‘These stories make the wall between worlds thrillingly thin. Their enchantment calls to us ever from the other side of the door’Michael Sheen, from the foreword
If you think you’ve heard all the fairy tales out there, think again. Inside this book you will find eleven epic Welsh tales from long ago, but not so far away, that are bound to enchant you. The Mab is a collection full to the brim with brand new versions of really, really old stories from the Mabinogi – maybe the oldest written-down stories in the history of Britain.
But as well as being really, really old, the stories in The Mab are strange and funny and thrilling. Alive with mystery and magic, they speak of a time when the gates between the Real World and the Otherworld were occasionally left open. And sometimes, just sometimes, it was possible to step through.
The stories in this illustrated edition have been reimagined by an extraordinary team of writers, and each appears alongside a Welsh-language translation.
More information
Matt Brown
Eloise Williams
Matt Brown is an author and a broadcaster who has presented on some of the UKs most popular TV shows like Nickelodeon, The Big Breakfast and I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here! Although, he would readily admit that he has presented some of the UKs worst-ever shows too! He has also been on the radio a lot, hosting shows on Capital, Heart and Magic and making documentaries for the BBC.
Matt is passionate about stories and storytelling. He has written seven books. Four Compton Valance books (the Most Powerful Boy in the Universe, the Time Travelling Sandwich Bites Back, Super F.A.R.T.s Vs the Master of Time, the Revenge of the Fancy-Pants Time Pirate) and three Dreary Inkling School books (Aliens Invaded My Talent Show, Mutant Zombies Cursed My School Trip, Killer Vending Machines Wrecked My Lunch).
THREE AMAZING MATT BROWN FACTS
1. Matt was once bitten by a dolphin.
2. Matt has recently dyed his hair grey for fashion purposes.
3. Matt does NOT look good in hats.
Eloise Williams is the inaugural Children’s Laureate Wales 2019-2021, an initiative run by Literature Wales.
Having originally trained in Theatre at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, she went on to work as a performer, theatre maker and creative practitioner for over a decade before studying for a Masters in Creative and Media Writing at Swansea University in 2011. She has since published four books for young people; Elen’s Island, Gaslight, Seaglass and Wilde. In 2019, Seaglass was shortlisted for the prestigious Tir Na N’og awards.
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I know it has been a while since we updated you on The Mab but we've had some amazing news over the past few weeks that we just had to share.
The Mab has been nominated for two prestigous awards, the 2023 Tir Na N-Og award, and Wales Book of the Year 2023. When we started this project in the summer of 2020 we never dreamed that such things would be possible. It is so exciting and a wonderful…
5th April 2022The Mab on Tour
Hello,
We're getting very excited as the countdown to publication of The Mab continues. The book will be out on June 9th, 2022, although Unbound supporters will be getting their copy and reward a little earlier than that.
We're going to be doing a couple of events juts before publication that I wanted to let you know about, just in case you'd like to come.
First, on May 14th, we'll be…
16th June 2021NEW: The Mab Postcards
Great news. We're making postcards from some of Max Low's incredible artwork from The Mab. The postcards will be sent to everyone who has supported The Mab when we reach 125% funded. We've settled on the first four images from the book, which are the retellings of the four branches. Here they are, with a little bit of the story that relates to the illustration. I hope you like them.
Rhiannon…
8th June 2021REPOST: UPGRADE to the Mab Map Teatowel
I've been getting a few messages saying that the link that I posted a few days ago didn't work. The link is to help you upgrade if you have already bought a 'First Mab' or a 'Signed Mab' and want to convert it into the Teatowel Mab. So, here is the link again.
8th June 2021REPOST: UPGRADE to the Mab Map Teatowel
I've been getting a few messages saying that the link that I posted a few days ago didn't work. The link is to help you upgrade if you have already bought a 'First Mab' or a 'Signed Mab' and want to convert it into the Teatowel Mab. So, here is the link again.
The Mab merchandise team has outdone itself this time. They have created a teatowel featuring the beautiful map that will appear at the front of The Mab. The map has been lovingly created by the brilliant Max Low and features moments from all the stories in The Mab.
