Chwilio

*Scroll down for English* Mae'r byd yn poethi. Sut mae dynolryw am oroesi? The world is warming. How will mankind survive? Genre: #ffuglen #dystopaidd #Gwyddonias / #fiction #dystopian #Scifi 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:: ◉◉◉◎◎ Dyfarniad/Rating: ★★★★★ ADOLYGIAD GAN MANON STEFFAN ROS REVIEW BY MANON STEFFAN ROS Un tro, amser maith (maith maith maith) yn ôl, roeddwn i'n ddisgybl deng mlwydd oed yn Ysgol Rhiwlas. Bob dydd cyn amser mynd adref, byddai Miss Hughes yn darllen pennod o nofel i ni. Mae rhai o'r nofelau yma wedi serio ar fy nghof am byth- The Iron Man gan Ted Hughes, a Stig of the Dump gan Clive King ymysg eraill. Ond mae'n rhaid i mi gyfaddef i un o'r nofelau hyfryd yma fynd yn angof tan yn ddiweddar. Gwelais drydariad gan @grufflovgreen yn sôn am "lyfr sci-fi Cymraeg i bobol ifanc oedd yn sôn am gymuned oedd di mynd i fyw dan y ddaear am ganrifoedd am fod yr haul di mynd rhy boeth". Roedd hyn yn canu cloch, ac fe aeth â fi 'nol i'r cyfnod yna yn Ysgol Rhiwlas. Chwiliais ar y we, a chanfod mai'r nofel oedd O'r Tywyllwch, nofel o 1991 gan yr awdures enwog, Mair Wynn Hughes. Doedd y llyfr ddim ar gael yn newydd, ond cefais afael ar gopi ail-law ar-lein. Fe es ati i'w darllen. Dwn i ddim sut yn y byd i mi anghofio'r nofel yma, achos wir i chi, mae hi'n wych. Rydw i'n ffan fawr o lyfrau gwyddonias (sci fi), ac yn arbennig o nofelau dystopaidd, ond mi fydda i'n teimlo'n aml eu bod nhw'n gallu bod yn rhy brysur, gormod yn digwydd a'r cymeriadau braidd yn fflat. Dydy O'r Tywyllwch ddim fel hyn o gwbl- y peth cyntaf i'ch tynnu chi i mewn ydy'r cyfeillgarwch rhwng y ddau brif gymeriad, Hywyn a Meilyr. Maen nhw'n byw yn ein byd ni, ond, efallai, yn y dyfodol- mae'r byd wedi poethi, ac mae'n rhaid i bobol wisgo siwtiau arbennig cyn mentro allan. Mae cynlluniau mawr ar droed- Mae pawb yn gorfod mynd i fyw mewn dinas arbennig yn y mynydd, a chau'r byd a'r awyr iach allan am byth. Dim pawb sydd eisiau mynd, ond does dim dewis. A dyna i chi ddechrau'r tensiwn yn y stori. Mae ail ran i'r stori yma hefyd, am y profiad o fyw yn y ddinas danddaearol genedlaethau ar ôl y mudo mawr. Cefais fy nychryn gan y rhan yma, a hynny achos ei fod yn creu'r byd newydd hunllefus yma mewn ffordd oedd yn teimlo mor real. Roedd 'na rannau ohono yn teimlo fel y byd yn nofel enwog George Orwell, 1984- ond i mi, mae O'r Tywyllwch yn fwy personol, yn fwy cyfarwydd, ac felly ganwaith yn fwy dychrynllyd. Dwi'n gwneud fy ngorau i beidio rhoi sboilars yma, ond dwi'n meddwl efallai y bydd y diwedd yn teimlo'n rhy benagored i rai. I fi, dwi'n hoffi'r ffaith nad ydy'r nofel yn gorffen gydag ateb pendant i bob cwestiwn. A dweud y gwir, mae'r diweddglo yn teimlo fel her i ni, y darllenydd- be' 'da ni'n mynd i'w wneud nesaf wrth i'r byd boethi? Âm llaw ar fy nghalon, rydw i'n meddwl y dylai O'r Tywyllwch gael ei hystyried yn glasur. Pe byddai'r nofel wedi cael ei hysgrifennu i oedolion, dwi'n sicr y byddai ar ei chweched argraffiad erbyn hyn, ac y byddai ar bob rhestr o Hoff Lyfrau Cymru. Daeth yr amser i unioni'r cam yma- Mae angen argraffiad newydd, ac yn fwy na dim, mae angen cenhedlaeth newydd o ddarllenwyr. Dwi'n siŵr y byddai plant ac oedolion heddiw'n cael yr un wefr a chefais innau 'nol yn Ysgol Rhiwlas ym 1993. , a long (long long time) ago, I was a ten-year-old pupil at Ysgol Rhiwlas. Every day before going home, Miss Hughes would read a chapter of a novel for us. Some of the novels here have been etched in my memory forever- The Iron Man by Ted Hughes, and Stig of the Dump by Clive King among others. But I have to confess that until recently, one of these lovely novels was largely forgotten. I saw a tweet by @grufflovgreen talking about a "sci-fi book for young people that talked about a community that had gone to live underground for centuries because the sun became too hot". This rang a bell, and took me all the way back to my time at Ysgol Rhiwlas. I searched the web, and found that the novel was O’r Tywyllwch, a 1991 novel by renowned author Mair Wynn Hughes. The book is out of print, but I got hold of a second-hand copy online and started reading. I don’t know how on earth I forgot about this novel, because I tell you, it's great. I'm a big fan of Sci-Fi books and especially of dystopic novels, but I often feel they can be too busy, with too much happening and the characters fall rather flat. O’r Tywyllwch isn't like this at all- the first thing to draw you in is the friendship between the two main characters, Hywyn and Meilyr. They live in our world, but, perhaps a future one. The earth has warmed, and you have to wear special suits before venturing outside. Big plans are afoot- everyone will have to go and live in a special city in the mountains, and shut out fresh air and the outside world forever. Not everyone wants to go, but they have no choice. This is the start of the tension in the story. There’s also a second part to the story, about the experience of living in the underground city generations after the great Migration. I was frightened by this part, because this new nightmarish world felt so real. A few parts of it felt like the world in George Orwell's famous novel, 1984- but for me, O’r Tywyllwch is more personal, more familiar, and thus a hundred times more shocking. I’m doing my best not to put spoilers here, but I think the ending may feel too open to some. For me, I like the fact that the novel doesn't finish with a definite answer to each question. In fact, the ending feels like a challenge for us, the reader – What are we going to do next as the world gets hotter? Hand on my heart, I think O’r Tywyllwch should be regarded as a classic. If the novel had been written for adults, I'm sure it would be on its sixth edition by now, and that it would be on every list of ‘favourite books’ in Wales. The time has come to rectify this - we need a new edition, and more than anything, we need a new generation of readers. I'm sure the children and adults of today would get the same thrill as I got back at Ysgol Rhiwlas in 1993. Gwasg/publisher: Gomer Cyhoeddwyd/released: 1991 Pris: £3.25 (allan o brint - ar gael yn ail law neu mewn llyfrgelloedd yn unig) (Out of print - available second hand or in libraries only) AM YR AWDUR/ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Awdures plant ydy Mair Wynn Hughes (ganwyd 1 Medi1931). Ganwyd hi ym Mryncir, Eifionydd. Mynychodd Ysgol Gynradd Brynengan cyn mynd i Ysgol Ramadeg Penygroes a Choleg y Normal, Bangor. Bu'n wraig fferm ac yn athrawes yn yr ysgol ym Mhentraeth ar Ynys Môn. Mair Wynn Hughes is a children's author (born 1 September 1931) . She was born in Bryncir, Eifionydd. She attended Brynengan Primary School before going to to the Grammar School in Penygroes and Coleg Normal, Bangor. She was a farmer's wife as well as a teacher in Pentraeth, Anglesey. Llyfrau eraill gan yr awdur/ other books by the author: Y Llinyn Arian 1984 (Gwasg Gomer / CBAC) Cyfres Wichiaid Môn: Wichiaid Môn a Lladrad y Banc Ionawr 1989 (Dref Wen) Prins yr Injan Fach Ionawr 1989 (Dref Wen) Prins a Siôn Corn Ionawr 1991 (Dref Wen) Cyfres Morus Mihangel: Morus Mihangel a'r Deisen Ionawr 1991 (Dref Wen) Cyfres Wichiaid Môn: Wichiaid Môn a'r Modur Wich Un Ionawr 1993 (Dref Wen) Coch yw Lliw Hunllef Ionawr 1995 (Gwasg Gomer) Cyfres Morus Mihangel: Gwyliau Morus Mihangel Ionawr 1995 (Dref Wen) Dwyn Afalau Mawrth 1998 (Y Lolfa) Ffrindiau Pennaf Mawrth 1998 (Y Lolfa) Ragsi Ragsan Mawrth 1998 (Y Lolfa) Colli Pêl Mawrth 1998 (Y Lolfa) Brawd Newydd Mawrth 1998 (Y Lolfa) Cyfres Llinynnau: Jan Mehefin 1998 (Dref Wen) Llyfrau Darllen CBAC Cyfnod Allweddol 2 Ail Iaith (Lefelau 2/3): Lladron Sam Gorffennaf 1998 (Uned Iaith / CBAC) Llyfrau Darllen CBAC Cyfnod Allweddol 2 Ail Iaith (Lefelau 2/3): Crystyn Gorffennaf 1998 (Uned Iaith / CBAC) Llyfrau Darllen CBAC Cyfnod Allweddol 2 Ail Iaith (Lefelau 2/3): Beic Ben Gorffennaf 1998 (Uned Iaith / CBAC) Llyfrau Darllen CBAC Cyfnod Allweddol 2 Ail Iaith (Lefelau 3/4): Babi Tŷ Ni Gorffennaf 1998 (Uned Iaith / CBAC) Project Llyfrau Longman Rhan 3 CA2 - Band 3: Sali a'r Enwog Pws Mewn Sgidiau Awst 1998 (Uned Iaith / CBAC) Casetiau CBAC Cyfnod Allweddol 2 Ail Iaith (Lefelau 2/3): Lladron Sam (Casét) Rhagfyr 1998 (Uned Iaith / CBAC) Cyfres Gwaed Oer: Hen Ŵr y Môr Awst 1999 (Gwasg Gomer) Cyfres Sêr: Mi Fydd Bywyd yn Grêt Tachwedd 1999 (Dref Wen) Trip a Hanner Hydref 2001 (Gwasg Pantycelyn) Cyfres Clic 2 - Lefel 1: Diwrnod Mawr Rhagfyr 2002 (CAA) Cyfres Clic 2 - Lefel 2: Bai ar Gam Rhagfyr 2002 (CAA) Cyfres Hoff Straeon: Tipyn o Gamp 1 Mai 2003 (Gwasg Gomer) Waw - Antur! Mai 2003 (Gwasg Pantycelyn) Cyfres Clic - Lefel 2 : Dim Ond Helpu Hydref 2003 (CAA) Cyfres Clic - Lefel 2 : Trysor Pwy? Hydref 2003 (CAA) Cyfres 'Slawer Dydd: Rhyfel y Degwm Tachwedd 2003 (Gwasg Gomer) Y 'Fo' yn y Tŷ Rhagfyr 2003 (Gwasg y Bwthyn) Cyfres 'Slawer Dydd: Rhyfel y Degwm - Llyfryn Athrawon Ionawr 2004 (Gwasg Gomer) Fy Hanes i: Gwas y Stabl - Dyddiadur Sion Dafydd, Plas Creuddyn, 1582-1593 Ebrill 2004 (Gwasg Gomer) Waw! Antur Eto! Ebrill 2004 (Gwasg y Bwthyn) O Na! Antur! Ebrill 2005 (Gwasg y Bwthyn) Cyfres ar Wib: Brysiwch, Dad! Medi 2005 (Gwasg Gomer) Cyfres ar Wib: Ai Ysbryd? Medi 2005 (Gwasg Gomer) Cyfres Dwy-Es - Sgets a Sgwrs: Pecyn 6 - Egwyddorion Hydref 2005 (CAA) Cyfres Dwy-Es - Sgets a Sgwrs: Pecyn 6 - Egwyddorion: Pwy All Farnu? Rhagfyr 2005 (CAA) Cyfres Dwy-Es - Sgets a Sgwrs: Pecyn 6 - Egwyddorion: Y Dewis Rhagfyr 2005 (CAA) Cyfres 'Slawer Dydd: Rhy Ifanc i Ryfel Chwefror 2006 (Gwasg Gomer) Ein Rhyfel Ni Ebrill 2006 (Gwasg y Bwthyn) F'Annwyl Leusa Mawrth 2007 (Gwasg y Bwthyn) Cyfres Lleisiau: Y Ferch ar y Traeth Mai 2007 (CAA) Cyfres Ysbrydion ac Ati: Ewinedd Pwy? Mawrth 2008 (Gwasg y Bwthyn) Cyfres Ysbrydion ac Ati: Dim Ots Pwy! Mawrth 2008 (Gwasg y Bwthyn) Cyfres Ysbrydion ac Ati: B-B-Bwgan Mawrth 2008 (Gwasg y Bwthyn) Gwobrau/ Awards Gwobr Tir na n-Og 1984 (Cyd-enillydd) - Y Llinyn Arian, (Gwasg Gomer / CBAC) Gwobr Tir na n-Og 1990 - Llygedyn o Heulwen, (Gwasg Gomer / CBAC) Gwobr Tir na n-Og 1996 - Coch yw Lliw Hunllef, (Gwasg Gomer) Gwobr Mary Vaughan Jones 2006 Gwobr Tir na n-Og 2007 - Ein Rhyfel Ni, (Gwasg y Bwthyn)

*Scroll down for English* Mae rhywbeth o'i le. Mae'r goleudy yn dywyll. Something's wrong. The lighthouse is in darkness. Lluniau/illustrations: Andrew Whitson Addaswyd/adaptation: Anwen Pierce. Welsh adaptation of 'Molly and the Lighthouse' published by Graffeg. Genre: Llyfr #lluniau #môr / #picturebook #sea 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:: ◉◉◎◎◎ Dyfarniad/Rating: ★★★★☆ Wedi ei gymeryd o wefan Graffeg.com Link copied from Graffeg.com Cefais fy magu yn nhref hanesyddol Conwy, ar arfordir Gogledd Cymru ac felly fe fu’r cysylltiad â’r môr yno erioed. Bob dydd wrth deithio i’r gwaith, gallaf weld goleudy Penmon yn sefyll yn gadarn rhwng Ynys Seiriol ac Ynys Môn fel angel gwarcheidiol. Doedd hi fawr o syndod felly, fod llyfr sy’n sôn am y môr yn mynd i apelio’n syth. A hefyd - mae ‘na jest rywbeth rhyfeddol am oleudai- ‘da chi’n cytuno? Yn gyntaf, rhaid sôn am y clawr a’r arlunwaith. Mae darluniau Andrew Whitson yn hudolus ac yn gelfydd. Mae dyfnder i’r gwaith a dwi’n sicr y bydd plant yn mwynhau eu hastudio ac ymgolli ym myd morwrol Mari. Ar ôl darllen y stori’r tro cyntaf, mi es i’n ôl eilwaith i gael ail-fwynhau’r lluniau hardd. Mae Mali wedi hen arfer gyda golau’r goleudy yn fflachio’n rheolaidd bob nos, yn ddi-ffael ac mae’n arferiad ganddi gyfri’r saib rhwng y fflachiadau. Mae’n siŵr fod ‘na gysur i’w gael o wybod ei fod o yno bob nos. Ond, un noson fe sylweddola Mali nad yw’r goleudy wedi ei oleuo, sy’n beth rhyfedd dros ben... Ar unwaith fe aiff Mari i nôl ei Mam, a gyda'i chyfaill, Dylan, fe aiff y tri ar frys i ymchwilio beth sydd o’i le. Mae lluniau Andrew Whitson yn cyfleu cyffro a brys y tywydd garw a’r tonnau tymhestlog yn effeithiol. Cyn hir, fe ddarganfyddant fod Gerallt, ceidwad y goleudy wedi cael pwl o salwch. Tybed fydd Mali a’i chriw yn gallu cyd-weithio i achub y dydd? (neu’r nos i fod yn hollol gywir!) Mae digon o antur a chyffro i’w gael yn y stori wrth i Mali helpu ceidwad y goleudy a bydd yr elfen o beryg i’r pysgotwyr yn siŵr o sicrhau fod darllenwyr ar dân i gael gwybod os fydd hi’n llwyddiannus ai peidio. Llwydda’r awdur i’n cael ni fel darllenwyr i falio am y cymeriadau. Ond yn fwy ‘na’r antur a’r cyffro, mae’r awdur wedi cyfleu’r gymuned glos sy’n bodoli ar yr ynys yn dda. Mae pawb mor barod yno i helpu ei gilydd ac mae hyn yn neges bwysig i’w rannu â darllenwyr ifanc. Mae iaith y llyfr yn syml sy’n gwneud stori dda i riant a phlentyn fwynhau amser gwely. Does dim byd brafiach na gwrando ar y gwynt a’r glaw yn chwythu tu allan a chithau’n glyd dan y cynfas! Dyma stori annwyl a theimladwy am gymuned sy’n dod at ei gilydd pan fo’r angen ac mae digon o gyfleoedd trafod a all ddeillio o’r stori am draddodiadau morwrol fel goleudai a bywyd ar y môr (sydd efallai’n rhywbeth dieithr i blant ifanc heddiw). Mae’r stori hyfryd a’r lluniau bendigedig yn cyd-fynd i greu llyfr hardd iawn y gellir ei drysori a’i fwynhau dro ar ôl tro. Ydi, mae’r llyfr clawr-caled yn ddrytach na rhai llyfrau eraill cymharol, ond mae’n lyfr o ansawdd uchel ac yn werth y gost ychwanegol yn fy nhyb i. Y newyddion da yw bod mwy o lyfrau i chi fwynhau yn y gyfres yma... Having been raised in the medieval town of Conwy on the North Wales coast, I’ve always felt a strong connection to the sea. Every day whilst travelling to work, I can see the Penmon Lighthouse standing proud between Puffin Island and Anglesey as a guardian angel to seamen. It was therefore hardly surprising