Chwilio

*Scroll down for English* Dwi Newydd brynu copi o’r llyfr yma i ffrind sy’n byw yn Lloegr. Mae o a'i wraig newydd gael hogan fach a dwi’n gobeithio y byddan nhw'n gallu defnyddio’r llyfr yma i wneud yn siŵr ei bod hi’n clywed dipyn o Gymraeg, er ei bod hi’n Warwick! Dyma lyfr sy’n berffaith fel un cyntaf ar gyfer babi ifanc. Cofiwch, dydi hi BYTH rhy fuan i gyflwyno llyfrau i blant. Gora po gyntaf ddweda i. Mae’r llyfr yn cynnwys y prif liwiau ac mae’n llachar iawn gyda lluniau clir ar gyfer denu sylw'r rhai lleiaf. Mae rhyw fath o effaith 3D ar yr eitemau sy’n gwneud iddyn nhw sefyll allan yn glir. Drwy wrando arnoch chi’n darllen, mi fydd eich plentyn yn gallu dysgu geiriau syml gyda phethau sy’n gyfarwydd iawn fel bwced a rhaw neu anifeiliaid anwes. Bydd digon o hwyl i gael yma wrth edrych a phwyntio at y lluniau. Mae’r llyfr yn un dwyieithog hefyd sy’n ideal ar gyfer teuluoedd sy’n siarad Cymraeg a Saesneg adref. Dwi’n meddwl y bydd y llyfr yn ffefryn gyda’r rhai bach ac wrth gwrs, mae o wedi ei wneud o gardfwrdd cadarn, sy’n beth da rhag ofn bod y corneli’n cael eu cnoi! Os wnaethoch chi fwynhau Lliwiau Cyntaf Babi, mae ‘na rai eraill yn y gyfres hefyd. As it happens, I've just bought a copy of this book for a friend living in England. They’ve just had a baby girl and I hope that they’ll be able to use this book to make sure that she gets to hear a little bit of Welsh, despite being in Warwick! This is the perfect book for a young baby/toddler. Remember, it's NEVER too early to introduce books to children. The sooner the better IMO. Even though they can’t read, they can still hear the sound of your voice and they absolutely love looking at the pictures. The book introduces the main colours and is very bright with clear pictures for attracting the attention of our little readers. The photos have a bit of a 3D effect which helps them to stand out clearly. By listening to you reading, your child will be able to learn simple words using familiar objects such as a bucket and spade or pets. There’s plenty of fun to be had here as they’ll look and point to the pictures with great fascination. It’s also a bilingual book so ideal for those speaking Welsh and English at home. You never know, you might even pick up a word or too along the way! I think the book will be a favourite with the little ones and of course, it's made of solid cardboard, so it’ll take a good battering and can cope with a bit of chewing! If you enjoyed Lliwiau Cyntaf Babi, there are others in the series too. Cyhoeddwr/publisher: Dref Wen Cyhoeddwyd/released: 2021 Pris: £3.99 ISBN: 9781784231583 Hefyd yn y gyfres... Also available...

*Scroll down for English* "Llyfr hardd iawn am gariad a cholled." "Beautiful book about love and loss." Genre: #ffuglen #galar #marwolaeth #natur / #ficition #death #bereavement #nature Negeseuon positif/positive messages: ◉◉◉◎◎ Themau trist,anodd/upsetting, tough themes: ◉◉◉◉◎ Trais, ofn/violence, scary: ◉◎◎◎◎ Iaith gref/language: ◎◎◎◎◎ Rhyw/sex: ◎◎◎◎◎ Hiwmor/humour: ◎◎◎◎◎ Her darllen/reading difficulty:: ◉◉◉◎◎ Addaswyd gan/adapted by: Mary Jones Lluniau/illustrations: Cathy Fisher Oed diddordeb/interest age: 5+ Oed darllen/reading age: 7+ Themau sensitif (marwolaeth) - awgrymir disgresiwn Sensitive themes (death) - discretion advised Fe gawson ni newyddion da’r mis yma, wrth i Lywodraeth Cymru a’r Cyngor Llyfrau gyhoeddi cynllun newydd i gefnogi iechyd a lles plant. Ariannir pecyn o 41 o lyfrau, wedi eu dewis gan arbenigwyr, sy’n helpu athrawon i drafod materion iechyd a lles yn well. Bydd y llyfrau ar gael yn Gymraeg a’r Saesneg gydag adnoddau i gyd-fynd. Gwych! Darllenwch y datganiad i’r wasg yma: https://llyfrau.cymru/cynllun-iechyd-da/ Dyma’r catalog llawn sy’n rhestru llyfrau fesul thema yma: Roedd y llyfr yma’n fwy dwys nac oeddwn i wedi’i ddisgwyl o edrych ar y clawr. Er ei fod yn trafod pwnc anodd iawn, cefais fy siomi ar yr ochr orau gan y llyfr emosiynol, grymus a theimladwy yma. Yn syml, mae bachgen a’i dad yn paratoi i adeiladu pwll yn yr ardd, ond cyn i’r prosiect ddwyn ffrwyth, mae’r tad yn marw, gan adael twll gwag ym mywydau’r teulu, yn llythrennol. Doeddwn i ddim yn disgwyl hynny o gwbl. Heavy stuff. Yn aml, mae llyfrau plant yn aralleirio neu’n siarad o gwmpas y pwnc, ond mae’r stori yma’n trafod marwolaeth y tad mewn ffordd uniongyrchol a phlaen- sy'n beth da. Dwi wedi darllen sylwadau gan rai athrawon sy’n dweud na fydden nhw’n darllen y llyfr gyda’u dosbarth oherwydd fod y themâu dwys yn cael eu trafod mewn ffordd di-flewyn ar dafod. Dwi’n teimlo’n wahanol; bod y llyfr yn cynnig cyfle gwerthfawr i drafod pwnc pwysig iawn gyda’r plant lleiaf (pwnc sy’n aml yn cael ei osgoi). Fodd bynnag, mae angen bod yn ymwybodol o sefyllfa plant unigol, a chi sy’n nabod eich plant ar ddiwedd y dydd. Yn fuan iawn ar ôl i’r adroddwr lenwi’r pwll â dŵr, mae’n torri ac mae’r dŵr yn llifo i’r tŷ gan wylltio ei fam, sy’n bygwth cael gwared ohono. Mae’r pwll anorffenedig yn amlwg yn creu tensiwn rhwng y teulu sy’n achosi i’r adroddwr sgrechian mewn cynddaredd ar ei dad am farw. Caiff poen y bachgen ei gyfleu yn hynod o real gan anrhefn, blerwch a thywyllwch y gwaith celf. Er nad yw’r pwll yn ddim byd mwy na thwll moel a llwm yn y ddaear i gychwyn, wrth i amser fynd heibio, mae rhywbeth rhyfeddol yn digwydd. Fesul tipyn daw’r pwll yn fyw a chaiff ei lenwi gan fywyd gwyllt, pryfetach a blodau hardd fel Lili’r Dŵr. Drwy gydol y llyfr, y pwll yw cyswllt y teulu gyda’r tad - rhywle y gallent fynd i fyfyrio, i siarad gydag o ac i gofio amdano. Ar yr un pryd, mae’r pwll yn adlewyrchiad o alar y teulu a’r teimladau cymysg a brofant wrth iddynt symud o’r lle tywyll a llwm ar ôl colli dad, at y gobaith a’r bywyd newydd a ddaw ar y diwedd. Erbyn diwedd y llyfr, mae fel pe bai’r teulu wedi dechrau dod i delerau â’r golled, ac er eu bod yn ffarwelio â’r hen dŷ a’r atgofion chwerwfelys, mae nhw’n cario ‘syniad’ dad gyda nhw, gan ddatgan y bydden nhw’n creu pwll newydd. Yn union fel y tymhorau, lle daw gwanwyn ar ôl gaeaf, mae llygedyn o obaith ar ddiwedd y stori, sy’n ffordd addas iawn o orffen. There was some good news this month, as the Welsh Government and the Books Council of Wales announced a new scheme to support the health and wellbeing of children. A pack of 41 books, selected by experts, has been funded which helps teachers to better discuss health and wellbeing issues. The books will be available in Welsh and English with resources to accompany. Great! Read the press release here: https://llyfrau.cymru/cynllun-iechyd-da/ Here’s the full catalogue listing books by theme here: The book was more intense than I’d first imagined from seeing the cover. Although this book discusses a difficult subject, I really enjoyed this powerful and moving book. To put it simply, a boy and his father start building a pond in the garden, but the father dies before they get a chance to finish it, literally leaving an empty hole in the family's lives. I wasn’t expecting that. Heavy stuff. Children's books often approach the subject of death indirectly or go round the houses, but I appreciated the way the author discusses the father's death very directly. I've read comments from some teachers who say that they wouldn’t read the book with their class because of the themes. I feel differently – I think the book offers a valuable opportunity to discuss this important topic with young children (a subject that is often avoided). What I would say is, that you need to be aware of individual children’s circumstances, and use discretion - you know your children at the end of the day. Soon after the narrator fills the pond with water, it breaks and the water flows into the house, causing the mother to threaten to get rid of it. Clearly a source of tension between the family, the narrator becomes very angry with his father for leaving – a very natural response. The raw emotion of the boy's pain is conveyed through the chaos and darkness of Cathy Fisher’s haunting illustrations. Although the pond is initially bare and lifeless, over time, something remarkable happens. The pond comes to life and is soon teeming with wildlife, insects and water flowers. Throughout the book, the pond is the family's connection with their father - somewhere they can go to reflect, talk to him and remember him. At the same time, the pond is a reflection of their grief as they move from the dark and bleak place after the initial loss, to the glimmer of hope at the end. Towards the end, it is as if the family have started to come to terms with their grief, and although they are saying goodbye to the old house and the bittersweet memories, they carry their father's 'dream' with them, stating that they would create a new pond. Just like the seasons, where the warmth of spring follows a bleak winter, the story ends on a positive note. Cyhoeddwr/publisher: Graffeg Cyhoeddwyd/released: 2020 Pris: £7.99 ISBN: 9781912050086

