations to all the winning authors!”

The winners of the Tir na n-Og Awards in the two Welsh-language categories will be revealed at Eisteddfod yr Urdd Ynys Môn on Thursday 28 May 2026.

The Tir na n-Og Awards 50th birthday celebrations will continue throughout 2026, with a full year of activities planned to celebrate half a century of the very best books for children and young people.

Readers of all ages can join the Tir na n-Og Reading Challenge and enjoy a series of challenges to take them on a reading adventure.

Challenge leaflets for children, young people and adults can be collected from local bookshops and libraries, or downloaded from Reading Challenge – Gwobrau Tir na n-Og Awards.

The Books Council of Wales has expressed their gratitude for Gwasg Gomer Press’ support in printing the reading challenges.

Join the Books Council of Wales at the Eisteddfod y Garreg Las for two events in the Literary Pavilion (Y Babell Lên) with special guests:

The best of our storytelling: Half a century of the Tir na n-Og Awards (2 August, 10.30)

Dr Siwan Rosser, Manon Steffan Ros, Caryl Lewis and Huw and Luned Aaron will reflect on the past winners and legacy of the Tir na n-Og Awards, celebrating Wales’ oldest book awards for literature for children and young people.

Books for Children and Young People – the next chapter: The Sut i Ddarllen podcast celebrates 50 years of the Tir na n-Og Awards (3 August, 12pm)

Francesa Sciarrillo will be joined by Elgan Rhys and Mared Fflur, the Chair of the Books Council’s Young People’s Panel. Together they will celebrate the importance of children’s and young people’s literature today and look ahead to the next fifty years.

The Books Council of Wales Tir na n-Og Awards 2026 ambassadors are Richard Parks, Elain Llwyd and Ffion Llwyd.

The awards are sponsored by CILIP Cymru Wales, BCCIT, Bluestone National Park Resort, Folly Farm, Gwasg Gomer, Halen Môn, Welshpool Printing Group. 

You can find out more about the Tir na n-Og Awards on the Tir na n-Og website and on the Books Council of Wales website.