that a book based around the sea was going to immediately appeal. Also, there’s just something wonderous about lighthouses in general – don’t you think? Firstly, I must mention the cover and artwork contained inside. Andrew Whitson’s illustrations are rich, textured and pleasing to the eye. There is depth to his work and I'm sure children will enjoy studying the pictures closely and immersing themselves in Mali’s maritime world. After reading the story the first time, I went back for a second glance and those wonderful pictures. They almost remind me of a Disney Pixar animation. Mali is accustomed to the lighthouse sending out it’s powerful beams of light regularly each night. She normally counts the space of time before the next flash, and she knows it will be there, come rain or shine. I think she derives comfort from this. One night, things take a most unexpected turn... the lighthouse does not shine. Very strange indeed. Mali goes to fetch her Mum at once, and together with her friend, Dylan, they urgently go to investigate the cause. Andrew Whitson's pictures convey the excitement, urgency and the harsh weather conditions very well. They soon discover that Gerallt, the lighthouse keeper, has been taken ill, and they must help by working together to achieve a successful outcome for Mali’s Father, a local fisherman. Will they manage to save the day? (or night to be more accurate!) There’s plenty of adventure and excitement to be found in the story as Mali & co fight to re-start the lighthouse. The mild element of peril to the fishermen will be sure to engage readers who will be keen to find out what happens. The writer expertly gets us emotionally invested in the story but more than this, he conveys the close-knit community that exists on the island. Everyone is on hand to help each other in times of need and this is an important message to share with young readers. The language of the book is simple and makes a good story for a parent and child to enjoy at bedtime. There’s nothing cosier and more relaxing than snuggling up under the covers listening to the heavy rain and howling wind blowing outside. This is a lovely story about a small community that comes together when required and there’s plenty of discussion opportunities that can arise from the reading. Perhaps lighthouses in general will be unfamiliar to younger children? Mali is a brave and resourceful character, but the main message here is teamwork. The lovely story and the wonderful pictures go hand in hand to create a very beautiful hardback book that can be cherished and enjoyed time and again. Yes, hardbacks are a bit pricier than your average children’s book – but the quality look and feel makes it worth it in my view. The good news is that there are more books in this series for you to enjoy… Cyhoeddwr/publisher: Graffeg Cyhoeddwyd/published: July 2020 Pris: £12.99 Ffurf/fformat: Hardback ISBN: 9781913634179 AM YR AWDUR A'R ARLUNYDD Mae dros gant o lyfrau Malachy Doyle wedi cael eu cyhoeddi, o lyfrau bwrdd i'r plant lleiaf i nofelau afaelgar i ddarllenwyr yn eu harddegau. Mae wedi ennill nifer o wobrau pwysig, ac mae ei lyfrau wedi'u cyfieithu i ryw ddeg ar hugain o ieithoedd. Yn ogystal â'r ddwy stori flaenorol yng nghyfres Mali, Mali a'r Môr Stormus a Mali a'r Morfil, rhai o'i deitlau diweddar eraill yw Miracle of Hanukkah, Rama and Sita, Jack and the Jungle a Big Bad Biteasaurus (Bloomsbury), Fug and the Thumps (Firefly), Cinderfella (Walker Books) a Ootch Cootch (Graffeg), wedi'i ddarlunio gan ei ferch, Hannah Doyle. Daw Andrew Whitson o Belfast ac mae'n artist arobryn sy'n hoffi cael ei alw'n Mr Ando! Mae Mr Ando wedi darlunio dros ugain o lyfrau o dan ei enw ei hun. Y diweddaraf o'r rhain yw llyfrau cyfres Mali gyda Malachy Doyle, a chyfres arobryn Rita, sef llyfrau stori-a-llun, gyda Myra Zepf. ABOUT THE AUTHOR & ILLUSTRATOR Malachy Doyle has over 100 children's books published by leading English, Welsh and Irish publishers, from picture books to teenage novels. His work has been translated into 27 languages and he is a previous winner of the Tir na n-Og Award (Georgie), the Nestle Children's Book Award (The Dancing Tiger), the English Association Award for Non-Fiction (Cow) and many other awards in the UK and USA. Andrew Whitson has illustrated books on various aspects of Irish mythology including The Creatures of Celtic Myth, The Field Guide to Irish Fairies and The Dark Spirit. In 2011, Andrew received the Bisto honorary award for book illustration. LLYFRAU ERAILL YN Y GYFRES/ OTHER BOOKS IN THE SERIES: Mali a’r môr Stormus Mali a’r Morfil Mali a’r Cloi Mawr Mali a’r Goleudy

*Scroll down for English* Stori am yr aliens gwyrdd oedd isio bod yn binc. Story about the green aliens who wanted to be pink. Genre: llyfr lluniau, #moesol / Picture book, #moral 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: ◉◉◎◎◎ Dyfarniad/Rating: ★★★★★ Lawrlwythwch gopi PDF o'r stori YMA: Download a PDF copy of the story here: Click link below. Wrth i’r newyddion am y digwyddiadau erchyll ein cyrraedd o’r Amerig am George Floyd, y dyn du a gafodd ei ladd gan heddwas gwyn, efallai fod hyn yn amser da i dynnu eich sylw at lyfr addas i blant am ragfarn a hiliaeth. Mae’r protestiadau sy’n digwydd ar draws y byd fel rhan o’r ymgyrch #blacklivesmatter yn dangos fod llawer o waith eto i’w wneud i gael gwared â hiliaeth, rhagfarn ac anghydraddoldeb. Dwi ond yn gobeithio y bydd y genhedlaeth newydd o blant ifanc yn llawer mwy goddefgar o’i gilydd na fuon ni. Cofiwch, tydi plant ddim yn cael eu geni â rhagfarn - mae o’n cael ei ddysgu. Yn yr un modd ag y mae’n bosib dysgu a magu casineb, mae hi hefyd yn bosib lledaenu negeseuon positif am gariad a heddwch. Dyna pam dwi wrth fy modd gyda llyfrau sy’n dathlu ein tebygrwydd a’n gwahaniaethau; sy’n ein dysgu i barchu a charu ein gilydd. Mae ’na dipyn go lew o lyfrau newydd wedi eu cyhoeddi’n ddiweddar sy’n gwneud jest y peth, ond, mae ’na un ‘clasur’ o 1990 sy’n enghraifft dda iawn. Tybed os oes ’na blant o’r 90au yn cofio ‘Y Bobol Fach Wyrdd’ gan Mai Parri? Dwi wedi colli cownt o sawl tro y clywais i’r stori mewn gwasanaethau yn yr ysgol gynradd ac mae’r neges wedi aros gyda mi ers hynny. Ydi, mae’r llyfr wedi dyddio mymryn ond mae’r neges mor bwysig ag erioed. Cyfres o lyfrau i ddarllenwyr ifanc oedd ‘Prosiect 3D’ (Denu, Difyrru, Darllen) a gomisiynwyd ar ôl i Bwyllgor Cymru dderbyn grant gan y Swyddfa Gymreig bryd hynny, i greu adnoddau newydd. Athrawon greodd y llyfrau, a wir i chi, mi wnaethon nhw job mor dda, mae’r llyfrau i’w gweld hyd heddiw yn ein hysgolion ac yn dal i gael defnydd cyson. [Ocê, ella fod hyn fwy i wneud efo cyllidebau ysgolion wedi cael eu torri cymaint nad oes ganddyn nhw lawer o bres i brynu llyfrau newydd, ond ta waeth, wna i ddim dechrau mwydro am y politics, neu yma fyddwn ni.] Mae’n dod â gwên i fy wyneb pan dw i’n gweld y llyfrau yma’n dal i gael eu defnyddio yn ein hysgolion (fatha Bili Broga) ac yn amlwg maen nhw’n rai o safon os ydyn nhw wedi para cyhyd. Stori yw hon am aliens bach gwyrdd sy’n dod o outer-space i chwilio am help Meri a’i thaid am fod rhai ohonynt wedi laru ar fod yn wyrdd. Mae ambell un yn newid lliw eu croen er mwyn bod yn binc. Ar ôl ‘pincio’, maen nhw’n troi eu cefnau ar eu cymdogion gwyrdd ac yn meddwl eu bod nhw’n well. Yna, fe gawn dudalen sy’n reit shocking yn fy marn i gan eu bod nhw wedi codi ffens weiren bigog fawr i wahanu’r ddwy gymdeithas, gan ein hatgoffa o wal Donald Trump neu'r Berlin Wall. Y peth mwyaf brawychus am yr arwyddion ‘lle ni’ a ‘lle chi’ wrth gwrs, yw bod segregation o’i fath i gyd wedi digwydd go iawn yn y gorffennol. Dwi’n siŵr y bydd plant yn gallu gweld pam fod hyn mor ofnadwy o gas, annheg ac annerbyniol. Mae’r bobl binc yn meddwl mai nhw yw’r gorau, tan i rywbeth wenwyno’r tir, y pridd a’u gwneud yn sâl. Maen nhw’n newynu cyn i’r bobl wyrdd ddod i’w helpu, gofalu amdanynt, a’u croesawu’n ôl i’w cymdeithas werdd er gwaetha’r ffaith fod y bobl binc wedi eu trin nhw’n annheg. Erbyn y diwedd, mae’r cyn-bincwyr wedi dysgu eu gwers, yn sylweddoli fod bywyd yn well pan mae pawb yn cefnogi ei gilydd, ac mae pawb yn cyd-fyw’n ddedwydd. Y dudalen olaf yw’r gorau gan ei bod yn crynhoi neges bwysig iawn iawn. Ella fod ’na rai ohonom ni’n fawr, rhai’n fach, rhai’n ddu, rhai’n wyn, rhai’n dal, rhai’n fyr, ond rydym ni i gyd yn bobl. Dyma stori wych i’w rhannu gyda phlant ifanc gan ei bod yn trafod testun dwys mewn ffordd ddealladwy ac yn codi amryw o bwyntiau trafod. Ydi hi’n bryd i’w hail gyhoeddi? As our newsfeeds are filled with the terrible events from the USA about George Floyd, a black man killed by a white policeman, perhaps this is an appropriate time to draw your attention to a child-friendly book about prejudice, racism and class. The protests that are taking place across the globe as part of the #blacklivesmatter campaign show that there is still much work to be done to eradicate racism, prejudice and inequality. I only hope that the new generation of young children will be more tolerant of each other than our generation. Remember, children are not born with prejudice – it is learned. In the same way that it is possible to teach and preach hatred, it is also possible to spread positive messages about love and peace. That's why I love books that celebrate our similarities and differences; that teach us to love and respect each other. There have been a lot of great new books published recently that do just that, but, today, I want to talk about a ‘classic’ from 1990 which is a good example. I wonder if there are 90s children out there who remember ‘Y Bobl Fach Wyrdd’ by Mai Parri [The Little Green People] I’ve lost count of the times that I heard the story in assemblies in Primary School but obviously the message has stayed with me since. Yes, you could say the book is slightly out of date by now, but on the whole it still stands up pretty well - the message is as important now as it ever was. 'Project 3D' (attracting, entertaining, reading) was a series of books for young readers that were commissioned after the Welsh Committee received a grant from what was then known as the Welsh Office, to create new resources. Teachers created the books, and honestly, they did such a good job, the books can still be found today in our schools and are still used regularly. [Ok, maybe the fact that they are still being used is more to do with the fact that school budgets have been cut so much, they don’t have money to buy the new books, but anyway, I won't go into the politics, or we’ll be here awhile…] It does bring a smile to my face when I see these books still being used and cherished (such as Bili Broga) and they were obviously of a good standard if they have lasted for so long. This is a story about small green aliens from outer-space who come to look for help from Meri and her grandfather because some of them are sick of being green. Some of them change the colour of their skin in order to be pink. After 'pinking up', they turn their backs on their green neighbours and start to think that they are better. We then get what is in my view, a rather shocking page which shows they have erected a large barbed wire fence to separate the two societies. (reminding us somewhat of Donald Trump's wall or the Berlin Wall). The scariest thing about the ‘your place’ and ‘our place’ signs is that this kind of segregation is all based on real events from history. I’m sure that children will be able to see why this is so terribly nasty, unfair and unacceptable. The pink people think they are the best, until something poisons the land and soil, causing them to become sick. They are starving until the green people come to their rescue, taking care and nurturing them back to health. They welcome the separatists back to green society despite the ill treatment they received. By the end, the former pinksters have learned their lesson, and have come to realise that life is better when everyone supports each other; co-habitating happily. The last page is my favourite as it summarises the book’s key message. Some of us may be big, others small, some black, some white, some tall, some short, BUT we are ALL people. This is a great story to read with young children as it discusses what is a complicated subject in an understandable way and does raise many valuable discussion opportunities. Could it do with being re-published? Gwasg/publisher: Gwasg Taf Cyf. Rhyddhawyd/released: 1990 Ar gael/available: Allan o brint / out of print - library loan only

