Welsh sporting stars back campaign to get Wales reading

The 2019 Quick Reads titles in Wales, published by Y Lolfa and Rily Publications, were launched by the Minister for Education Kirsty Williams AM, at the Norwegian Church in Cardiff Bay, on Tuesday, 30 April.

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The aim is to get Wales reading with these short, gripping books which are available from libraries, bookshops and online for only £1. Four new titles have been published this year, two in Welsh and two in English.

These short books with big stories include Y Goliau a’r Dagrau: Stori Tash Harding, the biography of the life and career of Welsh football star, Natasha Harding, written by sports journalist and presenter Dylan Ebenezer. Also published in Welsh is Wil ac Aeron, the adventures of two farmers from mid-Wales as we follow them to Norway, Peru, Romania and Scotland. The book is written by Welsh author, producer and blogger Heulwen Ann Davies.

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Heulwen said: “I thoroughly enjoyed the process of writing the Wil and Aeron book. I was in school with the two of them and it was so much fun reminiscing and gathering memories from over the years. Both are so passionate about farming and the opportunities out there for young farmers. They’ve travelled extensively and have become fathers, and we cover all of that in the book. I hope it will be of particular interest to young farmers who might not make time to read that often.

“The Quick Reads series is an important way of introducing a variety of books to people who might not be regular readers. The style of these books is fun and simple, and I can’t wait to hear what people think of Wil ac Aeron.”

Two books have been published in English: Reset Your Goals by Jos Andrews, which focuses on the determination of some of Wales’ most loved sportspeople – including Welsh international rugby player Josh Navidi and Anna Hursey, the 12-year-old Welsh table tennis star – despite having to face obstacles; and Music to Make Friends By: A Life Loving Pop Music by award-winning author Hayley Long, a book about how music has influenced her and shaped her life.

The aim of the Quick Reads series is to be accessible to everyone and to appeal to those who might not usually make time to read, giving confidence to those who might struggle with their reading. The campaign is coordinated by the Welsh Books Council and supported by the Welsh Government.