Huge congratulations to Nicola Davies whose stunning adventure novel Skrimsli has won the Wales Book of the Year Children’s Book Award 2024!
Illustrated by Jackie Morris, this epic prequel to The Song that Sings Us tells the thrilling story of a tiger sea-captain, a boy called Owl, a desert princess, a horse with a heart of gold and many others as they fight to save their worlds from war, hate and environmental destruction. Born into captivity in a circus, Skrimsli must work out where he belongs in a world ruled by human fear and greed. But he soon finds he has friends in many places, and that fear is not the only story…
Jackie said: There are few characters that are so dear to my heart as Skrimsli, the tiger captain, born in the imagination of one of Wales’ finest writers, and now roaming the wild. It is a real honour that the strength of this tale has been recognised by Wales Book of the Year. This book is born of truth and carries a great green message, about how to make a better world. It is also a rip-roaring adventure. So proud to have played a small part in its creation.
Firefly publisher Penny Thomas said, ‘Massive congratulations to Nicola and Jackie, and a huge thank you to the judges for picking this stunning and important book from an outstanding field of Welsh writing for children in English, which also included wonderful authors Atinuke and Lesley Parr.
‘This was also a tremendous night for Firefly which has never won a Wales Book of the Year award before. I am so proud of this awesome story and all it stands for: inclusion, kindness and forces for good in a environmmentally threatened world. If you want change, you have to write it!’
To celebrate Skrimsli’s win, we’re running a limited time offer for 50% off the hardback gift edition of both Skrimsli and The Song That Sings Us.
Firefly is roaring forward this weekend as hard on the hells of Skrimsli the tiger, our heartwarming story, Call me Lion by Camilla Chester is shortlisted for the UKLA awards, with the ceremony taking place tonight.
Skrimsli is the second fantasy adventure from author Nicola Davies set in a world where animals and humans can sometimes share their thoughts. It traces the early life of Skrimsli, the tiger sea captain who, along with his friends, Owl and Kal, must escape the clutches of a tyrannical circus owner, then stop a war and save the ancient forest.
Also in the series:
Harlon has been raised to protect her younger siblings and their outlawed power of communicating with animals. But when the sinister Automators attack, they must flee for their lives. In a thrilling adventure they must all journey alone through ice fields, forests and oceans to try to rescue each other and fulfil a mysterious promise.