*Scroll down for English* Brwydr rhwng y gweithwyr a pherchnogion y pyllau. A battle between the workers and the pit-owners. Genre: #hanesyddol #hanes #ffuglen #glo / #historical #history #fiction #coal 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:: ◉◉◉◉◎ Dyfarniad/Rating: ★★★☆☆ Hogyn o Ogledd Cymru ydw i, ac er mod i’n nabod fy milltir sgwâr yn reit dda, dwi wedi rhyfeddu cyn lleied dwi’n gwybod am rannau eraill o Gymru, yn enwedig De Cymru. Mi wnes i fwynhau nofel hanesyddol ddiwethaf Myrddin, Y Goron yn y Chwarel, ac felly penderfynais roi cynnig ar Drws Du yn Nhonypandy - er mwyn cael dysgu dipyn am ardal lofaol Cwm Rhondda, tref Tonypandy. Erbyn heddiw, mae strydoedd Tonypandy yn edrych yn debyg iawn i nifer o drefi eraill – ond os edrychwch yn ddigon agos, mae tystiolaeth o’r diwydiant glo yn parhau – gadawodd ei farc mewn mwy nag un ffordd. Mae glo yn rhan annatod o’r ardal, ac fe adnabyddir Tonypandy bellach fel safle’r ‘1910 Riots.’ Yn bersonol, ni wyddwn am y digwyddiad yma ynghynt, a dwi wedi dysgu llawer o ddarllen y llyfr. Mae’n amlwg fod yr awdur wedi gwneud ei waith cartref – dwi’n siŵr ei fod o wedi mwynhau darllen a siarad gydag unigolion wrth baratoi at y gwaith ’sgwennu. Mae’r nofel yn seiliedig ar ddigwyddiadau go iawn, ac yn cynnwys cyfeiriadau at ambell berson go iawn, ond ffuglen yw e. Dwi wrth fy modd gyda mapiau, ac mi oeddwn i’n hapus fod rhai wedi cael eu cynnwys ar ddechrau’r nofel. I roi cyd-destun ehangach, cawn restr enwau hefyd– syniad da iawn o ystyried nifer y cymeriadau yn y stori, ac roedd yn help i mi ‘gadw trac’ fel petai. Gwerthfawrogais y ‘Nodyn gan yr Awdur’ ar ddiwedd y stori hefyd, sy’n hynod ddiddorol a defnyddiol i roi cyd-destun hanesyddol i ddigwyddiadau’r nofel. Dilynwn hanes Guto Lewis, bachgen pedair ar ddeg oed, sydd ar fin cychwyn gweithio yn un o’r pyllau glo, fel gweddill y dynion yn ei deulu. Yn rhan gynta’r nofel, cawn wybod mwy am fywyd Guto, ei deulu a’r gymuned. Diolch i waith disgrifio manwl gan yr awdur, cawn gyflwyniad da i fywyd yng Nghwm Rhondda yn ystod y cyfnod. Down i wybod am beryglon y gwaith wrth i un o’r cymdogion gael ei anafu’n ddifrifol yn y lofa. Rhywbeth oedd yn gyffredin iawn yn y cyfnod: “Roedd y diwydiant yn un peryglus. Câi dros 50 o lowyr eu lladd bob blwyddyn yng Nghwm Rhondda rhwng 1900–1910." Mae’r awdur yn llwyddo i gyfleu’r amodau byw yn y cyfnod yn effeithiol iawn, a rhoddir llawer o sylw i’r manylion. Mae’r tai yn fychan iawn, ac mae pawb yn byw ar ben ei gilydd - does dim hyd yn oed digon o welyau i bawb. Clywn am yr adeiladau gwael, y dŵr budur, y tir lithriadau a’r llygod mawr sydd i gyd yn gwneud i mi werthfawrogi'r cyfleusterau moethus sydd gennym heddiw - a dwi’n eithaf balch nad ydw i’n löwr. Mae cyflwr cyrff y glowyr yn dyst ei fod o’n fywoliaeth galed a didrugaredd! Yn ogystal, mae afiechydon yn teithio’n sydyn drwy’r Cwm, ac roedd y disgrifiad ohonynt fel rhyw fath o anghenfil sinistr yn effeithiol: “tamprwydd yn y tir yn cerdded drwy’r waliau i’w hysgyfaint”. Cyfeiria hyn wrth gwrs at Diptheria, neu’r Clefyd Coch, a oedd yn lladd nifer. Pan syrthiai brawd Guto, Llew, yn sâl, clywn am effaith dychrynllyd y cyflwr: “O bellter, gallai Guto graffu a gweld cnawd gwyn trwchus fel afon dew o rew o gwmpas cloch y gwddw a’r bibell wynt.” Swnia fel rhywbeth annifyr iawn - diolch i’r drefn am vaccines! Gwyddwn eisoes fod bywyd y dynion yn galed gan iddynt dreulio oriau hir dan ddaear mewn amodau llai na delfrydol, ond cawn ein hatgoffa hefyd o ba mor galed oedd bywyd y merched- y nhw oedd yn gorfod gwneud y gwaith tŷ a chynnal y teulu cyfan wrth grafu byw. Un peth sy’n dod drosodd yn gryf yn y nofel yw pa mor glos yw’r gymdeithas yn y Rhondda – rhywbeth sydd dal yn wir hyd heddiw. Ymgartrefodd nifer o Eidalwyr yng Nghymru yn ystod y 20fed ganrif, ac roedd cynnwys y teulu Bertorelli yn dangos fod Cymru’n wlad amlddiwylliannol, hyd yn oed bryd hynny. Mi ddysgais ’chydig o Eidaleg hefyd wrth ddarllen! Erbyn canol y nofel, er bod y cynnwys yn ddiddorol, dechreuais ofyn i mi fy hun beth oedd y prif ddigwyddiad a phryd oedd o am ddigwydd? Yn sydyn iawn, fe aiff pethau’n flêr iawn yn Nhonypandy wrth i eiddo gael eu difrodi ac i lawer o bobl gael eu hanafu mewn gwrthdaro cas â’r Heddlu – sefyllfa digon brawychus. Heb ddweud gormod, (i ddysgu mwy cewch chi brynu’r llyfr!) cwffio am well cyflog ac amodau gweithio oedden nhw. Roedd y gweithwyr mewn brwydr gyda pherchenogion y glofeydd; oedd wedi cynllwynio ers blynyddoedd i gadw cyflogau’n isel. Yn anffodus, aflwyddiannus fu’r streic yn y pen draw, ac ar ôl llawer o ddioddef a thlodi, bu raid i’r gweithwyr ddychwelyd i’r gwaith a derbyn cynnig y perchnogion. Cydymdeimlwn â’r glowyr yn eu brwydr yn erbyn y perchnogion. Cant eu hecsploetio a’u trin yn wael ganddynt a does ryfedd fod y sefyllfa wedi ffrwydro yn y diwedd. Ffeindiais fy hun yn wyllt gacwn ar sawl achlysur wrth ddarllen am y fath anghyfiawnder! Roedd perchennog y siop, Wilkins, yn enghraifft dda o rywun oedd yn haeddu cweir go iawn! Dwi hefyd yn deall rŵan pam nad oedd fawr o groeso i Winston Churchill yn Ne Cymru wedi digwyddiadau 1910 a dwi’n ei weld mewn goleuni newydd erbyn hyn. Tybed a yw credoau gwleidyddol yr awdur i’w gweld yn y stori, ac ydi o’n siarad â ni drwy’r cymeriadau? Fel y glowyr a feiddiodd frwydro am well hawliau, tybed a yw’r nofel yn symbol o’n cenedl ni heddiw? O ystyried agwedd ddirmygus San Steffan tuag at Gymru, efallai fod ’na wirionedd yng ngeiriau Gwyneth Mas o’r Ffordd: “Weda i hyn wrthot ti, dyw Prydain Fawr ddim fawr o help iti os mai un o blant y cwm wyt ti.” Dyfarniad Mae’r cynnwys hanesyddol a’r ffeithiau a gynhwysir yn y nofel yma’n rhyfeddol. Llwydda’r awdur i wehyddu sawl is-naratif i’r brif stori, a chawn lyfr ‘prysur’ iawn o ganlyniad, os nad mymryn yn ddryslyd ar brydiau (i ddarllenwyr iau). Bydd defnydd o dafodiaith yr ardal yn apelio at rai, ac mae’n ychwanegu at ddilysrwydd y nofel - ac nid yw’n rhy anodd i’r ‘Gogs’ ei ddeall chwaith. Does dim oedran wedi ei awgrymu ar wefan y wasg, ond fel cyn-athro Bl.5 a 6, dwi’n meddwl y byddai’r nofel tu hwnt i afael y mwyafrif, heb law am y darllenwyr mwyaf aeddfed. Byddai cynulleidfa hŷn yr ysgolion uwchradd yn gwerthfawrogi’r nofel yma’n fwy dwi’n meddwl. Dwi’n falch fod Gwasg Carreg Gwalch yn cyhoeddi cymaint o nofelau â gogwydd Cymreig iddynt. Bydd y llyfr yma’n ddefnyddiol iawn ar gyfer astudio hanes Cymru yn y Cwricwlwm newydd. I’m a North Wales lad, and although I know my patch quite well, it’s amazing how little I know about other parts of Wales, particularly South Wales. I enjoyed Myrddin's last historic novel, Y Goron yn y Chwarel, and so I decided to give Drws Du Yn Nhonypandy a go. The hope was, that I learn a thing or two about Cwm Rhondda and its coal mining history. Today, the streets of Tonypandy look very similar to many other towns – but if you look closely enough, evidence from bygone days is all around– coal has left its mark in more ways than one. Tonypandy is today remembered as the site of the '1910 Riots.' I had never heard of these until now, and I was eager to find out more... It’s obvious that the author has done his homework – I'm sure that he enjoyed reading and talking to individuals in preparation for the writing. The novel is based on real events, and includes references to a few real people, but it is fiction. I love maps, and I was happy that some had been included at the beginning of the novel. To give some background information, we also get a name list – a very good idea given the number of characters in the story, and it helped me to 'keep track.’ I also appreciated the ‘Note by the author' at the end of the story, which not only gave more context, but is extremely interesting. We follow Guto Lewis, a fourteen-year-old boy, who is about to start working in one of the mines, like the other men in his family. In the first part of the novel, we find out more about Guto’s life, family and the community. Thanks to detailed descriptive work by the author, we get a good glimpse of day to day life during the period. We learn of the dangers of mining as one of the neighbours is seriously injured in the colliery. Something was very common in the period. The author tells us of the living conditions of the mining families, and there’s a lot of attention to detail. The houses are very small, and everyone is crammed on top of each other. Without enough rooms and beds for everyone, as the men work shift, they share the beds – a form of hotbedding. We hear about the poor quality of the buildings, the dirty water, frequent landslides and rats - all make me appreciate the modern-day luxuries we enjoy today. It also makes me pretty glad I’m not a miner. Their bruised and battered bodies is proof enough of how tough it was. Disease and illnesses spread quickly through the valley, and the sinister description of the mould working it’s way into the lungs of the residents was akin to a monster. This refers of course to Diptheria, which killed many. When Guto's brother, Llew, falls ill, we hear about the condition in graphic detail. Thank goodness for vaccines is all I say! We already know that the men's lives are tough because they spend long hours underground in less than ideal conditions, but we are also reminded of how hard the women work – doing housework and caring for the family, all whilst scraping a living. One thing that really comes across in the novel is what a tight-knit community it is in the Rhondda- something that’s still true today. A number of Italians settled in Wales during the 20th century, and the inclusion of the Bertorelli family shows us that Wales was a multicultural country, even then. I learned a little Italian whilst reading too! By mid-novel, although I was still intrigued by the historical content, I did begin to ask myself where was the novel going? But then, all of a sudden, things get quite messy in Tonypandy as riots break out, property is damaged which results in some ferocious clashes with the constabulary. Without going into detail (you’ll have to read the book!) the workers were fighting for more rights-to receive a basic payment of 2 shillings and 9 pence per tonne of coal. The workers were locked in battle with colliery owners who had conspired for years to keep wages low. The miners wanted a better standard of living and, of course, this was something worth fighting for. Unfortunately, the strike was unsuccessful, and after much suffering and poverty, the workers had to return to work and accept a reduced offer. The miners were manipulated, exploited and treated quite badly on the whole so its no wonder the situation exploded in the end. I found myself getting really wound up on numerous occasions because of the injustices of it all! Wilkins, the grocer is a prime example of someone that deserved a punch in the face! I now also realise why Winston Churchill got such a frosty reception in South Wales following these events, and I think I see him in a different light now. I wonder if the author's political leanings come across in the story, as if he is talking to us through the characters? Is the miners struggle for better conditions, against the regime symbolic of our Nation today? Given Westminster's contemptuous attitude towards Wales, there may be some truth in Gwyneth’s words: "I’ll tell you this, Great Britain is not much help if you’re one of valley children.” Verdict The historical content contained in this novel is remarkable but I wouldn’t say the plot was action-packed. The author successfully weaves several sub-narratives into the main story, and as a result we get a ‘busy' book, if not a tad confusing at times (for younger readers anyway). Use of the local dialect will appeal to some, and certainly adds authenticity to the novel- it’s not too difficult for the ‘Gogs’ to understand either. I can’t find a suggested age on the publisher’s website, but as a former Yr 5&6 teacher, I think the novel would be beyond their grasp, apart from the most mature of readers. An older audience (secondary school age) would better appreciate this novel, I think. I am pleased that Gwasg Carreg Gwalch publishes so many Welsh historical novels and I can see this book being very popular as part of the new curriculum. Gwasg/publisher: Carreg Gwalch Cyhoeddwyd/released: 2020 Pris: £7.99

*Scroll down for English* Bachgen yn hiraethu am ei ffrind gorau. Story about a boy who's missing his best friend. Based on a true story. Genre: llyfr lluniau, #iechyd #lles / Picture book, #health #wellbeing 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:: ◉◉◎◎◎ Dyfarniad/Rating: ★★★★☆ Dyma'r Jack go iawn yn hapus gyda'r llyfr wedi ei gyhoeddi! Here's the real Jack - really happy with the published book! Tedi-bêr y Sêr is the Welsh adaptation of Bear Shapes (Oxford University Press) Wel, roedd rhaid i mi frwydro i gadw’r dagrau’n ôl wrth ddarllen Tedi Bêr y Sêr. Dyma lyfr cyntaf yr awdur/arlunydd Dawn Coulter-Cruttenden, sydd wedi cael ei addasu’n llwyddiannus iawn i’r Gymraeg gan Non Tudur. Oeddech chi’n gwybod fod y llyfr yma’n seiliedig ar stori hollol wir? Yn gymharol ddiweddar fe gollodd bachgen ifanc awtistig ei ffrind gorau’n y byd – ei dedi bêr. Roedd y bachgen bach mor ddigalon ar ôl colli ei gyfaill, fe aeth ei Dad ar y cyfryngau cymdeithasol i rannu’r stori, ac roedd yr ymateb cyhoeddus yn syfrdanol i ddweud y lleiaf. Anfonodd llawer iawn o bobl anrhegion a negeseuon calonogol i’r bachgen oedd mewn gymaint o boen. Mae’n ffantastig meddwl fod pobl yn gallu bod mor hael a charedig gyda’i gilydd pan fo’r angen. Darllenwch erthygl papur newydd am y stori go iawn yma cyn parhau â’r adolygiad: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-5629417/Fathers-plea-devastated-son-loses-favourite-bear-goes-viral.html Roedd Jac yn gwneud pob dim gyda’i ffrind gorau, y tedi bêr. Mae’r tedi yn fwy na thegan meddal - mae’n gyfaill triw ac yn help enfawr wrth i Jac fynd allan i wynebu’r byd mawr dryslyd. Er enghraifft, pan yn swil, mae Jac yn siarad drwy’r tedi. Un diwrnod, ar ôl bod yn y parc, mae’r gwaethaf yn digwydd – mae tedi’n mynd ar goll. Llwydda’r awdur i gyfleu trasiedi’r digwyddiad a’r effaith fawr a gafodd hyn ar y bachgen. Gallwn weld ei fod mewn poen a’i fod yn dioddef ar ôl y golled. Dwi’n teimlo’n swp sâl ar ôl colli unrhyw eiddo – hyd yn oed eitem fach – felly i Jac, mae colli ffrind yn teimlo fel diwedd y byd. Yn y llyfr, yn hytrach na defnyddio’r cyfryngau cymdeithasol, mae Jac yn creu posteri, ac er na ddaw’r tedi i’r golwg, mae llawer o bobl ddieithr o bob cwr o’r byd yn anfon tedi bêrs newydd iddo yn ogystal â nodiadau caredig. Mae’n gwneud i rywun deimlo mor hapus a balch fod pobl yn gallu