*Scroll down for English* ♥ Enillydd Tir na n-Og 2014 Cymraeg (cynradd) ♥ ♥ Tir na n-Og Award winner 2014 Welsh (primary) ♥ Genre: #ffuglen #hanesydddol #Cymru / #fiction #historical #Welsh #Welshhistory Gwerth addysgiadol/educational value: ◉◉◉◉◎ Negeseuon positif/positive messages: ◉◉◎◎◎ Themau trist,anodd/upsetting, tough themes: ◉◎◎◎◎ Trais, ofn/violence, scary: ◉◉◎◎◎ Iaith gref/language: ◎◎◎◎◎ Rhyw/sex: ◎◎◎◎◎ Hiwmor/humour: ◉◉◎◎◎ Her darllen/reading difficulty:: ◉◉◉◎◎ Oed diddordeb/interest age: 9+ Oed darllen/reading age: 10-15+ (CA2/3) Gwaith celf/illustrations: Graham Howells Wel, mi wnes i ddechrau 2021 drwy herio fy hun i ddarllen pob un wan jac o nofelau Gareth F Williams cyn diwedd y flwyddyn. Ar ôl gorffen Anji mewn un eisteddiad, mi benderfynais newid trywydd yn llwyr a mynd am nofel hanesyddol, a lle gwell i ddechrau na gydag enillydd Gwobr Tir na n-Og 2014, Cwmwl Dros y Cwm. Fel nifer ohonom, roeddwn yn ymwybodol fod gan de Cymru gysylltiad agos iawn â’r diwydiant glo, a’i fod nid yn unig wedi chwarae rhan bwysig yn ein hanes fel cenedl, ond ei fod wedi siapio nifer o’n cymunedau ni heddiw. Er bod y diwydiant wedi diflannu fwy neu lai, mae wedi gadael ei farc ar gymoedd y de. Mae'n gywilydd gen i ddweud, heb law am y cyswllt â'r Neuadd breswyl Gymraeg yng Nghaerdydd, nad oeddwn i'n gwybod am hanes Senghenydd, felly dwi'n hynod falch fy mod wedi cael cyfle i ddysgu. Yn yr oes sydd ohoni, rydym yn byw bywydau prysur iawn, ac mae sawl dyfais dechnolegol yn cystadlu am ein sylw. Mae’n bwysicach nag erioed felly fod llyfr yn cydio ynom o’r cychwyn cyntaf - ac mi lwyddodd y nofel hon i wneud hynny’n sicr. Atgofion John Williams o’i brofiadau cynnar pan fu rhaid i’r teulu adael y gogledd i chwilio am waith yw sail y nofel. Fe blethir hanes y gorffennol yn glyfar i mewn i’r stori, oedd yn cychwyn ym 1963 cyn mynd yn ôl dros hanner can mlynedd i’r Universal Colliery yn 1908. Mae symud cartref yn anodd beth bynnag, ond dychmygwch wneud hynny ar ddechrau’r ugeinfed ganrif heb ddim o’r dechnoleg fodern sydd gynnon ni heddiw i gadw mewn cysylltiad â hen ffrindiau a theulu. Yn wir, teimla de Cymru fel byd cwbl wahanol i’r bachgen ifanc. Bu’n rhaid i’r teulu ddygymod â chymdeithas hollol newydd a dieithr, heb sôn am geisio deall yr acenion anghyfarwydd! Buan iawn y sylweddola John a’i dad fod “adre newydd” yn wahanol iawn i’r “hen adra,” ac mewn dim maen nhw’n llwyddo i godi gwrychyn ambell un o’r trigolion lleol ‘lliwgar’! Ceir disgrifiadau gwych o’r cymeriadau amrywiol hyn gan yr awdur. Fe fyddwch yn falch o glywed fod y teulu’n llwyddo i wneud ambell i ffrind yn ogystal â gelynion. Mae eu cyfeillgarwch gyda’u cymdogion agos yn nodweddiadol o’r agosatrwydd a’r croeso cynnes a geir hyd heddiw yng Nghymoedd y De. Drwy waith disgrifio a chymeriadu ardderchog, llwydda’r awdur i weu stori bersonol am gyfeillgarwch a brawdoliaeth gyda stori sy’n byrlymu â ffeithiau hanesyddol am y cyfnod. Oherwydd dawn ddiamheuol yr awdur i greu cymeriadau hoffus a chredadwy, cawn ein taro hyd yn oed yn fwy gan uchafbwynt dirdynnol y nofel pan dafla’r cwmwl du ei gysgod dros y cwm. Cyfeiriad at drychineb Senghenydd yw hyn wrth gwrs, sef y diwrnod erchyll ym mis Hydref 1913 lle bu farw 439 o ddynion a bechgyn yn y ffrwydrad mwyngloddio fwyaf angheuol yn y Deyrnas Gyfunol hyd heddiw. I ni sy’n gweithio yn ein swyddfeydd cysurus heddiw, anodd yw dychmygu caledi bywyd y glowyr. Roedd rhaid iddynt weithio oriau hir o dan amodau didrugaredd, a chafodd y gwaith yma effaith niweidiol ar eu hiechyd. Chwaraeodd anwybodaeth ac agwedd ffwrdd-â-hi tuag at iechyd a diogelwch ran fawr yn y drasiedi, ac mae’n amlwg nad oedd y rheolwyr wedi dysgu unrhyw wersi yn dilyn trychineb arall debyg a ddigwyddodd sawl blwyddyn yn flaenorol. Cawsom ein hatgoffa’n gymharol ddiweddar fod peryglon ynghlwm â chloddio am lo hyd heddiw pan ddigwyddodd y ddamwain ym mhwll Gleision, Castell-nedd Port Talbot. Er bod y nofel yn llawn ffeithiau a thermau diddorol fel afterdamp a firedamp, sy’n dod â chyfnod o hanes go ddieithr erbyn hyn yn fyw i gynulleidfa ifanc, gwir gryfder y nofel yw stori’r teulu sy’n angori’r cyfan. Doedd yr un diwrnod wedi mynd heibio lle nad oedd John Williams yn meddwl ac yn cofio am y dynion a gollwyd y diwrnod hwnnw, ac mae’n hollbwysig ein bod ninnau hefyd yn cofio amdanynt heddiw. Bu darllen y nofel yn sbardun i mi ymchwilio ymhellach i hanes Senghenydd, ac oherwydd hyn dwi’n credu bod gwerth mawr i’r nofel hon fel adnodd dysgu. Yn ystod fy nghyfnod yn yr ysgol roeddem yn dysgu cymaint am hanes teulu brenhinol Lloegr, ond byddai wedi bod yn llawer gwell gen i ddysgu am hanes diwydiannol fy ngwlad fy hun. Bydd y llyfr yma’n siŵr o fod yn ddefnyddiol iawn fel rhan o’r Cwricwlwm newydd i Gymru, boed hynny yn y sector gynradd neu uwchradd. Dyma nofel y gallaf ei hargymell 100% i blant ac oedolion ac rwy’n falch o ddweud ei bod hi hefyd ar gael i’w mwynhau yn Saesneg, o dan y teitl The Darkest of Days. Like many of us, I knew that South Wales has a very close connection with the coal industry, and not only has it played an important role in our history as a nation, but it has shaped many of the communities we know today. Even though the once-vast industry has virtually disappeared, it has certainly left its mark on the valleys. Nowadays, we all live such busy lives, and lots of things compete for our attention. I would say it’s more important than ever that a book catches our attention and intrigue from the outset - and this novel succeeds in doing so. It’s the memories of an older John Williams that form the basis of this book, as he recalls the early years of his life when his family had to leave the North to look for work. Beginning in 1963, the novel travels back over fifty years to the Universal Colliery in 1908 where an excited John is looking forward to joining his father in the pit. Moving home is difficult enough anyway, but imagine doing this in the early twentieth century without any of the modern technology that keeps us in touch with family and friends. Despite being in the same country, for John, South Wales feels like worlds away from the life he once knew. The family must get to grips with a totally new way of life, as well as trying to understand the unfamiliar accents! John and his father soon realize that their new home is very different to their old one and it’s not long before they catch the attention of some of the Valley’s more ‘colourful’ characters. You’ll be pleased to hear that the family manage to make a few friends as well as enemies. Their friendship with their neighbours, the Dando’s, is typical of the warm welcome of the South Wales Valleys – something that’s still true to this day. Through excellent descriptive and character work, the author succeeds in weaving a personal story about friendship and brotherhood with lots of interesting historical facts about the period. Because of the author's skill in creating likeable and credible characters, this serves to make the ending even more harrowing when the dark cloud inevitably comes to darken their doors. This is, of course, a reference to the Senghenydd disaster, which was the horrific day in October 1913 when 439 men and boys died in the most fatal mining explosion in the United Kingdom to this day. For those of us who work in our cosy offices, it’s difficult to imagine the hardships of a miner’s way of life - the long arduous hours in unforgiving conditions, and the toll it took on their health. Ignorance and a lax approach to health and safety played a major part in the tragedy, and management clearly had not learned lessons from a similar tragedy several years previously. We are reminded about the ever-present dangers associated with coal mining when we think of the accident at Gleision, Neath Port Talbot in 2011. Although the novel is full of interesting facts and terminology such as afterdamp and firedamp, bringing a relatively unfamiliar period of history alive to a new generation, the true strength of the novel is the family’s story that anchors it all. Not a day goes by where John Williams did not think about the men that were lost that fateful day, and it’s vitally important that we as readers remember them too. Reading the novel inspired me to look deeper into Senghenydd’s history, and I think for this reason it has great value as a teaching and learning resource. During my time at school, we learned so much about the history of the English royal family, but very little of my own country’s rich industrial past. This book will no doubt play an important part of the new Curriculum for Wales, be that in the primary or secondary sector. This is a simple yet touching novel that I can thoroughly recommend for children and adults alike and I’m pleased to say that it’s also available to enjoy in English, under the title The Darkest of Days. Cyhoeddwr/publisher: Carreg Gwalch Cyhoeddwyd/released: 2013 Pris: £5.99 ISBN: 9781845274405 Roedd y llyfr yn RHIF 1 ar restr Canolfan Ddosbarthu'r Cyngor Llyfrau cyn 'Dolig! The book was No.1 on the Book Council for Wales Distribution Centre's list!

