Her writing has already become a staple of Welsh literature, but now author Caryl Lewis is hoping to do one better by inspiring young girls to be themselves.

Her debut novel Martha, Jac a Sianco sits on the Welsh curriculum and is widely regarded as a modern classic in Welsh literature.

However the multi-award-winning Aberystwyth-based author has taken inspiration from her own life for her next book, The Paper Girl.

Since raising her own daughter, Lewis wanted to write a book that would become “the armour children need to be confident and courageous”.

The Paper Girl is a modern fairy tale about identity, expectation, and self-worth: a story about a girl who continually reshapes herself to meet the expectations placed upon her, before finally reclaiming who she truly is: “This is the story of a girl made from paper, who is bright and kind and eager to please.

“When she is told she should be beautiful, she folds herself into a flower; when she is told she should be clever, she folds herself into a fox; when she is told she should be a ‘shining example to others’, she folds herself into a star.

“But nothing she does is quite good enough.”

The book is said to speak powerfully not only to kids, but across generations about the power of saying no and learning to choose yourself.

Accompanying the book are papercut illustrations by Kanako Abe, created with the Japanese technique of kirie (paper cutting) and hand-dyed washi paper, using a precision knife.

Lewis’ work transcends mediums - the film adaptation of Martha, Jac a Sianco won six BAFTAs, and she became the first author to win a Waterstones award across two languages for her adult novel Drift.

The Paper Girl will be released on 8 October for £14.99, aimed at ages 4-7.