bod mor glên gyda’i gilydd. Er fod gan Jac dwll ‘siâp tedi’ mawr yn ei galon, gydag amser mae pethau’n dechrau gwella. Wrth i bethau wella, dechreua deimlo dros bobl eraill sy’n dioddef. O ganlyniad, mae’n penderfynu rhannu’r holl dedi bêrs mae o wedi’u derbyn gyda phlant eraill llai ffodus. Dyma neges bwysig, sef y gall helpu eraill wneud i ni deimlo’n well hefyd. Mae’r ddwy dudalen olaf yn llawn emosiwn – cymysgedd o dristwch a hapusrwydd wrth i Jac barhau â’i fywyd gan gofio’r amseroedd da gyda tedi, ond gan ddod i dderbyn na fydd yno gydag ef eto – dim ond yn ei atgofion ac yn ei galon. Dyma lyfr stori a llun sy’n gweithio ar sawl lefel. Bydd y plant lleiaf yn gallu uniaethu â’r teimladau sydd ynghlwm â cholli hoff degan fel tedi, ond hefyd, gweithreda’r llyfr fel trosiad am ddelio â cholled neu brofedigaeth. Y prif neges a geir yn y llyfr yw bod amseroedd trist a chaled yn dod yn dilyn colled agos, ond y bydd pethau’n siŵr o wella yn y pen draw gydag amser. Rydym yn gorfod derbyn nad yw bob tro’n bosib cael rhywbeth neu rywun yn ôl, ond byddwn yn trysori’r amseroedd da am byth. Dyma stori annwyl, hardd ac emosiynol sy’n sbardun ar gyfer trafod profedigaeth neu golled gyda phlant ifanc mewn ffordd sensitif a dealladwy. Gall hefyd gynnig cyfle i drafod awtistiaeth, er mai subtle iawn yw’r cyfeiriadau at y cyflwr. Well, I won’t lie - I had to fight to hold back the tears back whilst reading Tedi-bêr y Sêr. This is the first book by author/illustrator Dawn Coulter-Cruttenden, that has been very successfully adapted into Welsh by Non Tudur. Did you know that this book is based on a true story? Relatively recently, a young autistic boy lost his best friend in the whole world – his teddy. The little boy was so distraught after losing his buddy, that his Dad went on social media to share the story, and the public response was astounding to say the least. Loads of total strangers rallied round to send the boy lots of new teddies and heart-warming messages of support. It’s fantastic to think that people can be so generous and kind to each other in times of need. If you like, read the newspaper article about the story before you continue with the review: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-5629417/Fathers-plea-devastated-son-loses-favourite-bear-goes-viral.html Jac did absolutely everything with his best friend, who was much more than just a soft-toy. Tedi is a loyal companion who helps Jac face our mad, chaotic world. For example, when he’s feeling shy or nervous, Jac feels more comfortable speaking through Tedi. One day, after a visit to the park, the unimaginable happens – teddy goes missing. The author manages to convey the tragedy of the event and the great impact it has on the boy. We can clearly see his pain and distress following the loss. I tend to feel sick to my stomach when I lose any of my belongings – even a small item – so when Tedi disappears, it feels like the end of the world to Jac. In the book, instead of using social media, Jac creates posters, and although teddy never comes to light, he instead receives gifts and messages from strangers all over the world. You can’t help but feel touched by people’s kindness and generosity. Although Jac still has a large 'teddy-shaped' hole in his heart, with time, things begin to improve. Jac starts to feel for other people who are less fortunate or are suffering in some way or another. As a result, he decides to share all the gifts he received with them. This is an important message, that helping others can also make us feel better. The last two pages are heart wrenching and emotional– a mixture of sadness and happiness as Jac goes on with his life - remembering the good times he had with Teddy, but also accepting that teddy will no longer be there– only in his memory. So, in one way, he will always be with him. This is a story picture book that works on many levels. The smallest children will be able to identify with the feelings associated with losing a favourite toy like teddy, but the book also acts as a metaphor for dealing with loss or bereavement. One of the main messages contained in the book is that sad and hard times inevitably come following a close loss, but things will get better in time. We have to accept that it’s not always possible to get something or someone back, but we can always cherish the good times. We have here a beautifully illustrated and heart-warming book – the perfect instigator for a discussion about grief and loss. The book raises these issues in a sensitive and understandable manner. It can also serve as an opportunity to discuss autism, although the references to it are quite subtle. Gwasg/publisher: Rily Rhyddhawyd/released: 2019 Pris: £6.99

*Scroll down for English* Mae anifeiliaid yn lot haws na phobl... Animals are so much easier than people... Genre: #ffuglen #amrwyiaeth #hiliaeth / #fiction #diversity #racism 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:: ◉◉◉◎◎ Dyfarniad/Rating: ★★★★☆ ✿ TRWYN MEWN LLYFR GYDA MAGW JÊN: ADOLYGIAD DISGYBL BL.5 ✿ Cyflwynir drwy ganiatâd Y Lolfa ADOLYGIAD MORGAN DAFYDD Beth sy’n digwydd yn y llyfr? (Y Plot) Mae Sara Mai yn byw gyda’i Mam, ei Thad, a’i brawd Seb - ond nid teulu cyffredin mohonynt! Maen nhw’n rhedeg sw ac yn byw ar y safle sy’n rhoi cyfleoedd arbennig ac unigryw i Sara Mai - faint o bobl sy’n gallu dweud fod nhw’n rhannu eu cartref gyda chymaint o anifeiliaid anhygoel? Mae Sara Mai yn dallt anifeiliaid yn iawn, ac mae'r sw yn well na phobl - mae gormod o reolau dryslyd anweledig gyda phobl! Mae hi’n cael trafferth ‘ffitio i mewn’ yn yr ysgol, ac mae merch newydd ym mlwyddyn 5, Leila, yn gwneud bywyd yn anodd iddi. Mae hi’n gwneud ei gorau i lywio Cors Fochno’r (minefield) buarth a’r dosbarth, ond tydi hi methu deall pam fod rhai pobl mor gas. Beth fydd yn digwydd tybed pan mae ei hathro’n ei gosod mewn grŵp gweithio gyda’r bwli?! Wrth i’r nofel fynd yn ei flaen, mae’r sw yn cael newyddion ofnadwy fod ‘dyn busnes’ dirgel eisiau prynu’r tir er mwyn ei ddatblygu a throi'r sw yn ganolfan siopa! O na!! Bydd rhaid i Sara Mai wneud rhywbeth reit handi os ydi hi am achub y sw! Darllenwch y stori er mwyn ffeindio allan os yw hi’n llwyddiannus a beth yw ei chynllun arbennig?! Pryd cafodd y stori ei osod? Mae’r stori wedi cael ei osod yn Ne Cymru yn y presennol yn y byd go iawn. (hynny ydi – nid mewn byd hudol) Oedd ‘na gymeriadau da? Mae Sara Mai, y prif gymeriad, yn un hoffus iawn ac yn unigryw iawn gan ei bod hi’n helpu i redeg sw. Er bod hyn yn sefyllfa anarferol, bydd darllenwyr gallu uniaethu gyda hi wrth iddi gael trafferthion yn yr ysgol -dwi’n siŵr fod nifer ohonom ni wedi cael amser caled yn yr ysgol rhyw bryd neu'i gilydd. Rydym ni’n gweld y byd drwy ei llygaid hi, ac mae ei harsylwadau ar ba mor ddryslyd mae pobl eraill yn ymddwyn yn rhywbeth fydd pawb yn gallu deall. Mi wnes i fwynhau gweld Sara Mai yn dod allan o’i chragen ac yn tyfu mewn hyder wrth i’r nofel fynd yn ei flaen ac mae hi’n gwneud ffrindiau newydd. Roedd hi’n dod drosodd fel cymeriad penderfynol iawn oedd yn barod i wneud unrhyw beth i achub y sw- y peth pwysicaf yn ei bywyd! Mae’r ffaith fod hi’n gallu maddau i’r bwli ar ddiwedd y nofel hefyd yn dangos aeddfedrwydd yn ei chymeriad. Mae’r ffaith fod yr anifeiliaid yn cael eu henwi hefyd yn gwneud iddyn nhw deimlo fel cymeriadau go iawn hefyd. Ar gyfer pa oedran mae’r llyfr? Mae’r llyfr ar gyfer plant Cyfnod Allweddol 2 (sef rhwng 7-11 oed). Tydi’r iaith ddim yn rhy anodd yn y llyfr, ond mae o’n llyfr reit sylweddol. Mae’r llyfr yn addas ar gyfer plant sydd wedi dysgu i ddarllen yn annibynnol. Wedi dweud hyn, efallai byddai darllenwyr mwy ifanc o fewn yr ystod oedran yn buddio o gyd-ddarllen y llyfr gyda rhiant neu ddarllenwr mwy profiadol. Beth oedd yn dda am y llyfr? Mae’r awdur yn llwyddo i drafod y pwnc o fod yn wahanol yn naturiol ac yn ei blethu â’r stori yn llwyddiannus iawn. Efallai fod rhai pobl yn teimlo braidd yn nerfus/ansicr wrth drafod lliw croen, ond mae Casia yn agor y drws ar gyfer trafodaeth drwy siarad yn blaen. Yng ngeiriau Sara Mai ei hun, “Ia, felly, mae Mam a Dad yn edrych yn wahanol iawn i’w gilydd.” Mae hi’n sôn am ei lliw croen hi ei hun fel bod yn “frown tywyll, rhywle rhwng lliw croen Mam a lliw croen Dad.” Mae hi’n cydnabod fod pawb arall yn yr ysgol yn wyn – sefyllfa reit gyffredin yng nghefn gwlad Cymru. Dwi’n falch fod y prif gymeriad yn codi proffil y gymuned BAME [Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic] mewn llyfrau Cymraeg – rhywbeth sy’n eithaf prin. O ganlyniad felly, mae’r stori yn adlewyrchu Cymru fodern, amlddiwylliannol yn well. Gall y stori gael ei ddefnyddio fel sbardun ar gyfer trafodaeth ar ymddygiad hiliol. Er mai dim ond awgrym o fwriad sy’n cael ei gynnwys yn y llyfr, mae’n amlwg fod sylwadau Leila at Sara Mai yn cyfeirio at liw ei chroen, ac o ganlyniad yn gwbl annerbyniol. Roeddwn yn hoffi’r ffaith fod Sara Mai yn trafod y ‘rheolau anweledig’ sydd yn ein cymdeithas. Mae nifer o blant (ac oedolion) yn cael trafferth deall rhai o’r rheolau dryslyd anffurfiol yma. Gwnaeth hyn i mi feddwl am gonfensiynau cymdeithasol a sylweddoli pa mor anodd ydi o yn y bôn. Er enghraifft - cadw cyswllt llygaid wrth siarad gyda rhywun - rhaid edrych arnynt, ond byddai syllu am rhy hir yn teimlo’n chwithig - rhain ydi’r rheolau “llwyd” sydd yn ein bywydau dydd i ddydd. ​ YR ANIFEILIAID WRTH GWRS!!! Dwi’m yn meddwl mod i wedi dod ar draws neb sy’n casáu anifeiliaid! Mae stori sy’n cynnwys anifeiliaid yn siŵr o blesio’r gynulleidfa darged. Mae o’n byrlymu gyda ffeithiau diddorol am anifeiliaid a dwi’n siŵr fydd pawb yn gorffen y llyfr wedi dysgu dipyn o bethau newydd! Fysa rhywbeth yn gallu cael ei wella/newid? ​ ​Efallai fod y prif ddigwyddiad (sef clywed fod y sw o dan fygythiad) wedi dod braidd yn hwyr yn y nofel (dim tan bennod 8) ond wedi dweud hynny, roedd hyn yn rhoi amser i sôn am yr anifeiliaid ac i gyflwyno’r cymeriadau eraill a thrafod perthynas Sara Mai gyda’r disgyblion eraill. Mae’r profiadau o weithio fel grŵp yn rhywbeth fydd llawer o blant yn gyfarwydd ag. ​ A oeddet wedi rhagweld sut fyddai’r stori’n gorffen? ​ ​Roedd gen i deimlad y byddai Sara Mai yn llwyddo i achub y dydd yn y pen draw, gyda chymorth ei ffrindiau newydd! Mi fyddai’r stori yn gallu gorffen yn fanna yn daclus iawn, ond dwi’n siŵr fod ‘na le am ragor o anturiaethau - mwy gyda’r anifeiliaid tro nesaf efallai. Darn ar gyfer y rhieni (ac athrawon)! Dwi’n meddwl fod y llyfr yn wych, ac yn un oedd wir ei angen. Dyma lyfr cyfoes, sy’n cymryd cam yn y cyfeiriad cywir er mwyn adlewyrchu Cymru amrywiol a chynwysedig heddiw yn llawer gwell. Mae’n holl bwysig fod plant yn gallu ‘gweld eu hunain’ mewn llenyddiaeth ac mae hwn yn llyfr perthnasol iawn. Gall weithio fel stori i’w fwynhau wrth ddarllen er pleser, ond dwi’n meddwl fod iddo fuddion addysgiadol hefyd, fel sbardun drafodaeth neu fel nofel sydd wrth wraidd uned o waith. Pan oeddwn yn dysgu, roeddwn yn dewis un nofel ac yn cynllunio tasgau traws cwricwlaidd yn deillio o’r stori. Mae digon o ddeunydd a all ddeillio o’r llyfr yma: Syniadau ar gyfer y dosbarth: · Dadl ddosbarth: Ydi Sw’s yn bethau da neu ddrwg? · Gwaith ymchwil, yna ysgrifennu adroddiad – anifeiliaid y byd · Trip i’r sw (go iawn neu rhithiol) · Rhifedd – rhedeg sw (elw a cholled) · Diweddglo arall/stori newydd – dial Michael Hughes.... · Cyflwyniadau llafar – anifeiliaid – gwaith grŵp · Gwaith ar fwlio/hiliaeth/dathlu amrywiaeth Ffaith ddiddorol! Oeddech chi’n gwybod....?! Daeth yr ysbrydoliaeth ar gyfer y stori i Casia pan oedd hi’n fardd plant Cymru ac yn ymweld ag ysgolion ledled y wlad. Meddai: “Gwnes i gyfarfod â merch fach mewn ysgol oedd yn annwyl tu hwnt ac yn gwirioni ar anifeiliaid, ac mi ddywedodd wrtha i – “Mae Mam yn dweud bod gen i gysylltiad arbennig gydag anifeiliaid.” A dyma fi’n meddwl – rydw i am dy roi di mewn llyfr! Rydw i wir yn gobeithio y bydd plant yn hoffi’r llyfr – er mwyn i Sara Mai gael sawl antur arall!” What happens in the book? (The Plot) Sara Mai lives with her mother, father and big brother Seb - but this is no ordinary family! They run a zoo and live on the site - which gives Sara Mai loads of special and unique opportunities -how many people can say they share their home with so many amazing animals? Sara Mai understands animals, in fact, she prefers them to people -there are too many invisible, unwritten, confusing rules with human beings! She struggles to 'fit in' at school, and a new girl in Year 5, Leila, makes life difficult for her. She does her best to steer the minefield that is school life, but she just can’t understand why some people are so nasty. What will be the result when the class teacher decides to put her in a group with her bully? As the novel progresses, the zoo gets some bad news that a mysterious businessman wants to buy the land in order to develop it into a shopping centre! Oh no!! Sara Mai will have to do something quite handy if she wants to save the zoo! Read the story to find out what her plan is an if she is successful or not… When was the story set? The story takes place in South Wales in the present day in the real world. (That is – not in a magical fantasy land) Were there good characters? Sara Mai, the main character, is very likeable and unique in that she helps to run a zoo. Although this is an unusual situation, readers will be able to identify with her as she struggles at school – I'm sure many of us have had a hard time at school at some time or another. We see the world through her eyes, and her observations on how confusing other people behave are sure to be amusing. I