If you have already bought a 'First Mab' or a 'Signed Mab' then you can easily upgrade. Find out how here
Exciting news. I'm going to be taking part in the Ponty Kids' Book Festival on Sunday 16th May (11am). I'll be chatting with Hanan Issa, who wrote the Culhwch and Olwen story for The Mab. We'll be talking all about The Mab and will be giving the first public readings of some of our stories. It's all online so you can come along from the comfort of your own home. Save your place by going…
2nd April 2021International Children's Book Day
Hello,
Today (April 2nd) is International Children's Book Day. To celebrate I sat down (virtually) and chatted (virtually) with Sophie Anderson. Sophie won last year's Wales Book of the Year and her brilliant book, The Girl Who Speaks Bear, has been shortlisted for this year's Carnegie Medal. Sophie is retelling Branwen's story for The Mab and I wanted to chat to her about how she went about writing…
16th March 2021Get Your Hands On Some Beautiful Mab Artwork
Hello there,
I hope you're having a good March. We've been really busy here at The Mab HQ. Stories are being written and illustrations are being drawn. We've set ourselves a deadline of the end of April to get everything ready to take to the design phase. Hopefully, we'll then be able to let everyone know when the book will be coming out.
I just wanted to let you know about an exciting new pre…
1st March 2021Happy St David's Day! Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus!
Hello,
As a little St David's Day treat, we wanted to share some really exciting news about The Mab. We're deep into the writing and editing phase of the book at the moment and all our authors are working hard to retell each of the stories of the Mabinogion. It's so exciting to see the stories take shape and the book begin to come together. And, as each story is edited, our wonderful illustrator…
20th January 2021The Mab Will Be Published and People Can Still Support
Hello,
In case you hadn't heard, we had some amazing news last week. The Mab is going to be published. HOORAY. So, we just wanted to say a HUGE "thank you" for all your help and support so far. It feels great to be talking to all the writers about the stories that will fill this book. We'll keep you posted on how it's going with updates and let you know our proposed publication date as soon…
4th January 2021The Mab - Michael Sheen Will Write the Foreword
Hi there,
I'm thrilled to be able to tell you that, just before Christmas, Michael Sheen agreed to write the foreword to The Mab. It's really exciting news as Michael is such a passionate supporter of the arts and culture in Wales and the UK. We're thrilled to have him on board.
The result of this news is that we are now so close to The Mab becoming a reality. As I write, we are 88% funded…
13th November 2020The Mab hits 65% - Interview with Hanan Issa
Hi there,
I hope you've had a really good week. I thought you might like to know that The Mab has just hit 65% funded. This is incredible news so a big thank you to everyone who has supported. Please don't forget to share with family and friends so that we can try and get to 100%.
I thought you might like to hear a chat I had with one of our authors, Hanan Issa. Hanan is a poet based in Cardiff…
6th November 2020The Mab - 64%
Hi there,
I just wanted to check in and let you know that The Mab is now at 64% funded, which is amazing.
I thought I'd share a short conversation I had recently with one of The Mab authors, the incredible Cathering Johnson. Catherine is a two-time Carnegie Medal nominee, and has written a lot of historical fiction and myths for kids. One thing that we often get asked about is what changes The…
26th October 2020Enjoy a Spooky 10% off The Mab
I know that everyone is gearing up for Hallowe'en but have you heard of the Welsh tradition called Nos Galan Gaeaf? A night before winter's arrival, Nos Galan Gaeaf, is a night when spirits and ghosts come out to play. So, to help celebrate and keep the tradition alive, Unbound are releasing a Nos Galan Gaeaf offer code that gets you 10% off The Mab. You can use it until Nov 1st (2020) and it…
19th October 2020The Mab and Michael Sheen
Hi there,
I hope you're having a good start to the week. Last week, something amazing happened. Michael Sheen (yes, THAT Michael Sheen) supported The Mab. He said
"The Mab is a beautiful retelling of the Mabinogion, for children. Help new generations fall in love with Blodeuwydd, Bran the Blessed and the rest of these epic and ancient stories."
This led to us getting a lot of new supporters…
25th September 2020The Mab - Schools + Darren Chetty Chat (a chet-chat?)
Hello,
I hope you're having a good week. I just wanted to keep you updated on the latest developments.