*Scroll down for Review & English version* Addasiad/adapted by: Luned Whelan This laugh-out-loud series is perfect for young readers. Suitable for children aged 7 years+ and key stage 2 readers. Enw’r cymeriadau: Sion (Crwtyn cryf), Ffion ffrisbi, Bari Brens, Pwdin y ci rhyfeddol, Capten Cadernid, a phobl o fyd arall Stori: Mae’r plant yn mynd i ysgol arbennig i archarwyr. Mae pobl o fyd arall yn herwgipio Bari a Capten Cadernid (mae’r aliens yn galw fo’r Capten CaCa!!!) Mae Ffion, Sion a Pwdin yn achub y dydd. Fy marn i: Dwi’n hoffi’r rhannau doniol (rhan fwya’r stori!) a dwi wrth fy modd efo archarwyr! Mae rhai geiriau anodd yn y llyfr fel 'archdroseddwyr' (supervillains). Dyfarniad: Dwi'n rhoi 5 seren neu 10/10 i'r llyfr yma. Characters: Sion (Crwtyn cryf), Ffion ffrisbi, Bari Brens, Pwdin y ci rhyfeddol, Capten Cadernid, and people from another world Story: The children go to a special shool for superheroes. People from another world kidnapp Bari and Capten Cadernid (the aliens call him Capten CaCa!!) Ffion, Sion and Pwdin save the day. My opinion: I like the funny bits (most of the book to be honest!) and I love the superheroes. There are some hard words like 'archdroseddwyr' (supervillains) Verdict: I give this book 5 stars or 10/10 Dyma rai lluniau o'r llyfr: Here are a few pictures from the book: Disgrifiad Gwales Croeso i Ysgol y Nerthol - yr ysgol sy'n meithrin ARCHARWYR y dyfodol. Tra bod Siôn a'i ffrindiau'n brysur gyda'u gwersi HEDFAN ac yn paratoi ar gyfer yr arholiad ARWYR, does neb yn sylwi bod Bari Brêns wedi dechrau ymddwyn yn RHYFEDD iawn. Tybed a oes a wnelo hyn â'r LLONG OFOD sydd wedi glanio yn y maes parcio? Gwales Description Welcome back to Mighty High - the school for superheroes. Stan and his friends are so busy preparing for their Heroes exams and having flying lessons that no one realises that Miles has been abducted by aliens! Can fully-fledged superhero Captain Courageous lend a hand or will their fates be decided by a piece of bionic bubble gum? A laugh-out-loud series, perfect for young readers. Cyhoeddwr/publisher: Rily Cyhoeddwyd/released: 2015 Pris: £4.99 ISBN: 9781849672719

*Scroll down for English* “Y nofel orau, fwyaf pwerus i mi ei darllen ers blynyddoedd. Mae’n ysgytwol.” - Manon Steffan Ros Genre: #ffuglen #iechydmeddwl #cyfeillgarwch #OI / #fiction #friendship #mentalhealth #YA Negeseuon positif/positive messages: ◉◉◉◉◎ Themau trist,anodd/upsetting, tough themes: ◉◉◉◉◎ Trais, ofn/violence, scary: ◎◎◎◎◎ Iaith gref/language: ◉◉◉◉◎ Rhyw/sex: ◉◉◉◎◎ Hiwmor/humour: ◉◉◉◎◎ Themau aeddfed/mature and upsetting themes inc. suicide, self-harm, sexual references, sexuality and mental illness Pob blwyddyn fel rheol, mae ’na un llyfr sy’n creu argraff - y llyfr mae pawb yn siarad amdano fo. Rhyw ddwy flynedd yn ôl, Llyfr Glas Nebo oedd o, a ’leni, Tu ôl i’r awyr ydi’r llyfr. Be’ bynnag yw eich barn am y llyfr, fedrwch chi ddim dadlau nad ydi o wedi creu argraff. Mae siarad mawr wedi bod amdano ar y cyfryngau cymdeithasol ac fe ddaw’n amlwg fod y llyfr wedi cael effaith ar nifer fawr o bobl, a bod ei ddarllen wedi bod yn brofiad digon ysgytwol, sydd wedi cymell pobl i fod isio mynegi eu sylwadau ar y we. Mae pawb eisiau ei ddarllen, a mae pawb eisiau dweud eu bod nhw wedi ei ddarllen. O safbwynt adolygwr, mae’n grêt fod ‘na fwrlwm am lenyddiaeth Cymraeg. Yn ystod y lansiad rhithiol fis Tachwedd, dyma ddywedodd Marged Tudur am y nofel: “Ma ’na lyfra weithia sy’n aros efo chi yn fwy na’r lleill, ma nhw’n newid eich ffordd chi o sbïo ar y byd ac ar wahanol betha. Ma nhw’n llyfra sy’n dod yn rhan ohonoch chi neu mae ’na gymeriada yn y llyfr da chi isio bod yn ffrindia hefo nhw neu falle bod nhw wedi dod yn ffrindia i chi. Mae ’na lyfra neith wastad aros yng nghanol symudiadau bywyd a heb amheuaeth, mae Tu ôl i’r awyr yn un o’r nofelau ysgubol, dirdynnol, gwefreiddiol yna. Mi wnaeth hi fy nharo i oddi ar fy echel ac yn syml, mae hi wedi mynd i rywle dwfn tu mewn i fy nghalon i ac mae hi wedi aros yna. Alla i ddim canmol y nofel yma ddigon a dwi’n gwbl mindblown o allu Megan a’i thalent aruthrol. Awdur cwbl, cwbl arbennig.” Gwyliwch y lansiad yn ei gyfanrwydd yma ar sianel AM gwasg Y Lolfa: https://www.amam.cymru/ylolfa/4061 Mae gan yr awdur lais ffres ac mae ganddi ddawn dweud gwreiddiol sy’n ffraeth iawn ar adegau ac yn ddwys iawn dro arall – ond bob amser yn dal ein sylw. Daw’r cwbl at ei gilydd i gynnig profiad darllen pwerus a chwbl unigryw yn y Gymraeg. Mae’r cymeriadau yn gwbl gredadwy, a’u teimladau a’u hemosiynau amrwd yn llawer mwy na geiriau ar bapur. Llwydda Megan i dreiddio i feddyliau’r cymeriadau a chyflwyno rhai o leisiau pobl ifanc Cymru heddiw yn effeithiol dros ben. Defnyddia ddull gwreiddiol iawn o gofnodi meddyliau Anest, sy’n llafar tu hwnt ac yn diystyru unrhyw atalnodi, ond sy’n gynrychiadol o sut mae llawer o bobl yn siarad o ddydd i ddydd heddiw, yn adlewyrchu’r iaith a ddefnyddir ar-lein ac ar ein ffonau symudol, ac hefyd yn cyfleu’r ffaith fod yr holl feddyliau yma’n gwibio trwy feddwl Anest yn ddi-stop. Mae’n effeithiol iawn ond reit intense ar yr un pryd, ac mae’n bosib na fydd y steil at ddant pawb. Iechyd meddwl Anest a Deian yw prif ganolbwynt y nofel, ond caiff nifer o themâu eraill eu trafod hefyd fel cyfeillgarwch a chariad. Profa Deian ac Anest heriau ac anawsterau tebyg, ond eto, mewn ffyrdd gwahanol iawn i’w gilydd. Teimla’r ddau nad ydyn nhw’n ddigon da, ac nad ydyn nhw’n perthyn i’r un byd â phawb arall – ond mae eu hoffter o gelf a cherddoriaeth yn eu huno ac maen nhw’n canfod lloches yng nghwmni ei gilydd. Iechyd meddwl sydd wrth graidd y stori, ond dwi’n meddwl mai llwyddiant y nofel yw nad ydi hi’n anghofio am y bobl sydd y tu ôl i’r salwch meddwl. Caiff gwahanol gyflyrau fel gor bryder ac iselder eu trafod wrth gwrs, ond y prif ffocws ydi’r unigolion, eu meddyliau nhw, a sut maen nhw’n ceisio ymdopi a goresgyn yr heriau sy’n codi wrth fyw efo salwch meddwl. I feddwl fod ’na bandemig, mi fuodd 2020 yn bumper year ar gyfer cyhoeddi llyfrau o safon. Mi fuodd ‘na dwf yn y nifer o lyfrau crossover fiction a gafodd eu cyhoeddi hefyd, sef llyfrau ar gyfer oedolion sydd hefyd yn addas ar gyfer oedolion ifanc. Dwi’n siŵr y bydd y ‘buzz’ sydd wedi bod am Tu ôl i’r awyr yn golygu y bydd rhai pobl ifanc yn eu harddegau yn cael eu denu at y llyfr. Oherwydd hynny, dwi’n meddwl ei bod hi’n bwysig iawn nodi fod y llyfr yn cynnwys themâu anodd a dwys iawn, a all fod yn triggering ac a all beri gofid i rai darllenwyr. Tydi rhywun ddim yn cael darlun clir iawn o hynny o’r broliant, yn fy marn i. Fasa ni (Sôn am Lyfra) ddim yn argymell y llyfr ar gyfer cynulleidfa sydd o dan pymtheg oed ar y cyfan gan fod y llyfr yn trafod hunan laddiad a hunan niweidio. Ond wrth gwrs, cydnabyddwn mai dewis personol yw hyn ac mae gan bobl farn gwahanol ar gyfer beth sy’n addas i ba oedran. Llongyfarchiadau Megan ar dy gampwaith o nofel gyntaf, rydym ni'n edrych ymlaen yn barod at yr un nesaf. Mae dyfodol disglair o dy flaen di fel awdur. Every year, there’s that one book that everyone’s talking about. A few years ago, it was Llyfr Glas Nebo, and this year, it’s Tu ôl i’r awyr. Whatever your thoughts on it, you can’t say that it hasn’t made an impact. There’s been a lot of talk about it on social media, and it’s clear that the book has had such an effect on people, who felt so strongly after reading it, that they took the time to spread the word online. Everybody wants to read it, and everybody wants to say they’ve read it. From a book reviewers’ point of view, its great that there’s such passion and open discussion about our Welsh literature. During the book’s virtual launch in November, Marged Tudur, who was chairing the talk, said: "There are those books sometimes that just stay with you more than others, they change your way of looking at the world. This is one of them.” Watch the whole launch here on Lolfa’s AM channel: https://www.amam.cymru/ylolfa/4061 The author has a fresh voice and a very original way of writing, both witty and intense at the same time, and never failing to grab our attention. It all comes together to offer an unique reading experience in Welsh. The characters are believable, and their raw feelings and emotions are so much more than words on paper. Megan succeeds in delving into the minds of the characters and presents the voices of young people in Wales in such an authentic way. It’s quite an achievement to sustain two separate and very distinct characters