enjoyed seeing Sara Mai come out of her shell and grow in confidence as the novel progresses and she makes new friends. She came over as a very determined character who was ready to do anything to save the zoo- the most important thing in her life! The fact that she forgives the bully at the end of the novel also shows maturity in her character. The fact that the animals are named also makes them feel like real characters too. For what age is the book? The book is for Key Stage 2 children (aged from 7-11). The language isn't too difficult, but it's quite a substantial book. It’s suitable for children who have learned to read independently. Having said this, younger readers within the age range might benefit from co-reading the book with a more experienced parent or reader. What was good about the book? The author manages to discuss the topic of being different very naturally and integrates it with the story very successfully. Some people may feel a bit nervous/insecure when discussing skin colour, but Casia opens the door for discussion by talking plainly. In Sara Mai's own words, "Mum and Dad look very different from each other." She mentions her own skin colour as being "dark brown, somewhere between mum's skin colour and Dad's skin colour." She recognises that everyone else in the school is white – this situation is probably quite common in rural Wales. I am pleased that the main character raises the profile of the BAME community in Welsh-language books – something that needs to be further developed. As a result, the story better reflects a modern, multicultural Wales. The story can be used as a springboard for discussion on racist behaviour. Although only an indication of intent is included in the book, it is clear that Leila 's comments to Sara may refer to the colour of her skin, and consequently are totally unacceptable. I liked the fact that Sara Mai refers to the 'invisible rules’ in our society. Many children (and adults) have difficulty understanding some of the unwritten and frankly confusing rules out there. This made me think about social conventions and how difficult it can be to follow. Take as an example – eye contact when speaking -it is considered polite to look at the person you’re speaking to, but stare for too long and it could be considered awkward and inappropriate. These are the "grey" rules in our day-to-day lives. ​ THE ANIMALS OF COURSE!!! I don’t think I've come across anybody who dislikes animals! A story that includes animals is bound to appeal to the target audience. The book is teeming with interesting facts about animals and I'm sure everyone finishes the book having learned a lot of new things! Would something be improved/changed? ​ Perhaps the main plot event (the zoo coming under threat) came rather late in the novel (not until chapter 8) but having said that, this gave time to talk about the animals, present the other characters and discuss Sara Mai's relationships with her peers. The up’s and downs of group work is something that many children will be familiar with. ​ Did you foresee how the story would end? ​ I Had a feeling that Sara Mai would eventually save the day, with the help of her new friends! The story concluded neatly, but I'm sure there's a place for more adventures-maybe more with the animals next time. A piece for the parents (and teachers)! I think the book is brilliant, and a timely one that was really needed. This is an up-to-date and contemporary book, which takes a step in the right direction in order to reflect a diverse and inclusive Wales. It is vital that children are able to ' see themselves ' in literature and this is a very relevant book. It can work as a story to enjoy when reading for pleasure, but I think that it also has educational benefits, as a stimulus for discussion or as a novel at the heart of an unit of work. When I was teaching, I picked one novel and planned cross-curricular tasks stemming from the story. There are plenty of tasks that can be derived from this book: Ideas for the class: · Class debate: Are Zoo's good or bad? · Research, then write non-chron reports - animals · Trip to the zoo (real or virtual) · Numeracy – run a zoo – profit and loss accounts · Another ending/new story – The Revenge of Michael Hughes.... · Oral Presentations – Animals – Group work · Work on bullying/racism/celebrating diversity Gwasg/publisher: Y Lolfa Rhyddhawyd/released: 2020 Pris: £5.99

*Scroll down for English* Mae'r ci wedi brathu rhywun pwysig - nawr mi fydd na drwbl... The dog's bitten someone important - now there'll be trouble.. Genre: ffuglen hanesyddol / historical fiction Gwerth addysgiadol/educational value: ◉◉◉◎◎ Negeseuon positif/positive messages: n/a Themau trist,anodd/upsetting, tough themes: n/a Trais, ofn/violence, scary: ◉◎◎◎◎ Iaith gref/language: n/a Rhyw/sex: n/a Hiwmor/humour: ◎◎◎◎◎ Her darllen/reading difficulty:: ◉◉◉◎◎ Dyfarniad/Rating: ★★★☆☆ Pryd cafodd y stori ei osod? Yn syml, mae’r llyfr wedi cael ei osod yng Nghymru amser maith yn ôl, yng nghyfnod Y Brenin Hywel Dda. Roedd o’n Frenin oedd yn teyrnasu dros ran fwyaf o Gymru ac roedd e’n gyfrifol am gyflwyno rheolau pwysig o’r enw ‘Cyfraith Hywel Dda.’ Rhain mewn ffordd oedd cyfraith draddodiadol Cymru, cyn i Gymru ddod yn rhan o’r Deyrnas Unedig. Beth sy’n digwydd yn y llyfr? (Y Plot) Mae Nest, merch ifanc, yn gorfod dianc gyda’i chi, Griff, oherwydd ei fod o wedi gwneud rhywbeth drwg iawn (yn ôl y gyfraith). Yng nghanol y nos, mae’r hanner ci, hanner blaidd wedi brathu marchog pwysig ac mae hwnnw am ei ladd! Rhaid I’r ddau fynd i guddio rhag y milwyr yn y fynachlog gyda’r Abad Cynwrig rhag ofn. Roedd Tad Nest yn arfer bod yn ddyn pwysig iawn yn y gymuned gan mai ef oedd y gof. Ond roedd rhaid iddo adael Llangurig mewn cywilydd. Beth oedd o wedi gwneud oedd mor ddrwg â pham fod y ci wedi brathu’r marchog yn y lle cyntaf? Mae rhywbeth o’i le yn rhywle…. Dewch i ddarllen mwy am y dirgelwch a sut ddaeth Griff yn rhan bwysig o stori’r Brenin ei hun! Beth oedd yn dda am y llyfr? ​Yn anffodus, wnes i byth ddysgu am y cyfnod yma yn hanes Cymru pan oeddwn yn yr ysgol, felly roedd hi’n ddiddorol iawn cael dysgu mwy am fy ngwlad ers talwm a sut oedd pethau’n arfer bod. Yn wahanol i lawer o straeon, mae’r stori i gyd yn cael ei adrodd o safbwynt Griff, y ci, yn hytrach na storïwr arall. Felly, mae’r stori’n cael ei hadrodd yn y person 1af - ond mae’r person yn anifail! Dwi’n meddwl bydd unrhyw un sy’n hoffi anifeiliaid yn poeni’n fawr am beth fydd yn digwydd i Griff druan a byddent eisiau gorffen y llyfr i gael yr atebion. Mae’r llyfr yn gwneud hanes Cymru yn fwy diddorol drwy greu stori ffuglen gyffrous sydd hefyd yn cynnwys ffeithiau hanesyddol go iawn. Mae’r ffeithiau yn cuddio o fewn y stori – prin eich bod chi’n sylweddoli eich bod yn dysgu pethau Newydd… Ar ddechrau’r stori ac ar y diwedd, mae ‘na nodiadau diddorol sy’n rhoi dipyn mwy o gyd-destun i’r stori. Mae’r nodiadau yn esbonio pwy oedd y Brenin Hywel ac mae’n esbonio dipyn ar y gyfraith draddodiadol. Fe wnaeth y stori i mi fynd i ddarllen mwy am gyfraith Hywel dda, achos roeddwn i eisiau gwybod mwy am rai o’r rheolau sy’n teimlo’n rhyfedd iawn erbyn heddiw. E.e. fod 'na ddirwy (fine) amrywiol am niwed i wahanol ddarnau o’r corff! Roedd o’n cŵl darllen fod gan ferched fwy o hawliau yng Nghymru ers talwm na mewn llawer o wledydd eraill! Cymru yn arwain y ffordd - wrth gwrs! Oedd ‘na gymeriadau da? Dwi’n meddwl fod llyfr ble mae’r prif gymeriad yn gi yn rhywbeth gwahanol iawn ac roeddwn i’n hoffi gweld y byd drwy lygaid anifail. Fe wnaeth hi gymryd ‘chydig o ddarllen cyn i mi sylweddoli pwy oedd yn adrodd yr hanes. Mae’r marchog yn ddyn drwg iawn – tybed beth fydd yn digwydd iddo? ​ Fysa rhywbeth yn gallu cael ei wella/newid? ​ Dwi’n meddwl byddai’r llyfr wedi gallu gwneud gyda lluniau tu fewn er mwyn helpu i gyfleu’r stori. Dwi’n gwybod mai geiriau yw’r prif beth mewn llyfr, ond mae gan y lluniau ran bwysig i chwarae. Dwi’n meddwl byddai ambell lun wedi helpu darllenwyr iau i ddychmygu rhai o’r sefyllfaoedd. ​ Ar gyfer pa oedran mae’r llyfr? Hmmm. Mae hwn wastad yn gwestiwn anodd. Mae’n dibynnu ar lot o bethau. Yn sicr byddwn i’n argymell y llyfr yma i bobl sy’n mwynhau darllen am hanes (ac anifeiliaid!) Tydi’r iaith yn y llyfr ddim yn anodd anodd, ond tydi o ddim yn hawdd chwaith felly yn fy marn i, mae o ar gyfer darllenwyr hyderus, aeddfed. Os faswn i’n gorfod rhoi oedran, mi fyddwn i’n dweud Bl.5/6 ac ymlaen i’r uwchradd. Wrth gwrs, mi all hwn fod yn llyfr byddai oedolyn yn gallu darllen i blentyn ac felly dwi’n meddwl byddai plant iau yn gallu ei mwynhau hi hefyd wedyn. ​ Darn ar gyfer y rhieni (ac athrawon) Dwi am fod yn onest, fydd y llyfr yma ddim i bawb. Dwi’n meddwl y bydd o’n fwy tebygol o apelio at blant sy’n darllen dipyn yn barod. Efallai faswn i ddim yn dewis y llyfr yma ar gyfer rhywun sydd ddim yn darllen fel rheol, achos nad oes digon o ‘action’ neu hiwmor ynddo i gadw diddordeb darllenwyr anfoddog. Ond, o safbwynt athro, dwi MOR falch fod cwmni fel Gwasg Carreg Gwalch yn cyhoeddi nofelau hanesyddol sydd â gogwydd Cymreig. Mae’n bwysig iawn fod ein plant yn cael cyfleoedd i ddysgu am hanes Cymru yn hytrach na dim ond hanes Lloegr fel cefais i yn yr ysgol gynradd. Athrawon - mi fydd y llyfr yma’n ticio sawl bocs ar gyfer y Cwricwlwm Newydd ac maen berffaith fel llyfr i fwynhau gyda’r dosbarth ddiwedd y prynhawn. Ambell syniad trawsgwricwlaidd yn deillio o’r llyfr: · Gwaith ymchwil ar fleiddiaid · Ysgrifennu – ymson y ci, neu ddyddiadur Nest · Gwaith ymchwil rheolau Hywel Dda – cyfleoedd trafod/mynegi barn · Daearyddiaeth – edrych ar deyrnas Hywel Dda (Seisyllwg, Dyfed, Brycheiniog, Gwynedd a Phowys · Rhifedd yn deillio o’r hen arian (e.e. 240 ceiniog mewn punt) When was the story set? The book is set in Wales a long, long time ago, during the reign of the King, known in Welsh as Hywel Dda. (Howel the Good, or Hywel ap Cadell) He was King who reigned over most of Wales and was responsible for introducing important rules called the Laws of Hywel Dda. These were the traditional laws of Wales, before Wales had to become part of the United Kingdom. What happens in the book? (The Plot) Nest, a young girl, has to escape with her dog, Griff, because he has done something very bad (in the eyes of the law). In the middle of the night, the half-dog, half wolf, has bitten an important knight and he wants revenge! They must escape and hide from the troops so they seek refuge in the monastery with the Abbot Cynwrig. Nest’s father, Gronw, used to be a very important man in the community as he was the blacksmith but he had to leave Llangurig in self-imposed exile. What had he done that was so bad as why did the dog bite in the first place? Things are not as they seem… Come and read more about this mystery and how Griff became an important part of the King's own story! What was good about the book? Unfortunately, I never learned about this period in Welsh history when I was in school so it was fascinating to learn more about my country long ago and how things used to be. Unlike many stories, the story is all told from the perspective of Griff, the dog, rather than another narrator. So, the story is told in the 1st person but that person is an animal! I think anyone who likes animals will be very concerned about poor Griff and will want to finish the book to know what happens to him. The book makes Welsh history more interesting by creating an exciting fictional story around true facts. These are scattered cleverly amongst the story – you hardly realise you are learning new things… At the beginning of the story and at the end, there are interesting notes that give the story a bit more context. The notes explain who King Hywel was and explains more about his laws. The story made me go and find out more about these laws – some seem quite strange to us today. For example – did you know there were different fines for damage done to different limbs of the body? It was pretty cool to read that women had more rights in Wales long ago than they had in many other countries! A fine example of Wales leading the way, even back then! Were there good characters? I think a book where the main character is a dog is something rather different and I enjoyed seeing the world through the eyes of an animal. It took me awhile to realise what was going on though! The knight is a very naughty man – I wonder what will happen to him? ​ What would you improve/change? ​ I think the book could have done with illustrations to help communicate the story. I know that words are the main part of a book, but the pictures have an important part to play too. I think some pictures would have broken up the story and helped younger readers imagine some of the situations (seeing as it is from an unfamiliar time period) ​ For which age is this book appropriate? Hmmm. This is always a difficult question. It depends on a lot of things. I would certainly recommend this book for people who enjoy reading about history (and animals!) The language in the book isn’t difficult, difficult, but its not that easy either so in my opinion it’s better for more confident, mature readers. If I were forced to put an age on it, I would say Yrs.5/6 and upwards. (Up to Yr.9 possibly) Of course, adults could read this book to a child too, then slightly younger readers could enjoy it also. For the parents (and teachers) I want to be honest; this book will not be for everyone. I think it will be more likely to appeal to children who are already reading a lot. I probably wouldn’t suggest this book for someone who doesn't normally read a lot, because there may not be enough ‘action’ or humour to sustain the interest of reluctant readers. However, from a teacher's perspective, I am SO pleased that a company like Gwasg Carreg Gwalch is publishing historical novels with a Welsh orientation and flavour. It is very important that our children are given opportunities to learn about Welsh history not just the history of England. Teachers – this book will tick a number of boxes for the new curriculum and it’s one you could read to the class at the end of the day. A few cross-curricular ideas derived from the book: · Research on Wolves/dogs. Report writing. · Writing – A dog’s monologue, or Nest’s diary · Cartoon strips of the events or even ICT animation · Hywel Dda Laws research – opportunities for discussion/opinion. · Geography – looking at the kingdoms of Hywel Dda (Seisyllwg, Dyfed, Brycheiniog, Gwynedd and Powys) · Numeracy from the old money (e.g. 240 pence in a pound) Gwasg/publisher: Carreg Gwalch Rhyddhawyd/released: 2020 Pris: £5.95

