Joanna is from Gorslas in Carmarthenshire originally and studied Creative Writing with Mihangel Morgan and Professor John Rowlands at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth. She’s written several bilingual novels including the acclaimed, ‘Ffreshars’ (Gomer) and ‘Freshers’ (Honno) young adult books. She’s also the author of the popular bilingual children’s picture book series featuring the Bwci Bo monsters. (Atebol). ‘Sawl Bwci Bo?/How Many Bwci Bos? was BookTrust Cymru’s 2022
Bookstart book for young children, the first original Welsh book to be selected for this scheme. Over 40,000 copies were distributed to young children across Wales.
‘Ble wyt ti Bwci Bo?/Where are you, Bwci Bo?’, the third book in the series, was the Books Council of Wales and BookTrust Cymru Book of the Month for December 2023. In June 2025, the three volumes in the series were published in traditional Chinese in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Macau. The next book in the series, ‘What’s the time, Bwci Bo?’ will be available from April 2026.
In March 2025, a Welsh adaptation by Joanna of the English book ‘The Street Food Festival’ (Gail Sequeira), titled ‘Bwyd y Byd, Bwyd y Stryd’, was published. The book was selected as one of the ‘best books in Wales 2025’ by BookTrust. In August 2025, a children’s book authored by Joanna, ‘Hywel Hwyl a’r Gwningen’, was published, coinciding with the new S4C series ‘Parc Glan Gwil’. Joanna authored three television episodes that are part of the series.
She has also written two books for children aged 7+ ‘Dymuniad Dylan – I ble aeth yr adar?’ (published November 2024 by Atebol) and ‘Dymuniad Dylan – I ble aeth yr athrawon?’ (published May 2025 by Atebol). The first book was selected as one of the ‘best books in Wales 2025′ by the BookTrust and the second has been selected as one of the Books Council of Wales’ ‘Teachers Love Reading’ books for 2025. Copies will be distributed by the Books Council in schools across Wales.
Joanna is married to Steven Goldstone who illustrates and designs the’ Bwci Bo’ and ‘Dymuniad Dylan’ book series and lives in Llantwit Major.
