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.
YALC (Young Adult Literature Convention) has fast become a popular event bringing together fantastic authors, publishers and readers for two packed days of YA events, writing workshops, book signings, book-themed activities and more!
WORKSHOP: Lie or Die with A.J. Clack (approx 1 hour) Saturday 16th November 2024
Join author A.J. Clack for a live game of Lie or Die (similar to Mafia/Werewolf) influenced by her debut YA thriller Lie or Die. Perfect for fans of The Traitors!
Objective
Players must identify and eliminate both Agents before the Agents eliminate all Players in order to deactivate the Ticking Time Bomb.
Roles
Players – Players must uncover the Agents hidden among them, accuse and vote them out.
Agents – Disguised as Players, the Agents must work together to eliminate Players.
Detective – A Player with special abilities. They have the power to find out the status of one contestant of their choosing each round.
Do YOU have what it takes to survive?
PANEL: Intense Intent (approx 45 mins) Saturday 16th November 2024
The thriller genre is ever popular and continues to send chills down the spines of readers as they attempt to unravel the mysteries of these amazing books. Join our authors to hear about how they go about their writing and see if ‘who done it’ is always the same person as they thought it would be when they started writing the book.
A.J. Clack, Holly Jackson, Jennifer Lynn Barnes, Kayvion Lewis (Chair)
The news is finally out! Major and Mynah, written by Karen Owen and illustrated by Louise Foreshaw, has been selected for The Blue Peter Book Club.
Working with The Reading Agency, Blue Peter host a monthly book club segment on their show. Each month, they film at interesting and active locations thematically linked to that month’s book where Blue Peter presenters join readers for a book club discussion of that month’s title. Children who join in with the Book Club and send their reviews can earn a brand-new Blue Peter Book Badge designed by Sir Quentin Blake.
Major and Mynah will be featured on Blue Peter, (CBBC and iPlayer) CBBC HQ, BBC Social accounts, BBC websites including the BBC Education Bitesize platform and CBBC.
BBC Education will support the Blue Peter Book Club by creating 12 companion guides to sit within Bitesize Primary.
Callie Major does not like wearing her new hearing aids AT ALL. But when she meets abandoned Mynah bird Bo, she realises that her ‘slugs’ mean she can communicate with him!
Together the unlikely duo set off to catch the thief who has been causing trouble all over town. Includes high-speed chases, a very peckish bird and purple POO!
To celebrate St Davidʼs Day, we’re revealing the cover of our brand new childrenʼs poetry anthology of ʻdragon-focusedʼ poems, conceived and edited by the National Poet of Wales, Hanan Issa, with a wonderful ‘dragonʼ cover from Eric Heyman. The anthology features some 29 poems by 26 poets from across Wales. Ac Rwy’n Clywed Dreigiau/ And I Hear Dragons will be published in English and bilingually in Welsh and English on May 30th.
A ground-breaking new anthology from diverse Welsh writers aimed at children aged between eight and twelve.
And I Hear Dragons explores the concept of identity, and Hanan has written a poem of the same name that ʻcelebrates the children of Wales as ferociously brave mythical beastsʼ, taking on discrimination, pollution and more, and upholding Walesʼ tradition of croesawgar (welcoming).
ISBN 9781915444578 | Paperback | RRP £7.99
Participating poets include Wales Childrenʼs Laureate Alex Wharton, Iestyn Tyne, Nia Morais, Grug Muse, Sophie Anderson, Mari Ellis Dunning, Emma Smith Barton, Jaffrin, Marvin Thompson and many more…