*Scroll down for English* Llyfr sy'n dathlu bod yn wahanol! A book that celebrates our uniqueness! ♥Llyfr y Mis i Blant: Gorffennaf 2019♥ ♥Children's Book of the Month July 2019♥ Genre: llyfr lluniau, #moesol #amrywiaeth / Picture book, #moral #diversity 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: ◉◉◎◎◎ Dyfarniad/Rating: ★★★★☆ Y peth cyntaf sy’n fy nharo am y llyfr yw’r defnydd o liwiau llachar. Mae’r clawr melyn yn denu’r sylw yn syth ac mae’n hyd yn oed mwy lliwgar tu fewn. Bydd hyn yn siŵr o apelio at ddarllenwyr ifanc – mae’r cyfuniad o liwiau, prysurdeb a chyffro’r tudalennau yn gwneud y darllen yn fwy difyr. Llythyr gan frawd mawr at ei frawd neu ei chwaer fach yw hon. Cafodd y prif gymeriad ei ddylunio yn gender neutral gan yr awdur/arlunydd, Sophy Henn. Dwi’n meddwl fod hyn yn eithaf cŵl ac yn dangos fod pobl yn rhydd i fod yn pwy maen nhw eisiau bod - heb yr angen am labeli. Mae o wedi gwylio ei frawd/chwaer fach yn tyfu fyny ac wedi sylwi ar wahanol agweddau o’i chymeriad a’i phersonoliaeth a sut maen nhw’n amrywio o un dydd i’r llall. Er enghraifft, weithiau maen nhw’n ‘ddihiryn drwg’ ac ar adegau eraill fe allent fod yn ’arwr da.’ Weithiau fe all fod yn swnllyd iawn, yn llawn cyffro ac egni, a throeon eraill, maen nhw’n dawel ac yn well yng nghwmni ei hun. Dwi’n siŵr fydd plant a rhieni yn gallu uniaethu gyda’r gwahanol hwyliau/tymer ar wahanol adegau - mae hyn yn naturiol iawn ac yn bwynt trafod defnyddiol. Un o fy hoff ddarnau’r llyfr oedd tudalennau 17-18 lle mae’n disgrifio’r dillad: “Ac os yw pawb mewn streipiau smart, rwyt ti mewn sbotiau, sbo.” Efallai y bydd hyn yn mynd dros bennau rhai o’n darllenwyr ifanc ond mae’r neges tu ôl i’r dillad yn un mor bwysig. Hynny yw, does dim ots beth mae pawb arall yn wneud - maen nhw’n bod yn nhw heb boeni am beth mae pobl yn feddwl. Do your own thing ynte? Does dim rhaid i chi fod yn ddefaid a dilyn y dorf er mwyn ‘ffitio i mewn’ - byddwch yn chi a byddwch yn falch o hynny. Own it. Wrth ddarllen y stori, caf fy atgoffa o un o fy hoff ganeuon gan Fleetwood Mac – ‘You can go your own way.’ Ok, efallai mai ffrae rhwng cariadon yw ystyr y geiriau, ond dwi’n dal i feddwl eu bod nhw’n berthnasol iawn i fywyd – ‘go your own way’ -gwnewch bethau eich ffordd chi! Mae’r stori yma yn ddathliad o wahaniaethau a hunaniaeth sy’n rhoi neges bositif iawn i blant ei bod hi’n iawn i fod yn wahanol. Mae’r defnydd o’r enfys a lliwiau Pride hefyd yn gwneud cyfeiriad subtle tuag at rywioldeb. Defnyddiol hefyd yn fod cyfeiriad at yr elusen Stonewall Cymru yng nghefn y llyfr. Caiff y stori ei adrodd yn y person cyntaf, mewn ffordd gyfeillgar, dyner. Un peth dylid nodi - gan fod mydr ac odl i’r llyfr, mae llyfrau fel hyn yn gallu bod yn anodd eu cyfieithu, ac o ganlyniad mae hwn yn fwy o addasiad. Mae’n drosiad llwyddiannus sy’n cadw naws a theimlad y gwreiddiol ond mae angen bod yn ymwybodol efallai na fydd y fersiwn Cymraeg a Saesneg yn cyfateb yn union. Fodd bynnag, dwi mor falch o weld ei fod yn llyfr dwyieithog. Gall lyfrau fel hyn gyrraedd cynulleidfa ehangach ac yn ffordd dda i riant a phlentyn ymgyfarwyddo â’r Gymraeg gyda’i gilydd drwy ddarllen. Dwi’n falch o weld cynrychiolaeth BAME (Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic) yn y llyfr sy’n adlewyrchu amrywiaeth ein cymunedau. Dwi wedi teimlo ers tro fod y gymuned BAME yn cael ei dangynrychioli mewn llyfrau Cymraeg, felly dwi’n falch o weld mwy o diversity yn dechrau ymddangos yn ein llyfrau plant. Mae ‘na wastad lle i wella... Dyma lyfr hynod o annwyl sy’n werthfawr iawn fel stori amser gwely, neu fel adnodd yn yr ysgol i ddathlu fod ni gyd yn unigryw – pa neges well i roi i blant wrth iddyn nhw dyfu i fyny a datblygu hunaniaeth eu hunain? The first thing that strikes me about the book is the use of bright colours. The yellow cover attracts immediate attention and is even more colourful inside. This will undoubtedly appeal to younger readers – the combination of colours, busyness and excitement of the pages makes the reading more enjoyable. The book is basically a letter from a big brother to his little brother or sister. The main character was drawn gender neutral by the author/illustrator Sophy Henn. I think this is rather cool and feeds into the idea that you are free to be who you want to be without the need for labels. He has watched his little sibling grow up and noticed different aspects of their character and personality and how they vary from day to day. For example, sometimes they are a ‘bad baddie’ and at other times they’re a hero. Sometimes they are very noisy, excited and full of energy, and at other times, would rather their own company. I'm sure children and parents alike will be able to identify with the different moods and tempers we experience at different times – this is totally natural and an useful point of discussion. One of my favourite bits of the book were pages 17-18 where he describes their sibling’s choice in fashion: "Sometimes you’re polka-dotty, when everyone’s in stripes.” Perhaps this message may end up going over some of our younger readers heads initially, but behind the clothes is a really important message. It doesn't matter what everyone else is doing – they are being themselves. You don't have to be sheep and follow the crowd in order to ' fit in ' – you be you and be proud of that. Own It. Reading the story, I am reminded of one of my favourite songs by Fleetwood Mac – 'You can go your own way.’ Ok, the words may actually have been about a row between two people, but hey, I still think they’re good bits of advice for life in general – 'go your own way' in life – do things your way! This story is a celebration of differences and identity which gives children a very positive message that it’s OK to be different. The use of the rainbow and Pride colours makes a really subtle reference to sexuality and personal choice which is totally age appropriate for this book. We also have a link to the charity, Stonewall Cymru in the back of the book. The story is told in the first person, in a friendly, gentle way. One thing should be noted-as the book contains rhyme, these sorts of books can be difficult to translate, and as a result this is more of an adaptation. It is a successful one at that, which preserves the tone and feel of the original but we need to be aware that the Welsh and English versions may not exactly correspond. However, I am so pleased to see that it is a bilingual book. Books such as this can reach a wider audience and are a good way for a parent and child to practice in Welsh together through reading. I am pleased to see the representation of the BAME (Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic) community in the book which reflects the diversity here in Wales. I’ve always felt that the BAME community has been under-represented in Welsh language books, so it’s good to see more diversity being presented. We still have a way to go… This is a sweet book that could be valuable as a bedtime story, or as a resource in schools to celebrate the uniqueness that makes us Super Duper! What better message to give to young children who are developing their sense of self-identity? Gwasg/publisher: Rily Rhyddhawyd/released: 2019 Pris: £5.99

*Scroll down for English* Uplifting and inspirational. Genre: #ffeithiol #antur #awyragored #hunangofiant / #nonfiction #adventure #autobiography 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: ◉◉◉◎◎ Dyfarniad/Rating: ★★★★★ Wel, amser cyfaddef. Doeddwn i ddim yn gwybod llawer am Huw Jack Brassington, yr anturiwr a’r athletwr, cyn darllen y llyfr yma. Pan wnes i holi ffrind amdano, mi ddudodd o “o ia, y boi mynydd ’na.” Felly sori, Huw – dwn i ddim pa graig dw i wedi bod yn cuddio o dani tan rŵan. Ond ella fod hynny’n beth da – mod i’n hollol unbiased wrth fynd ati i ddarllen – a ’sgwennu’r adolygiad ’ma! Dyma lyfr sy’n hanner autobiography a hanner self-help manual faswn i’n ddweud. Mae o’n dechrau trwy ein cyflwyno ni i’r ‘hen ddyn yn y gadair siglo,’ sef yr hen Huw Jack. Syniad da, sy’n cael ei gyfeirio ato’n aml drwy’r llyfr – y syniad o beidio cael regrets pan ’da chi’n hen. Mae Huw yn ein tywys ni ar siwrne ei fywyd hyd yma, a’r holl bethau insane mae o wedi eu cyflawni. O ddringo Mont Blanc, Pencampwriaeth Triathlon y Byd, Ultimate Hell, teithio’r byd, Coast 2 Coast Seland Newydd hyd at Ras Cefn y Ddraig, fe gawn yr hanes i gyd a llawer mwy. Trafoda ei brofiadau cyn, yn ystod ac ar ôl y rasys gwyllt ac fe gawn ddarlun ‘behind the scenes’ o pa mor physically a mentally demanding ydi rhai o’r cystadlaethau ’ma. Yn enwedig yn ystod lockdown, gyda llawer ohonom yn fwy caeth i’r tŷ nac arfer, roedd hi’n dipyn o ddihangfa cael teithio’r byd wrth darllen am y llefydd anhygoel a’r pobl diddorol mae o wedi gyfarfod heb adael y soffa! Wrth Googlio, mi ddes i ar draws llun o Huw ar ddechrau Ras Cefn y Ddraig. Mae tŷ fy rhieni jest i’r dde o’r llun, a dwi’n cofio diwrnod y ras – mi oeddwn i gerllaw yn gwylio’r haid o gystadleuwyr yn sgrialu allan o’r castell am y mynydd. Tan rŵan, dwi’m yn meddwl fod hi wedi gwawrio arna i cymaint o beast ydi’r ras ’ma! O Gonwy i Landeilo – 200 milltir gyda 8.5 milltir o ddringo wedi’i rannu dros bum diwrnod ar hyd mynyddoedd didrugaredd Cymru. Ydi’r peth yn bosib hyd yn oed? Wel yndi - just about – dim ond 47% o gystadleuwyr sy’n gorffen y ras! Mae o’n disgrifio pob cymal o’r ras, day by day, ac mae rhywun yn cael blas o sut beth yw’r anghenfil yma. Mae’n amlwg yn ras chwedlonol sy’n chwalu corff ac enaid ond mae Huw wastad yn llwyddo i ffeindio’r ochr bositif. Fel y mae’n dweud – er eich bod chi wedi torri erbyn y diwedd, yn y pen draw fyddwch chi’n dod allan ohoni’n gryfach. Dwi’n gweld hyn fel metaphor ar gyfer cyfnodau anodd mewn bywyd. Fel rhywun sydd wedi stryglo efo fy mhwysau fy hun yn y gorffennol, mi oeddwn i wastad yn fixated ar ‘golli pwysa’. Er bod fy ffrindiau yn denau fel milgwn, doeddwn i jest methu shifftio’r bol. Dros y blynyddoedd dwi wedi dod i ddeall mai nid tenau a bach yw siâp naturiol fy nghorff. Fasa rhaid i mi literally starfio fy hun i fod yn denau denau, a fasa hynny ddim yn iach. Roedd hi’n dda gweld fod Huw wedi gorfod cydnabod rhywbeth tebyg - na fyddai ganddo byth ffisioleg rhedwr triathlon, a byddai’r fath beth yn anghynaladwy. Nid yn unig mae o wedi derbyn hyn, ond mae o wedi gwneud y mwyaf o’r corff a’r cryfder sydd ganddo. Eto, neges bwysig iawn fan hyn hefyd. Tydi Huw heb guddio’r ffaith fod ganddo dyslecsia chwaith. Ydi, mae hi wedi bod yn siwrne anodd iddo – mae’n cydnabod hyn – ond nid yw wedi gadael iddo ei stopio rhag gwneud pethau rhyfeddol fel bod yn athletwr, siaradwr cyhoeddus, darlithydd, awdur a chyflwynydd. Dwi’n meddwl y bydd y llyfr yma’n help i unrhyw berson sydd â dyslecsia, er mwyn iddynt sylwi fod unrhyw beth yn bosib – dyslecsia neu beidio. Own it ’de! Mi faswn i’n sicr yn argymell y llyfr yma i fechgyn sy’n reluctant readers neu unrhywun sydd ddim yn darllen yn aml. Fedrai ddim helpu ond rhyfeddu ar ei egni di-baid– mae o fel rhyw fath o energizer bunny sydd byth yn stopio! Ond er ei fod o fel arfer yn chwilio am yr her wirion bost nesaf, mae’r ffaith ei fod o’n mwynhau bacon bap a pheint da yn dangos ei fod o’n berson normal hefyd ac efallai mai cydbwysedd yw’r gyfrinach. Mae’n rhaid cael seibiant a mwynhau bywyd dipyn bach hefyd ’does? Roedd dull anffurfiol, doniol, naturiol Huw o adrodd ei hanes yn gwneud i chi deimlo eich bod chi’n cael sgwrs gyda hen ffrind wrth ddarllen – cawn ddarlun o rhywun penderfynol, ond eto sy’n licio jôc a ddim yn cymryd ei hun ormod o ddifri. Roedd hi’n refreshing iawn i ddarllen llyfr Cymraeg oedd yn llai ffurfiol a ‘stiff.’ Yn bersonol, gwerthfawrogais fod digon o eiriau Saesneg (yn lle geiriau anghyfarwydd Cymraeg) i helpu a digon o regi a sense of humour yn y llyfr (ma’ isio does!) Y take-home message i mi yw ‘rhowch gynnig ar bethau’. Mae bywyd yn llawer rhy fyr ac weithiau mae angen cydio mewn cyfleoedd gyda dwy law a just go with it. Does ’na ddim pwynt difaru wedyn pan fydd hi’n rhy hwyr! Mae Huw wedi cymryd pob cyfle a ddaeth i’w ran, ond fel y dyweda yn y llyfr, mae o wedi creu cyfleoedd iddo’i hun hefyd. Pob lwc iddo ar weddill ei antur – tybed pa ras wyllt mae o’n ei llygadu nesaf? Ella y cawn wybod yn Part 2 y llyfr yma mewn blynyddoedd i ddod… Right, I’ll admit I didn’t know much about Huw Jack Brassington, the athlete-adventurer, before reading this book. When I asked a friend, he said: "oh yeah, the mountain guy.” So sorry, Huw – I don’t know which rock I've been under until now. Perhaps, in a way, that's a good thing – that I was totally unbiased going into this book. This is book feels like an autobiography, self-help manual and travel writing all rolled into one. It begins by introducing us to the idea of the ‘old man in the rocking chair,' (The old Huw Jack) This is a great little idea, which is referred back to during the book. It’s the idea of not having regrets when you’re old. Huw takes us on the journey of his life so far, and all the insane things he’s done. From the climbing of Mont Blanc, Ultimate Hell, World Triathlon Championships, Coast 2 Coast New Zealand all the way to Dragon’s Back – we get the whole lot and much more. He discusses his experiences before, during and after these wild races and we get a 'behind the scenes' picture of how physically and mentally demanding some of these races really are. Especially during lockdown, with many of us cooped up indoors, it was a bit of an escape to travel the world, reading about the amazing places and the interesting people he’s met – and all without leaving the sofa! Whilst Googling, I came across a picture of Huw at the start of the Dragon's Back race. My parents ' house is just to the right of the photo, and I remember the day of that race – I was nearby watching the crowd of competitors scrambling out of the castle and up towards the mountain. It’s taken until now for me to truly comprehend what an absolute beast this race is! From Conwy to Llandeilo – 200 miles, 8.5 miles of ascent, spread over five days along the unforgiving, harsh, mountainous terrain of Wales. Is it even possible? Well yes - just about – only 47% of competitors finish the race! He describes each leg of the race, day by day, and one gets a taste of what this race is about. It’s an almost mythical race which breaks body and soul but Huw always finds the positive side. As he says – despite the fact you’re broken by the end, eventually, when the body heals, you will come out stronger. I see this as a metaphor for the tough times in life. As someone who has struggled with my own weight in the past, I was always fixated on 'losing weight'. Even though my friends were stick-thin, I wasn't able to shift the belly. Over the years I have come to understand that the natural shape of my body is not thin and small and I’ve got to work with what I’ve got to improve my fitness. It was reassuring to see that even Huw has had to acknowledge something similar – that he would never have the physiology of a pro triathlete, and to maintain a body like that would be unsustainable. Not only has he accepted this, but he has made the most of the body and strength that he has. Again, I’d say there’s another important message right here. Huw does not hide the fact that he has dyslexia. Yes, it has been a difficult journey for him – he acknowledges this – but he hasn't let it stop him from doing amazing things like being an athlete, public speaker, lecturer, writer and a presenter. I think this book will help anyone who is feeling down about their dyslexia, so that they can see that anything is possible – dyslexia or not. I 'd certainly recommend this book to older boys who are reluctant readers. I can’t help but be amazed by his relentless energy – he's like a kind of energizer bunny that never stops! Although he’s usually on the lookout for the next crazy challenge, the fact that he enjoys bacon bap and good pint shows that he is also a normal person and perhaps maintaining a balance is the secret. Huw's natural, funny, informal way of telling his story makes you feel that you’re having a chat with an old friend whilst reading – we get the impression of a very determined person, yet one who likes a good joke, some banter and doesn’t take himself too seriously. It was very refreshing to read a Welsh book that was less formal and 'stiff.' Personally, I appreciated that there were a few scattered English words (instead of unfamiliar Welsh terminology) The good sense of humour and plenty of swearing puts this book right up my street! The take-home message for me is ‘give things a go’. Life is far too short and sometimes you’ve got to grasp opportunities with both hands and just go with it. It’ll be too late when you’re old! Huw has taken every opportunity that came his way, but as he says himself, he has also created many opportunities too. Good luck to him on the rest of his adventure – I wonder which wild race he’s eyeing up next? Maybe we’ll find out in Part 2 of this book in a few years… Gwasg/publisher: Y Lolfa Rhyddhawyd/Released: 2020 Pris: £1

*Scroll down for English* 24 awr wedi'r ffrwydriad yng Nghaerdydd. 24 hours after an explosion in Cardiff. Genre: ffuglen #byr / #short fiction, 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:: ◉◉◉◎◎ Dyfarniad/Rating: ★★★★☆ Syniad gwerth chweil yw’r gyfres ‘Stori Sydyn’ sy’n gwneud yn union beth mae’n ddweud ar y tun (fel yr hen advert Ronseal) - rhoi stori dda, gyflym i chi, am bris rhesymol IAWN! Llyfrau amlbwrpas iawn yw’r rhain - yn ideal os ydych chi’n oedolion, pobl ifanc, dysgu Cymraeg, newydd i ddarllen neu hyd yn oed jest prin o amser! Fe gewch deimlo’r balchder o actually gorffen nofel am chenj gan nad ydyn nhw’n rhy hir. Defnyddia’r clawr liwiau trawiadol i fachu ein sylw o’r cychwyn gyda melyn a du sydd fel arfer yn dangos ‘Perygl!’ Un cwestiwn sydd gen i am y clawr – ai silhouette o’r awdur ydi hwnna? – [Awdur wedi ateb – Na!] Cychwynna’r nofel pan mae Nathan (bachgen gwyn) yn cyfarfod Sadia (merch Fwslimaidd) ar fws ac mae’r ddau yn cychwyn cyfeillgarwch sy’n prysur droi fewn i berthynas. Digwyddodd eu sgwrs gyntaf ar y bws dros lyfr - felly bobl, os ‘da chi’n single pringles - anghofiwch am Tinder ac ewch am reid ar fws gyda llyfr da tro nesaf! Er bod y ddau yn hapus iawn gyda’i gilydd, mae ‘na broblem hiliaeth yng Nghymuned Trelluest (ia, yr enw Cymraeg ar Grangetown - dwi wedi dysgu rhywbeth newydd) ac mae eu perthynas yn codi aeliau rhai yn y gymuned. Yn sicr nid yw tad Nathan, sy’n hiliwr rhonc yn cytuno gyda dewis ei fab. Roedd perthynas y Tad a’r mab yn ddiddorol – mae’r ddau yn gig a gwaed – ond eto – yn ddim byd tebyg. A dweud y gwir, mae gan Nathan gywilydd mawr o’i Dad a’i gredoau. Am nifer o resymau, ond gan gynnwys y tlodi a’r diweithdra, mae tensiynau’n uchel rhwng y ddwy gymuned a daw’r gymuned Fwslimaidd yn darged i gamdriniaeth hiliol gan gael eu beio am ‘ddwyn ein jobs.’ Prif ddigwyddiad y nofel yw ffrwydrad mewn cyngerdd yn ardal Caerdydd, o bosib yn ymosodiad terfysgol ond ni chawn gadarnhad o hyn. Caiff ein prif gymeriadau eu dal yng nghanol erchylltra’r noson. Roedd y dryswch, yr ofn a’r panig yn y munudau yn dilyn y bom yn fy atgoffa o’r ymosodiad ym Manceinion. Scary. Fe geir yma ddweud pwerus gan yr awdur sy’n gwneud observation o ba mor sydyn mae’r cyfryngau i symud ymlaen a chwilio am y ‘stori fawr’ nesaf: “Mae pob trasiedi’n troi’n hashnod. Ond yna daw’r hashnodau i ben a fydd neb yn cofio a fydd dim byd yn newid.” Yn dilyn yr ymosodiad, ac er nad oes tystiolaeth o bwy oedd yn gyfrifol, mae grŵp o eithafwyr adain dde yn benderfynol o ‘dalu’r pwyth yn ôl’ ac mae torf ohonynt yn ymgasglu er mwyn llosgi’r mosg. Na i ddim sbwylio beth sy’n digwydd nesaf, ond mae’r penodau olaf yn reit frawychus a disturbing. Anodd credu fod pethau fel hyn wedi digwydd go iawn. Tybiwn fod llawer o’r nofel wedi ei ysbrydoli gan bethau sydd wedi digwydd yn ein byd yn barod. Rhywbeth sy’n nodweddiadol o’r awdur yw ei ddisgrifiadau manwl ac effeithiol. Roeddwn yn hoff iawn o’r trosiad sy’n disgrifio’r tensiwn hiliol fel llosgfynydd Vesuvius, sydd ar fin chwythu. Neu’r syniad o gasineb fel drewdod fishy mecryll: “Mae casineb fel mecryll. Mae’n gadael ei ôl. Mae’n difetha popeth da. Mae’n staenio bywyd.” (ond dwi dal yn hoffi mecryll, sori!) Efallai fod rhai o enwau defnyddiwr y dynion ar y chatroom braidd yn ystrydebol ac on-the-nose e.e. ‘Brits4Britain, Whiteguy, Angrydude’ ond wedi dweud hyn, yn aml iawn, mae’r idiots yma’n loud and proud gyda’u credoau gwirion. Mae ‘na fwy o’r ‘right wing extremeists’ ‘ma yn ein plith ‘na fyddech chi’n tybio. Mi ddes i ar draws un neu ddau ar fy Facebook fy hun cyn heddiw - cawson nhw eu ‘unfriendio’n reit handi! Ym mis Mai 2020, yn dilyn llofruddiaeth dyn du yn America gan heddwas gwyn, sbardunodd hyn brotestiadau ar draws y byd gan ailgynnau’r ddadl ar hiliaeth (yn defnyddio’r hashnod #blacklivesmatter #bywydauduobwys.) Mae’r pynciau o hiliaeth a rhagfarn sydd dan sylw yn y nofel yn rhai go iawn a pherthnasol iawn heddiw. Yn ôl y ffigyrau, mae troseddau casineb wedi cynyddu yng Nghymru yn y blynyddoedd diwethaf. Mae hiliaeth ac anghydraddoldeb ar sail lliw croen yn rhywbeth sy’n dal i fod yn broblem yma yng Nghymru ac yn ‘bandemig’ yn ei hun. Croesawaf unrhyw beth sy’n agor y drws ar drafodaeth ac yn rhoi’r mater o dan y lach. Mae Pobl fel Ni yn nofel sy’n cychwyn sgwrs am hyn - gallaf weld defnydd addysgiadol da iddo yn ein hysgolion, lle mae angen gwneud mwy o waith ar daclo hiliaeth a rhagfarn. Y genhedlaeth nesaf yw’r gobaith y bydd pethau’n well. Dyma nofel fer, pacy, sy’n codi cwestiynau mawr, ac un y gallaf argymell yn llwyr. Dwi’n falch fod y nofel yn cloi ar nodyn positif fod cariad yn drech na chasineb: “er gwaethaf popeth, mae bywyd yn cynnig prydferthwch.” Amen i hynny. What a great idea the ‘Stori Sydyn’ [quick story] series is, that does exactly what it says on the tin (like the old Ronseal advert) – gives you an engaging, fast-paced story at a VERY reasonable price! This book (and indeed the series) is ideal for adults, young people, new readers, Welsh learners or even if you’re just short on time. If you’re like me, these books will give you the satisfaction of actually finishing a novel for once! The cover makes use of very striking colours, that immediately grabs our attention with the use of yellow and black – normally associated with danger signs. I’m glad the blue strip has disappeared from the series (Sorry, just never liked it). I have one question about the cover – is it a silhouette of the author himself? [He answered – no it isn’t!] The novel begins when Nathan (a white boy) meets Sadia (a Muslim girl) on a bus and she initiates a friendship that rapidly turns into a relationship. Single people take note - their first conversation on the bus happened over a book so, ditch Tinder and hop on a bus with a good book- you never know who you’ll get talking to! Although both are very happy together, racism is a big concern in the community of Trelluest (yup, the Welsh name for Grangetown- I've learned something new today) and their relationship raises a few eyebrows to say the least. Nathan’s father, who is a staunch racist and anti-immigrant supporter certainly disagrees! Because of the poverty and unemployment, tensions are high between the two communities and the Muslim community becomes the target of racial abuse for 'stealing our jobs.' I am intrigued by Nathan’s relationship with his violent Dad – They are flesh and blood yet nothing alike and Nathan is deeply ashamed. The main plot point of the book is a bomb in a concert in the Cardiff area, which is likely to be a terrorist attack. Our main characters are caught in the midst of the chaos and confusion. The fear and panic reminded me of the distressing images I saw on the news in Manchester following the May 22 explosion. There’s some thought-provoking stuff here from the author who draws our attention to the use of hashtags in such a crisis and how quickly people forget and move on to the next bit of ‘big news.’ Following the attack, (although there’s little evidence of who was responsible) a group of right-wing extremists are determined to seek revenge and a large crowd intends to burn down the mosque. I won’t spoil what happens next, but it is quite frightening and frankly disturbing. It’s hard to believe that things like this can, do and have happened when people are hurting and looking for some sort of vigilante justice. A trademark of this author are his detailed and effective descriptions. I liked the metaphor describing the racial tension like the Vesuvius volcano, which has just erupted. Or how about the comparison of hatred and the lingering smell of mackerel. (Sorry, but I still love mackerel!) Some examples may be a bit stereotypical and on-the-nose e.g. the names of the men on the chatroom – 'Brits4Britain, whiteguy, angrydude, but having said that, some of these right-wing idiots are quite open and proud about their divisive views. There are more of them around than you care to think – I came across a few on my Facebook friends list not long ago – safe to say they were promptly unfriended. In May 2020, following the unlawful killing of a black man by a white officer in America, protests began happening all over the world using the slogan #Blacklivesmatter #BywydauDuoBwys. The subjects discussed in the novel are real and very relevant today. Apparently, hate crimes have gone up in the last couple of years in Wales so racism and racial inequality are still issues we have yet to tackle. It is a pandemic in itself. I welcome anything that opens the door on these issues and brings it under the spotlight. Pobl Fel Ni gets you thinking about these things and I can see it having valuable use in secondary schools as a starter for discussion on race. This is a short, pacy novel which raises big questions, and one that I can wholeheartedly recommend. I’m glad the novel concludes on the positive note that love prevails over hatred: "Despite everything, life offers beauty." Amen to that. Cyhoeddwr/publisher: Y Lolfa Cyhoeddwyd/Released: Ebrill 2020 Pris: £1 (Bargain!!!)

