TWO of Wales’ leading authors have taken on the challenge of producing more Welsh-language books for young adults.

Following a commission from the Welsh Government, Bethan Gwanas and Lleucu Roberts have published the first of their new trilogies this week, Cyfres y Melanai: EFA and Cyfres Yma: Yr Ynys - both written for teenagers.

Bethan is an author of over 30 books for children and adults, who lives near Dolgellau and has won the Tir na n-Og prize twice, for Llinyn Trôns and Sgorio.

Lleucu comes from Llandre, Ceredigion. She has won the Tir na n-Og prize twice, for Annwyl Smotyn Bach and Stwff. She is also an interpreter and scriptwriter for television.

These are the first ever trilogies in Welsh for young adults. They have been published by Y Lolfa.

The project of writing two sets of three young adult novels was commissioned by the Welsh Government as part of their program to support teaching and learning Welsh as a subject and other subjects through the medium of Welsh. The idea of ??creating the trilogy came to fruition following consultation with a panel of teachers.

“There’s a huge and painful gap in the world of original Welsh books for young people. This is the genre that sells the best in English - and has been doing so for many years, but why is Welsh lagging behind?’ she said.

Lleucu agrees. “In their teenage years, young people need material that feeds their desires to read, to go to new worlds, and fire their imagination,” she said.

See this week’s south papers for the full feature, available in shops and as a digital edition now