Manawydan Jones: Y Pair Dadeni - Book Cover

Illustration, typography and cover design for the first prize-winning novel in the Manawydan Jones series, by author Alun Davies, with a modern spin on ancient Welsh legends.

Being a proud Welshman with a love for the old Mabinogion legends, I was ecstatic to work on the cover for this Welsh novel. For the first book in the planned series of novels, author Alun Davies wanted to capture the central thematic element of Y Pair Dadeni, a magical cauldron of Celtic myth that had the power to resurrect the dead. With the book telling the tale of the title character Manawydan Jones, a young mute teenager with fiery red hair, he is the focus of the cover, almost silhouetted against the white symbol of the cauldron, surrounded by raging flames that burn as bright as his hair.

The striking cover aims to catch the eye of the young target audience, with a touch of mystery, a healthy dash of epic fantasy, and a character design that firmly plants the story in the modern day.

The book has gone on to win the Welsh Language Secondary category in the 2023 Tir na n-Og Awards. Check out the book on Y Lolfa and order your copy.