*Scroll down for English* Y cydbwysedd perffaith o dristwch a hiwmor. The perfect balance of humour and sadness. Genre: #arddegau #hiwmor / #humour #teenage 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: ◉◉◉◉◎ Dyfarniad/Rating: ★★★★☆ Rhaid i mi gyfaddef, pan welais i’r clawr (sy’n effeithiol iawn btw) a’r strapline ‘Cemo fel caead bedd,’ doeddwn i ddim yn siŵr os byddai’r llyfr yn apelio. Ar ôl teimlo digon down efo’r holl fusnes lockdown a coronavirus, doeddwn i ddim awydd darllen rhywbeth oedd am wneud i mi deimlo’n fwy fflat. Wel – pa mor anghywir o’n i? Dwi’n gweld rŵan pam fod y Saeson yn dweud ‘Don’t judge a book by it’s cover,’ a dwi’n falch iawn mod i wedi ei ddarllen. Beth sy’n ddiddorol yw mai llyfr wedi ei anelu at y grŵp oedran 11-14 yw hwn OND fel dyn tipyn yn hŷn na’r gynulleidfa darged, mi wnes i ei fwynhau’n arw. Felly, peidiwch â gwneud y camgymeriad o feddwl mai llyfr i teenage girls yn unig yw hwn chwaith. Prif gymeriad y stori yw Efa, merch ysgol sy’n gorfod wynebu pob math o sialensau arferol yr arddegau fel ffrindiau (neu ddiffyg), tad embarassing, bwlis, athrawon, ac wrth gwrs…y cariad cyntaf. Ar ben yr usuals, mae ei mam ar fin rhoi genedigaeth AC yn dioddef o gancr y fron. Waw - lot o s**t i un person orfod delio efo! Er fod na themâu dwys yma, mae ’na hiwmor drwyddo draw ac o ganlyniad fe gawn lyfr sy’n andros o hawdd ei ddarllen – mae’r jôcs yn balance-io’r darnau trist yn dda. Mae’r llyfr yn llawn o ddarnau bach doniol a wnaeth i mi wenu. Ddim cweit ’run peth allan o gyd destun ond dyma rai o fy ffefrynnau: Efa’n disgrifio’r giang o ferched fel “côr o lyfu tîn.” Mam Efa’n sôn am Britney Spears a dim clem gan Efa pwy oedd hi! Arsylwadau Efa o dalentau’r athro druan, Mr Llywelyn: “Roedd ei wersi yn draed moch fel arfer.” Cai’n disgrifio Gwen a’i sterics fel “Shani Cyffyffl” (gair da… cyffyffl!) Cracking one-liner i ddisgrifio Dylan (cradur) fel “Striflyn o grwt. Roedd mwy o gig mewn chicken nugget.” Athrawes uwchradd ydi’r awdur, ac er mod i’n gwybod hyn gynt, roedd yn amlwg yn yr ysgrifennu. ‘Write what you know’, maen nhw’n ddweud yndê? Wel, mae hi’n nabod ei chynulleidfa i’r dim ac mae’r ddeialog, y sefyllfaoedd a’r cymeriadau on point! Mae’r stori’n darllen yn naturiol iawn – dim fel oedolyn yn trio ’sgwennu’n cŵl neu’n ceisio bod down with the kids. Cafodd y rhamant slow burner rhwng Efa a Cai ei gyflwyno’n fedrus ac roedd yn hollol gredadwy- fel y ffordd mae hi’n gwirioni a chael gwefr jest o gyffwrdd blaen bys ag ef. Neu’r awkward moment wrth iddyn nhw “ffarwelio’n drwsgl” ar ôl bod am ‘wâc’ – yr hen sefyllfa to go in for the kiss or not? – ’da ni gyd wedi bod yna! Darnau fel hyn oedd yn mynd a fi’n syth yn ôl i fod yn bymtheg oed eto! Roedd ‘na ddarnau o’r llyfr fyddai’n apelio at ddarllenwyr hŷn hefyd - daeth yr atgofion i gyd yn ôl ym mhennod y ffeit fawr yn y coridor. Gwenais wrth ddarllen am Mr Lewelyn druan yn “difaru iddo beidio ymddeol y llynedd,” neu’r pennaeth yn syllu’n “hiraethus drwy’r ffenestr.” (know the feeling!) Roedd y penodau yn yr hen ysgol gynradd gaeedig yn deimladwy iawn ac yn adlewyrchiad o’r tristwch ym mywyd Efa ar y pryd a’r hiraeth am ddyddiau gwell. Gwyddwn o brofiad nad oes does dim byd mwy digalon na ysgol yn cau; y dosbarthiadau gwag heb fwrlwm a sŵn plant... Mae Efa druan yn cael hard time gan ei “ffrind” Gwen, sy’n bell o fod yn ffrind mewn gwirionedd. Hen sguthan o hogan ydi hi a bydd hon yn gymeriad y bydd sawl un ohonom yn ei gofio neu adnabod. Y person ’na sy’n smalio bod yn ffrind ond ’da chi’n gwybod nad ydynt yn gwneud daioni i chi. Gwyddai Efa hyn yn iawn ond fod yr angen am gwmni’n gryfach na bod ar ei phen ei hun. Mewn ffordd, ymdebyga Gwen i dyfiant y cancr – rhywbeth drwg oedd angen ei dorri ymaith… Os ydach chi am glywed hanes y super-b***ch yn cael ei haeddiant, rhaid i chi ddarllen y llyfr bydd! Yn ôl Heiddwen Tomos, “neges y stori yw bod cyfnodau ym mywydau pawb yn gallu bod yn anodd, ond daw eto haul ar fryn.” Erbyn y diwedd, mae gan Efa support network o bobl i’w helpu i wynebu’r heriau a dwi’n falch fod na rywfaint o obaith yn y pen draw. Efallai fod ’na le i ail-ymweld ag Efa mewn blynyddoedd i ddod a gweld lle bydd hi’n mynd nesaf. Yn wahanol i rai straeon tebyg yn y genre, nid dyddiadur a geir yma ac felly cawn ddarlun ehangach, mwy amrywiol na safbwynt Efa’n unig – roedd hi’n ddiddorol edrych ar berthynas Cai a’i fam hefyd. Mae’r dŵdls yn ychwanegu rhywbeth hefyd, er, yn bersonol dwi’n meddwl fasa’r llyfr wedi gallu gwneud efo mwy. Ceir yma’r cynhwysion i gyd ar gyfer stori berffaith i’r arddegau. Mae ’na ddigon o dristwch, emosiwn, anwyldeb a thynerwch i greu cymeriadau rydan ni’n malio amdanyn nhw, ac wrth gyfuno hyn â hiwmor, text message screenshots a sefyllfaoedd credadwy, mae’r awdur wedi llwyddo i greu campwaith. Os ydach chi rhwng 11-14, mynnwch gopi reit handi a darllenwch o ‘da chi. Ac os ydach chi o unrhyw oedran dros 14, yr un yw’r cyngor! Ôl nodyn – Hollol random - am flynyddoedd ron i’n meddwl mod i’n weird am gario sachets halen yn fy waled, ond ar ôl darllen am Cai a’i fêt yn smyglo halen i’r ‘ysgol iach’, dwi’n teimlo’n well nad fi yw’r unig un sy’n licio sprincl o’r good stuff ar fy sglods! I’ve got to confess, when I first saw the cover (which is very effective btw) and the strapline about chemotherapy, I wasn't sure if this was the book for me right now. After feeling down with all this lockdown and coronavirus business, I didn't want to read something that would make me feel worse. Well – how wrong was I!? I can see now why they say ‘Don’t judge a book by its cover,’ and I’m glad I have it a whirl. It’s interesting to note that this book is aimed at the 11-14 age group, but, as a man quite a bit older than the target audience, surprisingly I really enjoyed it. So, don’t make the mistake of thinking that this book is just for teenage girls. Efa, the book’s protagonist, is a schoolgirl who has to face the usual teenage challenges such as friends (or lack thereof), embarrassing fathers, bullies, teachers, and of course... the first love. On top of the usual problems, her mother is about to give birth and is suffering with breast cancer at the same time. Wow- that’s a lot of s**t for one person to have to deal with! Although there are some ‘deep’ themes here, humour is peppered throughout and as a result we get a book that’s easy to read – the jokes work well at balancing out the sad bits. The book is full of funny little bits that made me smile. The author is a secondary teacher, and although I already knew this, I thought it was very evident in the writing. 'Write what you know’ they say. Well, this author knows her audience. The characters, dialogue and situations are on point! The story flows naturally and feels genuine- not like when you sometimes get an adult trying to be cool or ‘down with the kids.’ The slow burning love story between Efa and Cai was skillfully presented and was believable- the thrill she gets just from touching his finger or their awkward goodbye encounter after their walk. It’s the classic to go in for the kiss or not? situation – we’ve all been there! Bits like this instantly took me back to being fifteen years old again! Parts of the book I think would certainly appeal to older readers - all the memories came flooding back during the epic corridor fight chapter. As a former teacher, I smiled to myself as I read about poor Mr Llewelyn, the teacher who had to break up the fight as he "regretted not retiring sooner.” I also liked the bit where the headteacher stares longingly out of the window – I know that feeling! The bits in the old closed-down primary school were hauntingly poignant and perhaps a reflection of Efa’s sadness and longing for halcyon days gone by. I know only too well that there is nothing sadder than a school closing down; the empty classes and the quiet and still hallways... It may not have been absolutely necessary to include all those little asides, but I’m glad they were there. Poor Efa gets a hard time from her so-called ‘friend’ Gwen, who is actually far from it. What a nasty piece of work she is and she’s a character that unfortunately all too many of us can relate to. She’s that person in our lives who pretends to be your friend, but deep down you know they’re not good for you. Efa knows this, but having her around is better than being on her own. I found Gwen very similar to a cancerous growth herself – something that needed to be cut out and discarded. If you want to find out how the super-b***h gets her comeuppance, you’ll have to read the book! According to Heiddwen Tomos, the message from the story is that yes, life can get you down at times, but the sun will come out eventually. By the end, Efa has a support network of people to help her face life’s challenges and I'm glad there’s some hope at the end – much needed, I think. There may even be an opportunity to re-visit Efa in the future to find out where life takes her… Unlike some similar stories in the genre, this is not a diary and so we get a bigger, more diverse picture than just Efa’s perspective – it was interesting to explore a little of Cai’s relationship with his mother. The doodles did help I think, although it could probably have done with some more. We have here all the key ingredients for a good teenage work of fiction There’s enough emotion and tugging on the heartstrings to create characters we actually care about, but combined with humour, text screenshots and an accurate portrayal of teenage life, I think the author’s created a masterpiece. A book you’ll want to read. If you’re aged between 11-14, grab a copy and read it! If you’re older than 14, then the advice is the same! P.S. Completely random but - for years I thought I was odd for carrying salt sachets in my wallet, but after reading about Cai and his mate smuggling in salt into the 'Healthy Schools’ canteen as if it were drugs, I feel better that I'm not the only one who will go to such measures for a sprinkle of the good stuff on my chips! Gwasg/publisher: Y Lolfa Rhyddhawyd/released: 2020 Pris: £5.99

*Scroll down for English* ❤Enillydd Gwobr Tir na n-Og 1988❤ ❤Tir na n-Og Award winner 1988❤ Pan mae'r byd yn mynd ar eich nerfau... When the world's getting on your nerves... Genre: harddegau, hiwmor / teenage fiction, humour, funny 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: ◉◉◉◎◎ Dyfarniad/Rating: ★★★★☆ Adolyigiad gan Llio Mai Hughes Review by Llio Mai Hughes Dyma lyfr sydd wedi’i alw’n glasur gan nifer o bobl, ond doeddwn i ddim wedi dod ar ei draws yn yr ysgol nac am sbel go hir wedyn. Felly, a ninnau’n gorfod aros adref, dyma archebu copi i weld a yw’r ‘clasur’ yn glasur wedi’r cwbl. Llyfr ar gyfer pobl ifanc yn eu harddegau ydi Tydi Bywyd yn Boen, ac wedi’i anelu at ferched. Tydw i bellach ddim yn fy arddegau yn anffodus, (wel dwnim am hynny!) ond mi wnaeth profiadau Delyth, y prif gymeriad, brocio sawl atgof yr oeddwn i wedi’u claddu ymhell yng nghefn fy meddwl, fel llafurio dros fynydd o waith cartref, paratoi at y disgo ysgol, trio edrych yn ‘ddeniadol’ a bod yn genfigennus o’r ferch oedd yn gariad i’r hogyn oeddwn i’n ei ffansïo - we’ve all been there. Sgribls Hogan Flêr gan Gwen Lasarus dw i’n cofio ei ddarllen yn yr ysgol uwchradd, ac yr un math o lyfr ydi Tydi Bywyd yn Boen. Llyfr coming of age ydi o yn ei hanfod – dyddiadur merch ifanc sy’n trafod ei bywyd yn yr ysgol, ei bywyd adref gyda’i rhieni, ei pherthynas gyda’i ffrindiau, ac wrth gwrs, bechgyn, ac yn benodol yn achos Delyth, Trystan Jones. O’i gymharu â Sgribls Hogan Flêr, dw i yn credu fod y llyfr, yn anochel, wedi dyddio rhyw fymryn erbyn hyn. Mae bywyd merched yn eu harddegau wedi newid hyd yn oed ers cyfnod Sgribls Hogan Flêr. Tydi bywyd yn llawn prysurdeb diolch i dechnoleg a’r cyfryngau cymdeithasol – prin y mae siawns i unrhyw un fod yn bored efo cymaint ar gael ar flaenau eich bysedd bellach, a gyda hynny daw cymaint mwy o bwysau i ddilyn y bywyd ‘perffaith’ sy’n cael ei bortreadu gan nifer ar Facebook neu Instagram. Wedi dweud hynny, mae hi hefyd yn syndod pa mor debyg ydi rhai agweddau o fywyd merched yn eu harddegau, boed yn y 1980au, y naughties, neu heddiw. Yr un ydi’r insecurities, yr un pethau sy’n ein poeni, a’r un pethau rydan ni’n dymuno amdanyn nhw yn y pen draw. Dw i’n hoff o’r ffaith fod nifer o is-themâu yn cael eu plethu i mewn i’r stori, fel arfau niwclear, colli gwaith a mabwysiadu. Dw i hefyd yn hoff o onestrwydd y dyddiadur. Mae Trystan Jones yn cael cariad, sy’n siom mawr i Delyth, ac mae hi’n gwneud sylwadau reit bitchy yn ei dyddiadur am ei gariad newydd. Tydw i ddim yn dweud fod hyn yn iawn wrth gwrs, ond os ydan ni’n onesd efo’n hunain, mae’r mwyafrif ohonon ni wedi rhoi rhywun arall i lawr er mwyn teimlo’n well amdanom ni ein hunain ar ryw adeg, boed ar lafar, yn ein meddyliau, neu mewn dyddiadur. Beth sy’n gwneud Delyth yn gymeriad mor hoffus ydi ei bod hi amherffaith. Mae’r llyfr yn un hawdd iawn ei ddarllen, yn trafod themâu reit ddwys a difrifol ar brydiau ond ar adegau eraill yn ddoniol ac yn reit heartwarming, yn enwedig y diweddglo. Roedd o’r llyfr cyntaf o’i fath yn y Gymraeg ar y pryd. Bu’n llwyddiant mawr a chafodd ei drosi yn gyfres deledu hefyd - sydd wedi bod ar gael yn ddiweddar trwy S4C Clic. Felly, ydi’r llyfr yn glasur? Dw i’n meddwl ei fod yn fwy o glasur i’r rheiny oedd yn darllen y math yma o lyfr am y tro cyntaf yn y Gymraeg ar y pryd, yn y 1980au, ond mi fysa hi’n ddifyr iawn clywed beth ydi barn merched yn eu harddegau heddiw. Mynnwch gopi a gadewch ni wybod! Clip fideo o'r rhaglen... This book is often touted as a recent classic by a number of people, but somehow, I didn't come across it in school or for quite a long time afterwards. So, as we are all in lockdown, I ordered a copy to see for myself if it lies up to all the hype. Tydi Bywyd yn Boen [Life’s a pain] is a book for teenagers and is aimed at girls. Unfortunately I'm no longer a teenager (well, I’m actually quite glad!) but yes, reading about Delyth, the main character’s experiences brought back several memories I had buried deep in the back of my mind, such as labouring over a mountain of homework, preparing for school discos, trying to look 'attractive' and being envious of the girl who went out with the boy that I fancied- We've all been there. The teenage-angsty book I remember reading in school was Sgribls Hogan Flêr by Gwen Lasarus and it’s got the same kind of feel as Tydi Bywyd yn Boen. It’s a sort of coming of age book – a girl’s diary where she pours out all her worries about school life, home life with her parents, friends and relationships and of course, boys – specifically in Delyth’s case, Trystan Jones. In comparison to Sgribls Hogan Flêr, I think this book has aged quite considerably. Teenage girls’ lives have changed so much even in the last couple of years. Life is so busy thanks to social media – you hardly get the chance to be properly bored these days with so many things available at the touch of a button. With this new instant-culture, there’s more pressure to lead that ‘perfect’ life that is portrayed by so many Facebook and Instagram accounts. Having said this, it is surprising how many aspects of teenage girls’ lives are the same nowadays as they were in the noughties or indeed the late 80s when this book came out. We essentially still have the same sort of worries, insecurities, hopes and dreams now as we did back then. I like the fact that a number of sub-themes are woven into the story, such as nuclear weapons, redundancy and adoption. I also like the honesty of the diary. The object of her desires, Trystan Jones, gets a girlfriend which is a huge big deal disappointment to Delyth, and she makes some rather bitchy comments about this new girl – and indeed a few others- in her diary. I’m not saying this is okay of course, because we girls need to show a bit of solidarity, but if we are truly honest with ourselves, most of us have put somebody else down at one time or another in order to feel better about ourselves, whether out loud, in our minds, or in a diary. What makes Delyth such a likeable character is that she’s not perfect by a long shot. The book is very easy to read, discusses some serious themes at times but does this with a funny outlook from a teenager’s perspective. It is rather heartwarming at times, especially the ending. This was one of the first books of its kind in Welsh at the time. It was a great success – so much so that it was adapted into a popular TV series that has recently been made available as a box set through S4C Clic. So, is the book a classic? Overall, I think it’s more of a classic for those who read it for the first time when it was published, but I think it’s definitely got some mileage left in it and it’s worth a read. I’d love to hear the views of today’s teenage girls on this novel and compared it with some newer ones. Gwasg/publisher: Gwasg Gwynedd Rhyddhawyd/released: 1987 Ar gael/available: Ar gael ar gwales.com