throughout a novel like that. Anest’s way of recording her thoughts is very colloquial and informal and completely disregards rules of grammar and punctuation. Although exaggerated at times, this verbal, familiar way of writing replicates how many young people speak on a day-to-day basis through messaging apps and with friends and they will really identify with this. It conveys the chaotic thoughts racing through her head, and whilst it is very effective, it won’t be to everybody’s taste… Anest and Deian become friends and it is their mental health that acts as the main focus of the novel, but a number of other themes are also discussed such as friendship and love. Deian and Anest experience similar challenges and difficulties, yet, in very different ways to each other. Both feel that they aren’t good enough, and that they don’t belong to the same world as everyone else – but their affection for art and music brings them together and they find refuge in each other's company and supporting one another. Whilst mental health is at the heart of the novel, it’s success is that it does not forget about the real people behind the illnesses. Different conditions as as anxiety and depression are mentioned, yes, but the main focus is on the individuals, their thoughts, and how they try to cope with and overcome the challenges that arise when a person is living with a mental health issue. To think that we’re in a pandemic, 2020 was a bumper year for publishing quality books. There was a growth in the number of crossover fiction that were published. These are books that may be listed as adult books, but are very suitable and appealing to young adults. I’ve even heard the term ‘new adults’ used too! These books act as a bridge between YA and adult literature and I’m sure the buzz surrounding Tu ôl i’r awyr will mean that some teenagers will choose to read it. For that reason, I think it’s only right to make it clear that the book contains some very difficult themes, which could be triggering or upsetting for some readers. You may not quite get a clear picture from the blurb. We at Sôn am Lyfra probably wouldn’t don't recommend the book for under fifteens on the whole, as the book discusses suicide and self-harm. Of course, we recognize this is a personal choice and people have differing views of what is suitable and what is not. Younger readers will need some reading stamina anyway as it’s quite a hefty book. Congratulations on your first novel Megan, we're already looking forward to the next... Cyhoeddwr/publisher: Y Lolfa Cyhoeddwyd/released: 2020 Pris: £9.99 PWY YDI MEGAN ANGHARAD HUNTER? Mae Megan yn dod o Ddyffryn Nantlle ac mae'n astudio Cymraeg ac Athroniaeth ym Mhrifysgol Caerdydd. Mae ei gwaith wedi cael ei gyhoeddi yn Y Stamp ac O'r Pedwar Gwynt, ac yn 2020 enillodd Ysgoloriaeth Awdur Ifanc Llenyddiaeth Cymru. tu ôl i'r awyr yw ei nofel gyntaf.

*Scroll down for English* Mae'r adolygiad yma oddi ar gwefan www.gwales.com, trwy ganiatâd Cyngor Llyfrau Cymru. ADOLYGIAD GAN NON MERERID JONES Nofel gyffrous am ffigwr hanesyddol, Ifor ap Meurig, arglwydd Senghennydd (gŵr byr iawn a dewr iawn, yn ôl yr hanes) yw Ifor Bach gan Eurig Salisbury. Er bod y nofel yn seiliedig ar y briwsion o hanes a geir am y gŵr hwn yng nghronicl Brut y Tywysogion, sef hanes Cymru rhwng 682 ac 1282, a chofnod Gerallt Gymro, ffrwyth dychymyg byw yr awdur yw’r rhan fwyaf o’r stori. Fe’n tywysir ganddo i Gymru gythryblus y 12fed ganrif – cyfnod o frwydro gwyllt a gwaedlyd rhwng y Cymry a’r Normaniaid. Heb ddatgelu gormod, cawn yn y nofel hon hanes Ifor yn adennill mawredd Senghennydd. I’r sawl sydd, fel fi, yn anobeithiol am gofio enwau, mae’r awdur wedi darparu coeden achau ar ddechrau’r gyfrol sy’n dweud pwy sy’n perthyn i bwy. Yn ogystal, ceir gwybodaeth gyd-destunol hynod ddefnyddiol yng nghefn y gyfrol – gwybodaeth am Ifor Bach a’r cyfnod – sy’n cyfoethogi’r profiad darllen. Llwydda Eurig Salisbury i ddod â’r cyfnod yn fyw i’r darllenydd â’i bortreadau lliwgar a chrwn o ffigyrau hanesyddol. Er mai Ifor Bach yw arwr amlwg y stori, mae’r awdur yn rhoi llais i Nest, gwraig Ifor, a’i ferch, Gwenllïan, dau gymeriad benywaidd cryf ac arwresau urddasol sy’n herio syniadau’r batriarchaeth am safle cymdeithasol y ferch. Hawdd iawn yw ymgolli yn nisgrifiadau bywiog yr awdur o olygfeydd megis y wledd yng Ngelli-gaer, sef gwledd arbennig i ddewis pencerdd i lys Senghennydd. Cefais fy hun yn gwirioni ar enwau’r beirdd – Iocyn ap Tegeryn Foethus, Llosgwrn Llew a Pyll Hyll, er enghraifft – a’r disgrifiadau ohonynt yn cystadlu am y fraint o gael eu dyrchafu’n bencerdd. Er mor ddieithr, dirgel a phell mewn hanes yw Cymru’r 12fed ganrif i’r darllenydd, mae disgrifiadau’r awdur o’r beirdd yn canu mawl ac yn dychanu ei gilydd yn rhwym o’n hatgoffa o ddigwyddiadau barddol cyfoes fel Bragdy’r Beirdd. Disgrifir Ifor Bach fel nofel i blant a phobl ifanc, ond hyderaf y bydd pawb o bob oedran yn ei mwynhau. Drwy stori antur gyffrous, dysgais lawer am berthynas y Cymry a’r Normaniaid, y traddodiad barddol, y gymdeithas a’r drefn wleidyddol yng Nghymru’r 12fed ganrif ac, wrth gwrs, am Ifor Bach ei hun. Er mawr cywilydd imi, doeddwn i ddim yn gyfarwydd â hanes y gŵr hwn cyn darllen y nofel, ac er astudio yng Nghaerdydd am dair blynedd, ni roddais fawr o ystyriaeth i’r Ifor a roddodd ei enw i’r clwb nos adnabyddus ar Stryd Womanby. Y tro nesaf, felly, y clywaf myfyrwyr y ddinas yn galw Clwb Ifor Bach yn ‘Welsh Club’, byddaf yn cael fy nhemtio i adrodd hanes epig Ifor ap Meurig wrthynt! A review from www.gwales.com, with the permission of the Books Council of Wales. REVIEW BY NON MERERID JONES Ifor Bach by Eurig Salisbury is an exciting novel about historical figure, Ifor ap Meurig, Lord of Senghennydd (a very short and very courageous man, according to history). Although the novel is based on fragments of historical evidence found about him in the Chronicles of the Princes (the history of Wales between 682 and 1282) and Gerallt Gymro's records, most of the story is down to the author’s imagination. He guides us through the turbulent Wales of the 12th century – a period of wild and bloody fighting between the Welsh and the Normans. Without revealing too much, we find in this novel how Ifor regained Senghennydd's greatness. For those who, like me, are hopeless at remembering names, the author has provided a genealogy tree at the beginning of the volume that says who belongs to whom. In addition, there’s some extremely useful contextual information at the back of the volume – information about Ifor Bach and the period – which enriches the reading experience. Eurig Salisbury succeeds in bringing the period to life for the reader with his colourful portraits of historical figures. Although Ifor Bach is the obvious hero of the story, the author gives a voice to Nest, Ifor's wife, and his daughter, Gwenllïan, two strong female characters and dignified heroines who challenge the patriarchy's ideas about the social position of females. It’s very easy to immerse yourself in the author's lively descriptions of scenes such as the feast at Gelli-gaer, a special feast to choose a master-bard for the court of Senghennydd. I was thrilled with the names of the poets – Iocyn ap Tegeryn Foethus, Llosgwrn Llew and Pyll Hyll, for example – and the descriptions of them competing for the privilege of being promoted to chief bard. However strange, mysterious and unfamiliar 12th century Wales is to the reader, the author's descriptions of the poets singing each other’s praises and satirizing each other remind us of contemporary literary events such as Bragdy’r Beirdd. Ifor Bach is described as a novel for children and young people, but I trust that people of all ages will enjoy it. Through an exciting adventure story, I learned a lot about the relationship between the Welsh and the Normans, the poetic tradition, society and political order of the 12th century and, of course, about Ifor Bach himself. To my shame, I wasn’t familiar with this man’s history before reading the novel, and despite studying in Cardiff for three years, I gave little thought to the Ifor who gave his name to the well-known nightclub on Womanby Street. Next time I hear the city's students calling Clwb Ifor Bach the 'Welsh Club', I’ll be very tempted to tell them the epic story of Ifor ap Meurig! Gwasg/publisher: Gomer Cyhoeddwyd/released: 2019 Pris: £8.99 ISBN: 9781848519879

