The Blue Book of Nebo WINNER OF THE YOTO CARNEGIE 2023 MEDAL FOR WRITING

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I lost my mam when I was young, and when I was pregnant with my first child, I hated the thought that my children would only know her as a still, unmoving, silent image in a picture frame on the wall of their home. I wanted them to feel like they knew her. So I wrote a novel for children- Trwy’r Darlun– and featured my mam as a main character. Siân in Trwy’r Darlun is funny and strong and loving and loyal and she’s my mother. It was the best way I could think of to bring her to life for my children. That was my first novel, some 15 years ago.

A beautiful story, elegantly told’ … Images from Saving Sorya: Chan and the Sun Bear by Jeet Zdung. Photograph: PR

Manon Steffan Ros's novel The Blue Book of Nebo intimately examines a post-apocalyptic world through the lens of the relationship between a mother and child.” — Largehearted Boy There’s a hell of a view from the lean-to. Down toward Caernarfon, where you can see the castle towers jutting out like gnarling teeth, and then the sea and Anglesey beyond it. I can’t ever remember going to Anglesey, but Mam says I went loads of times when I was a little boy. There were nice places to go for walks, Mam says, with nice beaches all around, because Anglesey is an island. I was thinking about that yesterday when I was sitting on the roof of the lean-to, looking out. Seeing the sea and the island, which looks too big to be an island from here. There are trees and fields and places I don’t know between here and the sea. Yesterday was a cold day—cold enough to make my mouth steam, like snow in a saucepan. I sat there thinking about all those people in the olden days, poor things, going to beaches in their cars and sitting there all day with nothing to do. Standing with their feet in the water, then splashing about a bit and then having a picnic. I try not to think about those people too much. Author Luke Palmer introduces his new book, Play (Firefly Press) about four boys growing up together, the challenges, the friendships, and what hap... A thoroughly thought-provoking and enjoyable read, the folklore elements combine to provide a rich tale that’s perfect for both YA and adult readers.’ Buzz Magazine Thanks for…” Gwion started, and took a few seconds to think about what he wanted to thank me for. “I thought everyone was gone. I didn’t think I’d ever hear another person’s voice.”

I used to see the word Carnegie on the covers of my favourite books as a child, and the fact that The Blue Book of Nebo now has that honour bestowed upon it means more than I can say – and to be the first book in translation to win the Yoto Carnegie Medal for Writing is a source of great delight. One of the greatest privileges of my life has been the fact that I was raised through the medium of the Welsh language, and having access to two languages has brought me so much joy and opportunity. There’s a huge, lively, thriving Welsh language cultural scene that I’m honoured to be a part of. Each language offers a unique and enriching perspective on the world, and so literature in translation has the potential to enhance our lives greatly. Your favourite book might not yet be translated into a language that you understand.” The moral argument was already formed on my tongue, but I knew he was telling the truth. The village of Nebo was only half a mile away, and I knew that there would be clean blankets for me and Dylan, saucepans and dishes, perfect slates to fix our roof with. I’d been sleeping without a mattress for almost three years, and the thought of the luxury of being clean and dry was almost too much to bear. Home » Wales » Manon Steffan Ros » Llyfr Glas Nebo (Blue Book of Nebo) Manon Steffan Ros: Llyfr Glas Nebo (Blue Book of Nebo) The Yoto Carnegies celebrate outstanding achievement in children’s writing and illustration respectively and are unique in being judged solely by librarians. An uplifting and thoroughly heart-warming take on the post-apocalyptic novel, this has all the markers of a modern classic.’– Lauren JamesWe find our main protagonists isolated, alone and learning to survive in this unsettling new era. Set in the very near future, we find a small family in the hilltop house, including Dylan, a 14-year-old boy, his mother Rowenna and his infant sister Mona, who are the only survivors for miles around. Although only a small family, they have adapted and are surviving. They have learnt new skills and are learning to live and hunt from the land. Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) and Calibre Audio are producing the Yoto Carnegie shortlisted books in accessible formats (compatibility permitting), including braille, giant print and audio books. Yoto’s platform features both award-winning original content and audio that has been licensed or co-created with partners. These partners include PRH, Macmillan, Sony, Warner Music, Mattel, Disney, LEGO, Roald Dahl Story Company, HarperCollins, Hachette, Bonnier and Scholastic. Wednesday 21 June 2023: The winners of the UK’s longest-running and best-loved book awards for children and young people, the Yoto Carnegies, were announced today in a live-streamed ceremony at The Barbican. And we agreed, Mam and me, to share The Blue Book of Nebo. She’ll write about the olden days and The End, and I’ll write about now, about how we live. And we’ve agreed not to read what the other has written, just in case. In case of what, I’m not sure.