Chwilio

*Scroll down for English* ❤Llyfr y Mis Mehefin 2020❤ ❤June 2020 Book of the Month❤ Hen chwedl Gymereig ar ei newydd wedd! A refreshing update to a classic Welsh tale! Genre: #dwyieithog #hanes #chwedlau / #bilingual #history #legend 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: ★★★★★ (sydd ddim yn digwydd yn aml - doesn't happen often!) Gwyliwch y Q&A gyda'r awdur, Aidan Saunders [is-deitlau Cymraeg] Watch this interesting Q&A with author-illustrator, Aidan Saunders. O’r diwedd mae gennym ni lyfr sy’n dangos fod llyfrau lluniau’n cŵl ac nid jest ar gyfer plant bach yn unig! Dwi wedi gwirioni gyda fersiwn Aidan Saunders o hen chwedl o’r Mabinogi, Stori Branwen. Mae’r stori ei hun yn rhan o hen hanes Celtaidd Cymru, ac yn un sydd wedi cael ei ddweud a’i ail ddweud dros y canrifoedd. Dwi’n meddwl mai hwn yw fy hoff fersiwn o’r stori sy’n bodoli mewn print ar hyn o bryd. Mae’r stori wedi cael ei ddiweddaru ar gyfer cynulleidfa fodern ond nid yw wedi colli dim o hud a lledrith y stori wreiddiol. Mae hyn yn rhywbeth sydd wedi bod yn fy mygio ers tro. Pam fod pawb yn edrych i lawr ar lyfrau lluniau fel pethau plentynnaidd neu fabïaidd? Dwi’n 29 oed a dwi wedi mwynhau darllen llyfr sy’n byrlymu gydag arlunwaith atyniadol a thrawiadol. Mae’r printiau lliwgar mor syml, modern a refreshing ond eto, mae rhyw deimlad hynafol a hanesyddol iddynt hefyd, fel rhyw dapestri lliwgar sy’n cefnogi’r geiriau wrth adrodd y stori. Dwi’n dal i ddweud mai ‘keep it simple’ sy’n gweithio orau - mae’r lluniau cartwnaidd yn syml, ond yn hynod o effeithiol. Cyn mynd at y stori, dwi isio sôn am y llyfr ei hun. Dwi wedi dweud o’r blaen, fod Atebol yn cynhyrchu llyfrau o safon uchel iawn (ac na, dydyn nhw ddim yn fy nhalu i ddweud hynny!) Mae maint a siâp tenau, hirsgwar y llyfr yn wahanol iawn i’r llyfrau eraill sydd ar gael. Bydd hwn yn sicr o sefyll allan ar silff lyfrau - a thybiwn bydd yn denu sylw nifer o lygaid ifanc. Mae angen pwysleisio fodd bynnag, er bod y llyfr yn edrych fel llyfr i blant bach Cyfnod Sylfaen, peidiwch â chael eich twyllo! Fyddwn i ddim yn argymell y llyfr yma i unrhyw un dan 7 oed am sawl rheswm. Dwi mor falch fod y wasg wedi dewis creu llyfr lluniau dwyieithog, ond ar gyfer plant hŷn. Maen nhw’n hollol iawn i wneud hyn a dylai mwy o weisg fod yn gwneud yr un peth. Mae plant CA2 (Bl.3-6 neu 7-11 oed mewn geiriau eraill) YN MWYNHAU edrych ar luniau hefyd! (a phlant hynach fyth, mewn gwirionedd) Ydyn, maen nhw’n hoffi llyfrau lluniau - ond dydyn nhw ddim isio cael eu patronizeio chwaith! Fydd darllen y llyfr yma ddim fel darllen Sali Mali - mae 'na ddigon o waith darllen ac mae o’n ddigon heriol hefyd. Mae Mererid Hopwood wedi gwneud job dda o gyfieithu’r geiriau Saesneg. Dwi’n falch fod ‘na ysgrifen Cymraeg a Saesneg ochr yn ochr felly mi all blant sy’n darllen Cymraeg yn rhugl fwynhau’r llyfr, yn ogystal â dysgwyr neu’r rheiny sydd â rhieni di-Gymraeg. Mae’r ffaith fod y ddwy iaith yno yn gwneud y llyfr yn addas i gynulleidfa fwy. Cyfle gwych i unrhyw un ddysgu mwy am hanes cyfoethog chwedlonol Cymru. Mae gen i gof o glywed stori Branwen yn yr ysgol, ond mewn gwirionedd roeddwn i wedi anghofio pa mor hollol nyts oedd o! Pwy ddaeth i fyny gyda rhai o’r syniadau? Roedd ganddyn nhw ufflwn o ddychymyg beth bynnag! (yndw, dwi’n cyfeirio at Branwen yn cael ei chosbi’n ddyddiol gan y cigydd gyda darn o ham! - what’s that all about?) Dyma stori sy’n cynnwys hud a lledrith, cewri, camdriniaeth ddomestig, brwydrau epig, miwtaleiddio, byddinoedd meirw, cariad, brad, twyll a marwolaeth. You name it - mae o yn stori Branwen! Mi fydd y llyfr yma’n boblogaidd gyda bechgyn a merched - ond - mae ganddo wir werth fel arf i geisio cael bechgyn sy’n amharod i ddarllen i fwynhau stori dda ac i ymddiddori mewn rhywbeth Cymraeg. Oes, mae 