*Scroll down for English* ♥ Llyfr y Mis i Blant: Chwefror 2021 ♥ ♥ Children's Book of the Month: February 2021 ♥ Synopsis (o Gwales) Mae Taid yn rhoi pensil lliwiau’r enfys i mi ac yn dweud: Ysgrifenna a thynna luniau, ysgrifenna a thynna luniau dy freuddwydion di i gyd. Llyfr lluniau annwyl am y cariad rhwng merch fach a’i thaid, ac am gadw'r cariad hwnnw'n fyw trwy atgofion. Grandpa gives me rainbow pencils, and tells me: Write and draw pictures, write and draw pictures of all your dreams. A charming picture book about the love between a young girl and her grandfather, and about keeping that love alive through memories. Oed diddordeb/Interest age: 0-5 Oed darllen/reading age: 6-7+ Dwi’n meddwl ein bod ni’n lwcus iawn yng Nghymru; ’da ni’n cael y best of both worlds mewn ffordd. Mae gynnon ni lwyth o awduron sy’n creu llyfrau gwreiddiol anhygoel, ac mae gynnon ni addaswyr sy’n sicrhau bod ein plant yn gallu mwynhau llyfrau o bedwar ban byd yn yr iaith Gymraeg... Dyma lyfr ingol a theimladwy dros ben sy’n sôn am ferch ifanc a’i pherthynas agos â’i thaid. Fel rhywun sydd hefyd yn agos iawn at nain a taid (dwi’n meddwl i mi dreulio mwy o amser yn eu tŷ nhw na’m cartref fy hun!) roeddwn i’n gallu uniaethu’n fawr iawn gyda’r stori yma. Mae gwaith celf cain Allison Colpoys yn llawn lliwiau a phatrymau blodeuog egnïol sydd - fel y geiriau - yn llifo o dudalen i dudalen wrth i ni symud drwy’r tymhorau. Adroddwr person cyntaf sydd i’r stori, a gwelwn fod y ferch a’i thaid yn gwneud llawer o weithgareddau gyda'i gilydd ac yn ffrindiau mawr. Wrth i’r misoedd fynd heibio, fe ddysgwn fod taid yn heneiddio a’i fod yn sâl hefyd. Weithiau, does dim angen geiriau o gwbl i gyfleu digwyddiad neu deimlad. Roedd un dudalen yn y llyfr yn hynod o bwerus, ac mae’n rhaid i mi gyfaddef y ces i lwmp mawr yn fy ngwddf a dagrau’n fy llygaid wrth weld cadair wag taid, gyda’i sliperi ar y llawr a’i sbectol ar y bwrdd. Wrth ddarllen ymlaen, fedrwn i ddim peidio â meddwl am fy nhaid fy hun, sy’n dathlu ei ben-blwydd yn 90 eleni. Dwi’n ffodus iawn o fod wedi cael treulio 30 mlynedd yn ei gwmni, a ’da ni’n dipyn o fêts, felly roedd meddwl am y ffaith anochel y bydd ei gadair yntau’n wag un diwrnod yn fy ngwneud yn eithaf emosiynol. Mae’r llyfr yn rhoi’r cydnabyddiaeth a’r sylw haeddiannol i’r boen o golli Taid, ond mae hefyd yn dathlu ei fywyd a’u cyfeillgarwch mewn ffordd hapus yn hytrach na chanolbwyntio’n ormod ar y tristwch. Rhywbeth sy’n siŵr o fod yn gysur i blentyn sydd wedi colli rhywun yw’r ffaith fod y llyfr yn disgrifio atgofion fel “ystafelloedd y gallwn ymweld â nhw.” Mae bron fel petai’r atgofion melys yn bethau y gallwn eu gweld a’u cyffwrdd, a bod Taid yn parhau mewn rhyw ffordd yn atgofion a dychymyg y ferch. Er ein bod yn hiraethu am gwmni’r rhai sydd wedi ein gadael, maen nhw dal yno gyda ni mewn ffordd wrth i ni ddal i’w cofio a sôn amdanyn nhw a’r holl amseroedd da yn eu cwmni. Gan fod Taid wedi gadael llyfr nodiadau arbennig yn anrheg i’w wyres, mae hi’n gallu ei ddefnyddio fel rhan o’r broses o alaru. Yn wir, sonia’r llyfr am y pŵer sydd mewn mynegi teimladau drwy eu cofnodi ar bapur, boed hynny’n ysgrifen neu’n llun. Mae marwolaeth yn destun dwys, ac yn aml iawn rydan ni’n teimlo’n anghyfforddus yn ei drafod, yn enwedig â phlant. Dwi’n teimlo ei bod hi’n hollbwysig ein bod ni’n siarad yn onest ac yn agored ac yn peidio â chuddio pethau rhag plant. Mae galaru’n broses anodd, sy’n unigryw i bawb, ond mae marwolaeth yn rhan naturiol o fywyd, ac fel y tymhorau, mae bywyd yn parhau ar ôl profedigaeth. Mae llinellau prydferth iawn yn y llyfr, a dyma un sy’n sefyll allan: “Petai’r byd i gyd yn wanwyn, byddwn i’n ailblannu penblwyddi Taid fel na fyddai byth yn mynd yn hen.” Tydi hi’n biti nad ydi hynny’n bosib. Gobeithio y bydd y llyfr o gymorth i sawl plentyn sy’n profi cyfnod anodd, ac y bydd yn fan cychwyn da i annog sgyrsiau pwysig. Yn sicr mi faswn i’n argymell y llyfr i blentyn sydd wedi colli aelod o’r teulu, ond mae hwn yn stori werthfawr y dylid ei rannu â phawb. Diolch i’r awdur am ysgrifennu stori addfwyn, sy’n ymdrin â’r pwnc mewn ffordd sensitif a gyda chymaint o gariad. I think we’re very lucky in Wales; we get the best of both worlds really. We have great writers churning out original books, and we have fantastic translators who ensure that our children can enjoy books from around the world in their own language... This is an extremely sweet and poignant book about a young girl and her close relationship with her grandfather. As someone who is also very close to my grandparents, (probably spent more time at their gaffe than my own home!) I was able to identify very much with this story. Allison Colpoys’s artwork is full of energetic, swooshing floral colours and patterns that closely mimic the words as they flow from page to page as we move through the seasons. The story is a first-person narrative, and we see the world from the little girl’s point of view as she does lots of fun activities with her grandad. As the months pass, we see that he is getting older but we come to learn he’s not too well either. Sometimes, words aren’t needed at all to convey an event or a feeling. One page stood out as being exceptionally powerful, and I have to admit that I had a big lump in my throat and some teary eyes when I saw his empty chair, with his slippers on the floor and his glasses on the table. I couldn't help but think about my own Taid, who is celebrating his 90th birthday next month. I'm very fortunate to have been able to spend 30 years in his company, and we’re good mates, so thinking about the inevitable fact his chair will be empty one day was quite emotional. The book gives the pain of losing Taid the recognition and attention it deserves, but also celebrates his life and their friendship in a joyous way rather than dwelling too much on the sadness. Something that is bound to be reassuring for a child who has lost someone is the fact that the book describes memories as "rooms we can visit." It’s almost as if the memories are tangible - things we can see and touch, and Taid continues to live on in some way in the girl's memories and imagination. Although we long for the company of those who have left us, they are still here with us in a way as we continue to talk about them and remember all the good times in their company. As Taid has left a special notebook as a gift to his granddaughter, she’s able to use it as part of the grieving process. Indeed, the book mentions the power of expressing feelings by committing them to paper, whether that be writing words or drawing pictures. Death is a difficult subject, and we often feel uncomfortable discussing it, especially with young children, who can find it all very confusing. I feel it’s vital that we speak honestly and openly and don’t hide things from children. Grieving is a long, difficult process that’s an unique experience to each individual but we must remember that death is a natural part of life, and like the seasons, life goes on after a bereavement. There are very beautiful lines in the book, and this is one that stands out: "If the whole world were spring, I would replant Taid's birthdays so that he would never get old." I only wish it were so. It is hoped that the book will help people who are experiencing grief, and it’s a good starting point for encouraging those important conversations after a loss. I would certainly recommend the book to a child who has lost a family member, but in reality, this is a valuable resource that should be shared with everyone. I’d like to thank the author for writing such a gentle story, which deals with the subject sensitively and with so much love and respect. Cyhoeddwr/publisher: Atebol Cyhoeddwyd/released: 2021 Pris: £6.99 ISBN: 9781913245559 Who is Joseph Coelho? From BookTrust https://www.booktrust.org.uk/book/i/if-all-the-world-were/ Joseph Coelho is an award-winning children's author, performance poet and playwright based in London. His debut poetry collection, Werewolf Club Rules, was the 2015 winner of the CLPE CLiPPA Poetry Award. His second book, Overheard in a Tower Block, was shortlisted for the 2018 CLPE CLiPPA Poetry Award and is longlisted for the 2019 UKLA Book Awards. Joseph features in the BBC Teach 'Understanding Poetry' online series. His work has poetry and performance at its heart, drawing on over 16 years' experience running dynamic creative literacy sessions in schools. He aims to inspire young people through stories and characters they can recognise.