The Mab is all about helping new generations of kids (and adults) to find and fall in love with the ancient, beautiful, thrilling, weird stories of the Mabinogion. So, this week, we created and launched four different School Reward Levels at four different prices, which will give schools the…
4th September 2020The Bookplate Upgrade
Hi there,
I hope you're having a great week. My kids have gone back to school and now my house is so quiet, it's deafening. I just wanted to let you know about the new Bookplate Mab that we've just released. We had a lot of requests for an edition that will be signed by everyone and so this is what we've come up with. The bookplate will feature one of Max Low's beautiful illustrations from the…
19th August 2020The Mab - The First Three Weeks
Hi there,
I just wanted to let you know that after our first three weeks of crowdfunding, The Mab is already a third funded. This is such an unbelievable milestone and one I didn't think we'd hit mid-way through August. A few days ago, Eloise and I sat down, via the internet, and had a chat about The Mab. We nattered about our favourite Mabinogion stories, why the Lady of the Fountain is a bit…
Beverley Craddock asked:
Can I get someone else's name in the back of the book if it is to be a gift?
Unbound replied:
Hi Beverley,
You can indeed add someone else's name. Here's more info on how to change the name in the supporter list: http://help.unbound.com/en/articles/3159741-changing-the-supporter-name-that-s-printed-in-a-book.
Unbound Support.
Robert Kinns asked:
Hello,
I was wondering if the bookplate version will also be signed by Michael Sheen?
Matt Brown replied:
Hi Robert. Thanks for getting in touch. The bookplate will just be signed by the writers.
Stephanie Fischer asked:
The way I understand it, Martin Sheen writes an introduction / foreword, so I agree, it would be really nice to have his signature, too. I can understand if it isn't an option, but if that would be alright with him, it would be wonderful and make this more complete.
Matt Brown replied:
Hi Stephanie, thanks for your question. I agree it would be great but it will come down to a question of logistics. We'll keep you posted :)
Jeanette Muff asked:
Would this book be suitable for Welsh learners? (Eg I started Sylfaen 1 a 2 this Autumn and did Mynediad 1 a 2) last year. If so, that would be great - you could also e-mail the providers at Dysgu Cymraeg (https://learnwelsh.cymru/) etc and they could put this on their social media to alert learners at the different levels Mynediad/Sylfaen/Uwch/Canolradd and the folk doing Clwb Cwtsh/Welsh For Families ac at i.
Matt Brown replied:
Hi Jeanette, I asked Bethan, our translator, what she thought and this was her response: "As the language level in a few of the stories is quite advanced/difficult in English, it was impossible to simplify those Welsh versions. But other stories would be fine. It would be good for a Welsh learner to have a go at reading the Welsh translation and check on the English to see how well you've understood."
So, I think that's a 'yes'. Thanks for the tips about sharing with these other organisations. I'll get on it. If you take the plunge, I hope you really enjoy The Mab.
Matt
Sophie Baggott asked:
Hi, I'm a supporter and just wanted to check when our copies are being posted out as I only realised today that my address on here was out-of-date and hope I didn't miss the boat on providing my current one! Many thanks, Sophie
Matt Brown replied:
Hi Sophie, don’t worry, you’ll get an email very soon asking you to confirm the delivery address. You can change it then to where you want the books to go. Thanks and I hope you love The Mab. Matt
Taran Reese asked:
Hi I’m a supporter and just downloaded the ebook. It’s amazing! Unfortunately I didn’t see my name in the supporters list. Was that a different level of support? I did the bookplate level.
Unbound replied:
Hi Taran!
I've just had a check and your name is featured on page 204 on the supporter list towards the top! It looks like it was included in the C's for one of your middle names.
Lynne Ryan asked:
Hello! My copy of the Mab has arrived and it is beautiful, thank you! Just curious, there is a number at the top of the spine cover and I just wondered what it was? Also, should there be postcards included with the stretch goal being reached? No problem if not :-)
Thanks again
Unbound replied:
Hi Lynne!
So happy to hear your copy of The Mab has arrived! The number at the top of the spine is the Unbound number! That's how many books Unbound has published!
The postcards were a stretch goal for all levels from signed upwards.
Enjoy The Mab!
Sophie Bellis asked:
I received the bookplate and postcards today, but thought I had pledged for a hardback copy as well. Is this being sent later, or have I made a mistake?
Unbound replied:
Hi Sophie!
There appears to have been a packaging error at our warehouse about this! Will get this sorted and a book sent out ASAP!
Please accept our apologies.
Lena
Dafydd Parker asked:
Hi, I supported at a hardback level, but am still waiting for my copy. Is there any reason for such a long delay?