'na drais, lladd a chreulondeb yn stori Branwen - ond dyma’n union pam fydd plant ar dân eisiau ei ddarllen. Maen nhw’n licio’r math yma o beth a dwi’n siŵr fod nhw wedi gweld pethau gwaeth mewn operâu sebon a ffilmiau dyddiau yma! Mi allaf argymell y llyfr yma’n llwyr i unrhyw un sy’n 7+ ac mae’n sicr yn llyfr y dylai ysgolion ystyried buddsoddi mewn copi -cyfleoedd dysgu di-ri. Un cwestiwn sydd gen i, tybed fydd yr awdur yn gallu esbonio i mi pam fod bochau tîn random Irish soldier no.2 mewn golwg? Oedd hi’n ffasiwn i dorri tyllau bochau pen ôl mewn trowsus bryd hynny?! Bach o ventilation cyn dyddiau Air Conditioning tybed? Er nad oes gen i ateb pendant, mae’n ddiddorol beth bynnag ac yn siŵr o ennyn gigl neu ddau! Roedd dewis stori Branwen yn un doeth ar gyfer rhoi spin ‘cŵl’ ar hanes a thraddodiadau Cymru a dwi’n gobeithio bydd mwy o’r Mabinogi yn cael triniaeth Aidan Saunders yn y dyfodol! Beth am roi cynnig ar wneud eich pyped Bendigeidfran eich hun? https://atebol-siop.com/bendigeidfran.html At last we have a book that makes picture books cool and shows they are not just something for small children! I'm thrilled with Aidan Saunders' version of an old legend from the Mabinogi, the story of Branwen. It’s a myth/legend that is part of the ancient history of Celtic Wales and one that has been told and retold over the centuries. I think this is my favourite version of the story that currently exists in print. The story has been updated for a modern audience but has lost none of the magic of the original story. This has been bugging me for quite some time now but why do we tend to look down on picture books as being childish? I’m 29 years old and I enjoyed reading a book that is full of striking illustrations. The colourful prints are so simple, modern and refreshing but they still have an ancient, historical feeling about them. A colourful tapestry of images, they support the story and add a great deal to it. I still say that 'keeping it simple' works best – the comic-style pictures are simple, yet very effective. Before I discuss the story, I just want to talk about the book itself. I've said before, that Atebol produces books of a very high standard (and no, they don't pay me to say that!) The thin, rectangular size and shape of the book are quite different to the usual books available. This will certainly stand out on a bookshelf and we imagine it will attract the attention of young readers’ eyes. However, it needs to be stressed that although the book looks like something for the foundation phase, don't be fooled, it really isn’t. I probably wouldn't recommend this book to anyone under the age of 7. I’m so pleased that the publisher has chosen to create a bilingual picture book, but for older children. They are quite right to do this and others should be doing the same thing. Children in KS2 (Yrs.3-6 or 7-11 years old in other words) DO ENJOY looking at pictures too! (and even older children for that matter) Yes, they like picture books but they don't want to be patronized either! Reading this book will not be like reading Sali Mali- there’s plenty of reading and it's challenging enough. Mererid Hopwood has done a good job of translating the English words. I am pleased that the Welsh and English text sits side by side, so children who read Welsh fluently can enjoy the book, as well as learners or those with non-Welsh speaking parents. The fact that both languages are there makes the book suitable for a wider audience. A great opportunity for anyone to learn more about the rich history of Wales ' legendary tales. I remember hearing Branwen's story in school, but I had actually forgotten how totally nuts it is! Who came up with some of the ideas? They had quite an imagination anyway! (Yes, I’m referring to Branwen having her