West Wales writers make list of feel-good reads for children and young people
Huw Davies from Carmarthen and Eloise Williams from Saundersfoot have had books shortlisted
Public libraries in Wales and The Reading Agency have announced their Winter of Wellbeing shortlist - a collection of 25 books nominated by children and young people across Wales for their power to make them feel better, more connected and more understood.
Among them are two authors from Carmarthenshire and in Pembrokeshire.
The Winter of Wellbeing campaign running across Wales launched last month with a call to action to discover children and young people’s favourite reads after a difficult two years during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Children and youngsters responded in their droves and the list of books has now been published.
Among those on the list are English teacher Huw Davies from Carmarthen and award-winning Saundersfoot-based children’s author Eloise Williams
Huw Davies’s book Scrambled, also available in Welsh entitled as Sgramblo, is about a 14 year-old boy living with his dad after his mother died, who finds a new passion for motorcycling, to the horror of his teachers.
Huw added: "As an English teacher I came to realise that there was a lack of what I called ‘daft books for boys’, and so I started work on Scrambled.
"I am landed that my book has reached the list of 25 of feel-good reads, it is wonderful news that it helps young people pick up a book and feel inspired."
While Eloise Williams was winner of the Wolverhampton Children’s Book Award 2020, Wales Arts Review Young People’s Book of the Year 2020 and shortlisted for the Wales Book of the Year 2021.
Her children’s novel Seaglass is featured on the list and is an atmospheric ghost story set on the salty, windswept Welsh coast.
Eloise, also Wales’s inaugural Children’s Laureate (2019-21) said: "The Winter of Wellbeing is a wonderful campaign.
"It’s so important to show our children and young people how powerful books can be and how to find them in our libraries.
"It is wonderful to be included in this list of feel-good reads, it’s the icing on the cake after being part of the first Winter of Wellbeing online events."
Supported by the Welsh Government, the Winter of Wellbeing campaign aims to help children and young people recover from the pandemic, and is working its magic in counties across Wales.
Talking about the campaign, Nicola Pitman chair of the Society of Chief Librarians Cymru and library lead said: "Something magical happens when you read and we’re here, this winter, to share, shout about and celebrate the way that magic works and the places it can lead you.
"We hope the booklist can be a starting block for young people, to inspire and encourage them to visit their libraries and pick up a book and – while they’re there – to enjoy a whole mix of activities and events that can connect them to each other and their community."
For the full list of feel good page turners for children and young people, links to watch recent events and information of everything taking place within the campaign until the end of March go visit the Winter of Wellbeing website here.
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