Unbound replied:
Hi Dafydd,
Thanks for reaching out! The delivery address on your account is currently unconfirmed which means your book has not yet been dispatched. Please check your email for an email from Unbound requesting you confirming the delivery address. The book will be dispatched within 1-2 working days after this!
Samuel Falkingham asked:
Hi there I also received the bookplate and postcards but no book? I'm assuming it's the same packaging error but didn't know how else to contact.
Unbound replied:
Hi Samuel,
Hopefully you received our communication on Friday about a packing error at the warehouse causing this. This has been rectified an a hardback copy is on it's way to you now.
Thanks!
Lena
Can I get someone else's name in the back of the book if it is to be a gift?
Hi Beverley, You can indeed add someone else's name. Here's more info on how to change the name in the supporter list: http://help.unbound.com/en/articles/3159741-changing-the-supporter-name-that-s-printed-in-a-book. Unbound Support.
Hello, I was wondering if the bookplate version will also be signed by Michael Sheen?
Hi Robert. Thanks for getting in touch. The bookplate will just be signed by the writers.
The way I understand it, Martin Sheen writes an introduction / foreword, so I agree, it would be really nice to have his signature, too. I can understand if it isn't an option, but if that would be alright with him, it would be wonderful and make this more complete.
Hi Stephanie, thanks for your question. I agree it would be great but it will come down to a question of logistics. We'll keep you posted :)
Would this book be suitable for Welsh learners? (Eg I started Sylfaen 1 a 2 this Autumn and did Mynediad 1 a 2) last year. If so, that would be great - you could also e-mail the providers at Dysgu Cymraeg (https://learnwelsh.cymru/) etc and they could put this on their social media to alert learners at the different levels Mynediad/Sylfaen/Uwch/Canolradd and the folk doing Clwb Cwtsh/Welsh For Families ac at i.
Hi Jeanette, I asked Bethan, our translator, what she thought and this was her response: "As the language level in a few of the stories is quite advanced/difficult in English, it was impossible to simplify those Welsh versions. But other stories would be fine. It would be good for a Welsh learner to have a go at reading the Welsh translation and check on the English to see how well you've understood." So, I think that's a 'yes'. Thanks for the tips about sharing with these other organisations. I'll get on it. If you take the plunge, I hope you really enjoy The Mab. Matt
Hi, I'm a supporter and just wanted to check when our copies are being posted out as I only realised today that my address on here was out-of-date and hope I didn't miss the boat on providing my current one! Many thanks, Sophie
Hi Sophie, don’t worry, you’ll get an email very soon asking you to confirm the delivery address. You can change it then to where you want the books to go. Thanks and I hope you love The Mab. Matt
Hi I’m a supporter and just downloaded the ebook. It’s amazing! Unfortunately I didn’t see my name in the supporters list. Was that a different level of support? I did the bookplate level.
Hi Taran! I've just had a check and your name is featured on page 204 on the supporter list towards the top! It looks like it was included in the C's for one of your middle names.
Hello! My copy of the Mab has arrived and it is beautiful, thank you! Just curious, there is a number at the top of the spine cover and I just wondered what it was? Also, should there be postcards included with the stretch goal being reached? No problem if not :-) Thanks again
Hi Lynne! So happy to hear your copy of The Mab has arrived! The number at the top of the spine is the Unbound number! That's how many books Unbound has published! The postcards were a stretch goal for all levels from signed upwards. Enjoy The Mab!
I received the bookplate and postcards today, but thought I had pledged for a hardback copy as well. Is this being sent later, or have I made a mistake?
Hi Sophie! There appears to have been a packaging error at our warehouse about this! Will get this sorted and a book sent out ASAP! Please accept our apologies. Lena
Hi, I supported at a hardback level, but am still waiting for my copy. Is there any reason for such a long delay?
Hi Dafydd, Thanks for reaching out! The delivery address on your account is currently unconfirmed which means your book has not yet been dispatched. Please check your email for an email from Unbound requesting you confirming the delivery address. The book will be dispatched within 1-2 working days after this!
Hi there I also received the bookplate and postcards but no book? I'm assuming it's the same packaging error but didn't know how else to contact.
Hi Samuel, Hopefully you received our communication on Friday about a packing error at the warehouse causing this. This has been rectified an a hardback copy is on it's way to you now. Thanks! Lena