*Scroll down for English* Disgrifiad Gwales/Gwales Description Dwi'n gwybod dy fod ti'n hapus pan wyt ti'n fy neffro â chân. Dwi'n gwybod dy fod ti'n hapus pan wyt ti am sboncio mor lân. Beth sy'n gwneud un gwdi-hŵ yn hapusach na hapus? Wel, cwtsho a sibrwd 'Rwy'n dy garu.' Addasiad Ceri Wyn Jones o destun annwyl Emma Dodd a ddarluniwyd yn swynol ganddi. I know that you are happy when you wake me with a song. I know that you are happy when you hop and skip along. What makes one little owl happiest of all? Why, when he cuddles close and whispers, I love you. A Welsh adaptation by Ceri Wyn Jones of Emma Dodd's text which she has charmingly illustrated. Oed diddordeb/interest age: 1-5 ADOLYGIAD GAN KIMBERLEY HELLYAR REVIEW BY KIMBERLEY HELLYAR Mae Kim yn Ymarferydd y Blynyddoedd Cynnar ac yn mwynhau darllen llwyth o lyfrau Cymraeg a Saesneg gyda'i mab ifanc, Bjørn. Gallwch ddilyn ei blog, bjornsbookshelf ar Instagram. Kim is an Early Years Foundation Phase Practitioner who enjoys reading loads of Welsh and English books with her young son, Bjørn. You can follow her blog, bjornsbookshelf on Instagram. Dwi am rannu'r llyfr dwyieithog bendigedig 'ma heddiw. Dwi'n teimlo'n gynnes wrth ddarllen y llyfr yma gyda Bjørn. Mae'n stori mor annwyl am Fam Tylluan yn gwylio ei babi. Mae'n ein hatgoffa o'r ffyrdd mae plant yn dangos eu bod yn hapus... boed hynny'n glebran di-baid, chwarae'n uchel, actio fel petai nhw wedi tyfu i fyny neu bod yn annibynnol ac yn falch o hynny! Mae'r cyfieithiad yn llifo gystal â'r gwreiddiol ac mae'n cyfleu'r ystyr yn hyfryd. Mae'n dangos perthynas gefnogol, llawn cariad rhwng rhiant a phlentyn. Mae darllen y llyfr gyda'n gilydd yn gyfle da i fod yn agos a chael cwtsh gan yr un bach! Sharing this lovely bi-lingual book today. I get warm and fuzzy feelings whilst reading this to Bjørn. It’s such a sweet story about a mummy owl observing her baby owl. It’s a gentle reminder of the ways in which children demonstrate that they’re happy...whether they’re being little chatter boxes, playing really loud, acting grown up, independent and proud! The Welsh translation flows just as effortlessly and conveys the same meaning as the original so beautifully. It portrays a loving and supportive relationship between parent and child. Reading this together makes for a lovely little bonding session and provides the perfect excuse to cwtch up close with the kiddo! Cyhoeddwr/publisher: Dref Wen Cyhoeddwyd/published: 2018 Pris: £5.99 ISBN: 9781784230982

*Scroll down for English* Ffordd hwyl, lliwgar o drafod pryderon â phlant ifanc. A fun, colourful way of discussing worries and stress with children. Dyma fideo o'r e-lyfr yn cael ei ddarllen i chi gael blas. Diolch Rily! Here's a video of the e-book being read for you to get a peak. Thanks Rily! ‘Da ni’n byw mewn cyfnod ansicr iawn. Yn wir, cyfnod na welwyd ei fath o’r blaen. Mewn mater o wythnosau aeth bywyd o fod yn weddol ‘normal’ i gael ei droi wyneb i waered. Aeth y routines sefydledig (pethau ’da ni’n dibynnu arnyn nhw) allan drwy’r ffenest. Dwi’n cofio meddwl nôl ym mis Mawrth 2020, “Duwcs, fydd hyn ddim rhy ddrwg – mi fydd petha nôl fel oedden nhw cyn pen dim.” Pa mor naïf o’n i?! Un o sgil effeithiau’r pandemig yw’r niwed mae’r cyfnod clo wedi’i gael ar ein hiechyd meddwl yn gyffredinol, ac mae wedi bod yn gyfnod anodd iawn i blant a phobl ifanc yn enwedig. Heb sôn am y diflastod o fod yn gaeth i’r tŷ am fisoedd, mae peidio cael mynd i’r ysgol a gweld ffrindiau wedi bod yn anodd tu hwnt. Gyda straeon am Covid-19 ar y cyfryngau pob awr o’r dydd, a newid mawr i’r drefn arferol, nid yw’n syndod fod nifer o blant yn bryderus iawn am y sefyllfa. Amserol iawn felly, yw addasiad hynod o liwgar Llinos Dafydd o Everybody Worries gan Jon Burgerman. I blant ifanc, mae’n bur debyg fod y sefyllfa’n ddryslyd iawn. Pam na cha i fynd allan i chwarae Mam? Pam ga i ddim parti pen-blwydd? Pryd dwi’n cael gweld Nain? Dwi’n siŵr fod nifer o rieni ac athrawon wedi derbyn sawl cwestiwn tebyg gan blant dros y misoedd diwethaf. Mae plant ifanc yn gallu cael trafferth esbonio eu teimladau ar lafar, a’r gobaith yw y bydd y llyfr hwn yn adnodd gwerthfawr i’w helpu i brosesu’r hyn sy’n digwydd yn y byd o’u cwmpas. Does yna ’run llyfr yn mynd i guro sgwrs iawn efo mam, dad neu aelod o’r teulu, ond gall y llyfr hwn agor y drws i drafodaethau a chwestiynau pellach - sy’n gorfod bod yn beth da. Dyma adnodd defnyddiol sydd ar gael i roi cychwyn ar sgwrs rhwng oedolyn a phlentyn, neu i annog sgwrs bellach. Yn hytrach na dweud fod poeni yn beth drwg ac yn rhywbeth i’w guddio, mae’r llyfr yn annog bod yn agored ac yn cymryd camau tuag at normaleiddio’r teimladau dryslyd yma. Mae pawb yn yr un cwch - weithiau fe gawn ni ddyddiau da, a thro arall cawn ddyddiau sydd ddim cystal. Dwi’n falch fod y llyfr hefyd yn cynnig strategaethau ar gyfer delio â theimladau o ofid a’i fod yn tynnu sylw at y ffaith fod rhwydwaith o gymorth ar gael i’n helpu pan mae’r felan arnom ni. Mae’n hollbwysig lledaenu’r neges fod rhannu problem yn llawer gwell na’i guddio. “Down drwyddi gyda’n gilydd,” meddai llinell ola’r llyfr. Amen i hynny. We’re living in very uncertain times, people. The likes of which we have never seen before. In a matter of weeks life went from being fairly 'normal’ to being turned upside down. The established routines (things we rely on deeply) went out the window. I remember thinking back in March 2020, "This won't be too bad – won’t be too long now." How naïve of me! One of the effects of the pandemic is the toll that lockdown’s taken on our mental health in general, and it's been a very difficult time for children and young people in particular. Not only the boredom of being house-bound for months, but not being allowed to go to school and see friends has been extremely challenging. With stories about Covid-19 on our screens constantly, and the major disruption to routines, its hardly surprising that many children are very concerned about the situation. This book, a colourful adaptation by Llinos Dafydd of Jon Burgerman’s Everybody Worries, is a timely arrival to our bookshelves. For young children, the situation is probably very confusing. Why can't I go out to play Mum? Why can't I have a birthday party? When can I see Nain? I'm sure that a number of parents and teachers have received several similar questions from children over the last few months. Young children can struggle to explain their feelings sometimes, and this book will be a valuable resource to help them process what’s happening in the world around them. No book could ever replace a valuable conversation with Mum, Dad or another family member, but this book can open the door to further discussions and questions - which must be a good thing. This is an useful resource available to start a conversation between adult and child. Instead of saying that worrying is a bad thing and something to hide, the book encourages openness and takes steps towards normalising these confusing feelings. We’re all in the same boat - sometimes we have good days, and other days not so good. I’m pleased that the book also offers some strategies for dealing with feelings of stress and anxiety and that it highlights the network of support available to help us when we’re a bit down. It’s vital to spread the message that a problem shared is a problem solved (hopefully!) "We can overcome anything when we’re there for each other.” Couldn’t have said it better myself. Cyhoeddwr/publisher: Rily Cyhoeddwyd/published: 2021 Pris: £6.99 ISBN: 9781849675192

*Scroll down for English* Genre: #ffuglen #ffantasi #gwreiddiol #arddegau / #fiction #fantasy #original #teen Negeseuon positif/positive messages: ◉◉◉◎◎ Themau trist,anodd/upsetting, tough themes: ◎◎◎◎◎ Trais, ofn/violence, scary: ◎◎◎◎◎ Iaith gref/language: ◎◎◎◎◎ Rhyw/sex: ◎◎◎◎◎ Hiwmor/humour: ◉◉◎◎◎ Her darllen/reading difficulty: ◉◉◉◎◎ Gwaith celf/illustrations: Jac Jones Wrthi’n sortio’r silff lyfra Cymraeg yn y dosbarth oeddwn i, pan ddes i ar draws un o glasuron Cyfres Corryn doeddwn i heb weld ers pan o’n i yn yr ysgol fy hun - Cyfrinach Betsan Morgan gan Gwenno Hywyn. Mae’n gywilydd gen i ddeud fy mod i wedi cysidro ei daflu am amrantiad, ond mi ddes i at fy nghoed reit handi, ac mi gafodd o aros, a diolch byth am hynny. Efallai fod y clawr braidd yn hen ffasiwn, ond mae’r stori lawn cystal heddiw ag oedd hi ym 1986! A dweud y gwir, yr unig beth sy’n dyddio’r llyfr ydi’r mullets sydd gan yr oedolion (a ma heina’n due am comeback meddan nhw!) Dyma stori ddirgel gyda dipyn o dwist ffantasiol dda iawn gan y diweddar Gwenno Hywyn, ac er y dywedir ei fod ar gyfer yr arddegau, dwi’n meddwl ei fod o’n champion i’r grŵp oedran 9-11. Yn y stori, dydi Betsan ddim yn edrych ymlaen at fynd ar drip preswyl i Blas yr Hydd. Mae ei ffrind gorau, Lowri, wedi jibio, sy’n golygu fod rhaid iddi fynd ar ei phen ei hun i ganol llwyth o blant dieithr. OMB alla i ddim dychmygu dim byd gwaeth! Yn fuan ar ôl iddi gyrraedd Plas yr Hydd, mae pethau go ryfedd yn dechrau digwydd, ac mae fel petai Betsan yn gallu teithio’n ôl drwy amser, neu weld ôl-fflachiau o’r gorffennol. Sut mae hyn i gyd yn cysylltu â’r gadwyn arbennig gafodd hi gan ei Mam? Beth yw arwyddocâd y llythrennau E.W. arni? A tybed fydd Betsan yn gallu datrys dirgelwch trysor coll Plas yr Hydd? Bydd rhaid i chi fynd i chwilio am gopi o’r llyfr i gael gwybod y gyfrinach. Mi ges innau brofiad o deithio’n ôl trwy amser wrth ddarllen y llyfr. Roedd y stori’n fy atgoffa o fynd ar drip ysgol i Glan Llyn - y cyffro mawr ar noson y disgo, y genod yn glamio a’r bechgyn yn dangos eu hunain gyda’u moves ar y dancefloor. Dyma stori sy’n symud ar garlam, ac mae’r dirgelwch yn cynnal ein diddordeb drwy'r nofel. Roedd yr elfennau ffantasi yn cryfhau’r stori ac yn ychwanegu elfen o antur. Mae’r iaith a ddefnyddir yn hawdd i’w darllen ac yn grêt os am fwynhau stori heb orfod poeni am eiriau anodd. Mae'n amlwg fod yr awdur yn feistr ar sgwennu stori sy’n cydio heb or-gymhlethu’r plot. Fel trysor coll Plas yr Hydd, mae’n chwith gen i feddwl am gopïau o’r llyfr yma’n cuddio mewn hen gypyrddau, a neb yn cofio amdanyn nhw. Ewch da chi i chwilota am gopi! Yn anffodus, mae’r nofel wedi bod allan o brint ers blynyddoedd, ond gyda’r prinder presennol o lyfrau da ar gyfer yr oedran 7-11, tybed a fyddai modd iddi gael ei hail-gyhoeddi? It was just by pure chance that I spotted this book whilst I was sorting out the Welsh bookshelf in the classroom one evening. This classic, which was part of the Cyfres Corryn book series was one I had not laid eyes on since I was at school myself - Cyfrinach Betsan Morgan by the late Gwenno Hywyn. I'm ashamed to come that for a split second, I almost got rid of it, but thankfully, I came to my senses and kept hold of it. The cover might be a tad plain and old-fashioned by today’s standards, but the story inside is just as good today as it was in 1986! In fact, the only thing that dates the book at all really is the mullets that the adults have on them (and even they’re due a comeback any day now!) This is a bit of a mystery story with some fantasy twists thrown in for good measure. Although the novel is listed on some websites as a teens book, it’s definitely ok for the 9-11 age group. Betsan really isn’t looking forward to going on a residential trip to Plas yr Hydd. Her best friend, Lowri, has bailed on her, which means that she’s the only one going from her school, and she’ll have to spend the time with loads of new people she’s never met. Personally, I can’t think of anything worse! Shortly after she arrives at Plas yr Hydd, strange things begin to happen, and it’s as if Betsan can travel back through time, or at the very least starts to see flashbacks from a bygone era. How does it all link to the special necklace she just got from her Mother? What is the significance of the initials E.W? Will Betsan be able to solve the mystery of Plas yr Hydd's lost treasure? You’ll have to try and find a copy if you’re ever going to know her secret! To be fair, I did a bit of time travel myself whilst reading, as it took me back to those halcyon days going to Glan Llyn on school trips. I remember there was always a big buzz when it came to the night of the disco- the girls glamming up, and the lads trying to impress with their best efforts on the dancefloor… Good memories. This is a fast-moving story, and the mystery sustains our interest throughout. The fantasy element strengthened the story and added a bit of adventure and gave us a satisfying conclusion. This is a relatively short novel with language that is easy to read - perfect if you want to enjoy a story without having to worry about difficult words. It’s clear that the author is a master of crafting a catchy story without resorting to over-complicated plotlines. Similar to the lost treasure of Plas yr Hydd, I hate to think of old copies of this book stuck in cupboards in schools across Wales, with no one to enjoy them. Go on, go and have a look to see if there’s a copy lurking on your bookshelf. Unfortunately, the novel has been out of print for years, but with a current shortage of juicy books for the 7-11 age group, I reckon now’s a good time for this one to be re-published so it can be enjoyed by another generation… Gwasg/publisher: Gomer Cyhoeddwyd/released: 1986, 1993 Pris: DIM AR GAEL/ OUT OF PRINT *os ydych yn awyddus i ddarllen y llyfr - holwch eich llyfrgell leol If you're keen to read it - enquire in your local library, they may have a copy

*Scroll down for English* “Dylai hwn ddod yn glasur modern. Beiddgar, difyr a doniol.” EOIN COLFER Addasiad Cymraeg/Welsh adaptation: Mari Lisa Oed diddordeb/interest age: 5-9 Oed darllen/reading age: 6-9 Os ddarllenoch chi fy adolygiad o’r llyfr cyntaf [yma] mi fyddwch chi’n gwybod pa mor impressed o’n i gyda'r gyfrol gyntaf, ac wrth reswm felly, roedd gen i obeithion mawr am yr ail lyfr, Y Gwningen a’r Arth: Beth yn y Byd? Be ti’n feddwl o’r llyfr ’llu? Mae’r gyfres, sy’n bartneriaeth dda rhwng yr awdur, Julian Gough, a’r arlunydd, Jim Field, yn pontio rhwng llyfrau llun a llyfrau pennod - perffaith ar gyfer darllenwyr newydd (6-8 oed). Er ei fod yn fach o ran maint, dyma lyfr sylweddol gyda bron i 100 o dudalennau felly oes, mae ’na dipyn go lew o waith darllen yma! Mae’r ffont yn fras ac yn hawdd i’w ddarllen, ac mae’r tudalennau’n drwchus ac o ansawdd da; dydi inc y dudalen flaenorol ddim yn dangos drwy’r papur (pethau bach, ond pwysig, credwch chi fi!). Welsoch chi ’rioed lyfr plant gyda gwaith celf mor anhygoel a thrawiadol? Er mod i’n gwybod y nesa peth at ddim am dynnu llun (dim clem pa ddulliau mae o’n eu defnyddio, sori) dwi’n gwybod digon i ddweud: os faswn i’n ’sgwennu llyfr i blant, faswn i’n gofyn i Jim Field wneud y lluniau! Be sy’n digwydd yn y stori ’ta? Tydi Cwningen ddim wedi newid llawer ers y llyfr cyntaf, ac unwaith eto mae’n deffro mewn hwyliau drwg. Ar ôl ffeindio uninvited guest yn ei gartref, mae sŵn byddarol cnocell y coed yn ei wylltio’n fwy. Diolch byth fod Arth, ei ffrind doeth, o gwmpas i helpu i dawelu’r dyfroedd. I fyny yng nghanghennau'r coed, llwydda Arth i ddangos i Cwningen sut i weld pethau mewn ffordd wahanol ac i sylweddoli fod y byd yn fwy na fo a’i broblemau. A fydd o’n gwrando ar gyngor ei ffrind...?! Be oeddet ti’n licio am y stori? Mae’n amlwg fod Cwningen yn cael trafferth rheoli ei deimladau, ac mae ganddo broblem â’i dymer sy’n achosi iddo geisio brifo pobl eraill ar brydiau. Gyda help ei ffrindiau, daw i sylweddoli nad yw bod yn flin yn gwneud iddo deimlo’n well. Un o brif negeseuon y llyfr yw y daw pethau’n well wrth edrych ar y byd o bersbectif gwahanol ac y dylid ceisio derbyn pethau fel maen nhw weithiau yn lle brwydro yn eu herbyn - cyngor da i ni gyd! Fedrwch chi ddim rheoli a newid y byd mawr sydd o’n cwmpas, ond mi fedrwch chi wneud newidiadau bach i’ch bywyd eich hun. Be fasa’n gallu bod yn well? Y gwir ydi, roedd y llyfr cyntaf MOR dda, mae’n anodd iawn ei guro. Rhaid i mi gyfaddef na wnes i fwynhau’r llyfr yma gymaint â’r un cyntaf. Ydi, mae o’n dal i wneud i chi wenu, ond ella bod elfen o hwyl a chyffro’r cyntaf ar goll y tro yma. Mi fasa rhai o’r negeseuon (sy’n eithaf cymhleth a profound) wedi gallu bod yn gliriach. Dyfarniad? Er bod y llyfr braidd yn hir, un peth sy’n sicr - mae o’n llawn negeseuon hynod o bwysig i bawb, (plant ac oedolion!) ond yn enwedig i’r rheiny sy’n bryderus neu sy'n cael trafferthion rheoli eu teimladau. Cyfle gwerthfawr i sgwrsio am deimladau a strategaethau dygymod. Dyma pam dwi’n meddwl fod cyd-ddarllen y stori ag oedolyn yn well yn yr achos yma. If you read my review of the first book [here] you’ll know how impressed I was with the first book, so naturally, I had high hopes for the second book, Y Gwningen a’r Arth: Beth yn y Byd? What do you think of it then? The series is a great partnership between the author, Julian Gough, and artist, Jim Field, the books act as a sort of bridge between picture books and chapter books - perfect for emergingindependent readers (aged 6-8ish). Despite being small in size, make no mistake, this is quite a substantial book clocking in at almost a100 pages! The font is large, clear and easy to read, and the pages feel of high quality – what gives it away is the fact that you can’t see the previous page showing through. (little things, yes, but important, believe me!) Have you seen a children's book with such incredibly impressive artwork? Now, I’ll admit I don’t know the first thing about art, so I can’t tell you which techniques were used, but what I do know is, if I was writing a children’s book – I’d be asking Jim Field to draw the pictures! So what happens? Rabbit hasn't changed much since the first book, and yet again he wakes up in a foul mood. After discovering an uninvited guest in his rabbit-hole, the loud drilling noise of a woodpecker winds him up even more. Thankfully, his wise friend, Arth, is around to help to cool things down. High up in the branches, Bear shows Rabbit how to see things in a different way and makes him realise the world is vast - much bigger than him and his problems (Rabbit is a little self-obsessed isn’t he?) Will he listen to the advice of his friends...?! What did you like about the story? Rabbit clearly struggles to control his emotions, and has a problem with his temper which causes him to lash out sometimes. With the help of his friends, he comes to realise that being angry doesn't make him feel any better. One of the book's main messages is that things can be better when you learn to see the world from a different perspective. Sometimes, accepting things as they are is preferable to fighting against them (a good bit of advice for us all, I’d say) You can’t always control others and change the world, but you can make small changes to your own life. What could be better? The thing is, the first book was SO good, it really is a tough act to follow. I must admit that I didn’t enjoy this as much as the first one. Yes, it still makes you smile, but I can’t help but feel that some of the fun and excitement of the original is missing. Some of the messages were quite complex and rather profound, and perhaps could have been clearer. Final verdict? Although the book felt a tad long, one thing is certain - it is full of extremely important messages for everyone, but especially for those who are struggling with their anger, and it does offer a valuable opportunity to chat about emotions and coping strategies. It is for this reason that I think reading the story with an adult is more beneficial. Gwasg/cyhoeddwr: Atebol Cyhoeddwyd/released: 2020 Pris: £6.99 ISBN: 9781913245290

*Scroll down for English* Addasiad/adaptation: Elin Meek Oed diddordeb/interest age: 2-5 Mae’r defaid i gyd wedi gwirioni gyda Blodwen. A dweud y gwir, maen nhw’n meddwl mai hi yw’r ddafad orau maen nhw erioed wedi gweld... does ‘na ond un broblem... Mae gan y ddafad yma gynffon hir a dannedd miniog... O diar. Mae’r awdur, Morag Hood, wedi creu llyfr doniol iawn wedi’i seilio ar yr hen ddywediad Beiblaidd ‘A Wolf in sheep’s clothing.’ Er bod y defaid yn meddwl y byd o Blods, mae ganddi hi syniadau eraill- sef gweithio ar rysáit arbennig sy’n defnyddio saws mintys! Dwi’n meddwl ein bod ni gyd yn gwybod be sydd ganddi dan sylw ac mae gennym ni berffaith hawl i fod yn ddrwgdybus o Brenda a’i chynlluniau. Gan ein bod ni fel darllenwyr yn gwybod rhywbeth dydi’r cymeriadau ddim (nad dafad yw Blodwen go iawn), mae gan y stori elfen o hwyl y pantomeim - fel y darn ‘na lle mae pawb yn gweiddi “Oh no he isn’t!... oh yes he is!!” Dyma stori glyfar gyda thipyn o grim humour fydd yn siŵr o apelio at ddarllenwyr ifanc a’u rhieni fel ei gilydd. Sgwn i os fydd y defaid yn gallu perswadio Blodwen i droi’n llysieuwr cyn bod hi’n rhy hwyr...!? Yn ogystal â stori sy’n cydio, mae arlunwaith Morag yn effeithiol iawn, ac yn reit wahanol i lyfrau mwy traddodiadol, gyda’r defnydd o oren a gwyrdd llachar. Gallwch fwynhau’r stori ar lefel syml, ond mae sawl thema a neges yn cuddio yno hefyd megis mistaken identity, twyll, cynhwysiad, y gadwyn fwyd a’r ffaith fod gan bobl yr hawl i uniaethu fel unrhyw beth maen nhw’n dymuno. Roedd ‘na hyd yn oed ddiweddglo hapus sy’n dangos cyfeillgarwch annisgwyl ond annwyl iawn rhwng dau anifail go wahanol. Ar ôl menthyg y llyfr o’r llyfrgell, mi wnes i ei fwynhau cymaint, mae o wedi cyrraedd fy rhestr ‘best of’ personol i, (sydd ddim yn digwydd mor aml â hynny!) ac mi fyddai’n prynu copi i roi’n anrheg Nadolig. Debyg y bydda i hefyd yn mynd i chwilota am fwy o deitlau gan Morag Hood. All the sheep are thrilled with Blodwen. In fact, they think she's probably the best sheep they've ever seen... there’s just one teeny tiny problem... This sheep has a long tail and sharp teeth... Oh dear. The author, Morag Hood, has created a very funny book based on the old Biblical saying 'A Wolf in sheep's clothing.' Although the sheep adore Blods, she, on the other hand has other ideas – working on a special recipe using mint sauce! Have you guessed it yet? I think we all know what she’s got in mind for the big feast, and we’re quite rightly suspicious of Brenda and her motives. As we as readers know something the characters don't (that Blodwen isn’t really a sheep), the story has an element of pantomime fun - like those bits where everyone shouts "Oh no he isn't!... oh yes he is!!" This is a clever story with a bit of grim humour that will surely appeal to young readers and their parents alike. I only hope the sheep can persuade Blodwen to become a vegetarian before it’s too late! In addition to a good little story with a wicked sense of humour, Morag's artwork is very effective, and rather different from your usual traditional books, making use of lots of bright neon orange and green. You can enjoy the story on a simple level, but there are also several themes and messages hiding in it such as mistaken identity, deception, inclusion, friendship - not to mention the food chain! It’s also worth noting that we as individuals have the right to identify as we choose. There was even a happy ending that shows an unexpected yet endearing friendship between two quite different animals. After borrowing the book from the library, I enjoyed it so much, it has made it onto my ‘best of' list, (which doesn’t actually happen that often) and I will be buying a copy to give to my cousin as a Birthday present. I’ll certainly be keeping my eye out for more titles by Morag Hood. Gwasg/publisher: Dref Wen Cyhoeddwyd/released: 2020 Pris: £5.99 ISBN: 978-1784231590