ears boxed daily by the butcher with a piece of ham! - what‘s that all about?) This is a story about magic, giants, domestic abuse, epic battles, mutilation, armies of the dead, love, betrayal, deception and death. You name it - its in Branwen's story! This book will be popular with both boys and girls- but it really has value as a tool to get boys who are reluctant to read to enjoy a good story and to take an interest in something Welsh. Yes, there’s moderate violence and cruelty in Branwen's story- but this is exactly why children love to read it. They like this sort of thing and I'm sure they've seen worse things in soaps and films these days! It is part of history after all! I can wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone who is 7+ and it’s certainly a book that schools should consider investing in a copy for the countless learning opportunities. One question I have, I wonder if the author can shed some light on why random Irish soldier No.2’s bum cheeks are on show? A bit of ventilation before the days of Air Conditioning perhaps? It’ll surely cause a giggle when they find it! Picking Branwen’s story was a wise decision for putting a 'cool' spin on Welsh history and tradition. I hope more of the Mabinogi will be given the Aidan Saunders treatment in future! Gwasg/publisher: Atebol Cyhoeddwyd/released: 2020 Pris: £6.99

*Scroll down for English* Roedd bywyd yn braf... cyn iddi syrthio i gysgu! Life was good... until she fell asleep! Genre: llyfr lluniau, hiwmor / picture book, humour 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: ★★★★☆ Gwrandewch ar Meilyr Sion yn dod a'r stori'n fyw! Listen to Meilyr Sion bringing the story to life! https://atebol-siop.com/yr-arth-aruthrol.html?___store=eng&___from_store=cym I oedolion, dwi’n meddwl fod David Walliams fel Marmite – ‘da chi unai yn hoff o’i steil, neu ‘da chi ddim! Am beth da felly, mai i blant mae o’n ‘sgwennu, ac nid i ni– dyma awdur hynod lwyddiannus sydd wedi gwerthu miliynau o gopis o’i lyfrau! Mae plant o bob oedran wrth eu boddau gyda’i waith ac mae o wedi sefydlu ei hun yn un o gewri llenyddiaeth plant – y Roald Dahl newydd medde nhw! Mae ‘Arth’ yn hapus ei byd ym Mhegwn y Gogledd, yn bwyta pysgod ac yn torheulo drwy’r dydd. Mae bywyd yn braf nes iddi syrthio i gysgu, ac wrth ddeffro, ffeindio fod y talpyn o rew wedi torri’n rhydd ac wedi arnofio i ffwrdd! Mae hi’n ffeindio ei hun mewn gwlad ddiarth, yn bell bell o adref, ac fe ddaw ar draws gannoedd o greaduriaid sy’n debyg iawn, ond eto’n hollol wahanol! Buan iawn mae’r stori antur yn troi’n stori gariad... Mae Tony Ross yn un o fy hoff arlunwyr, ac mae ei waith yn cyfoethogi’r stori. Mae’r ysgrifen yn cefnogi’r lluniau hefyd drwy fynd i bob siâp a chyfeiriad – cadwa hyn bethau’n ddiddorol. Hyd yn oed yn y copi dwyieithog, dwi byth yn teimlo fod ‘na ormod o ysgrifen ar y dudalen. Fel sy’n ddisgwyliedig gan Walliams, mae cryn dipyn o hiwmor yn y stori a dwi’n siŵr y bydd darllenwyr ifanc yn morio chwerthin wrth ddarllen - yn enwedig os bydd y darllenydd yn gwneud synau i gyd fynd. Dwi’n siŵr y bydd hyd yn oed gweld dau arth mawr yn cymharu pen olau ei gilydd yn siŵr o fod yn ddoniol iawn. Fel yr arfer mewn llyfrau llun i blant ifanc, mae ‘na batrymau sy’n cael eu hail adrodd, felly mi fydd y rhai lleiaf yn gallu ymuno gyda’r darllen drwy ddweud “O diar, o diar, o diar,” wrth i’r sefyllfa waethygu. Efallai bydd rhai darnau’n mynd dros bennau darllenwyr ifanc iawn, ac roedd y stori i’w weld yn hirach na’r rhai arferol, felly mae’n bosib y bydd rhai plant ifanc braidd yn aflonydd erbyn y diwedd. Mae hon yn stori dda, sy’n defnyddio hiwmor ysgafn i gyfleu negeseuon pwysig fod pawb yn wahanol, ond yr un fath yn y bôn. Mae’r llyfr yn ddathliad o debygrwydd a gwahaniaethau. Bonws yw’r ffaith fod y llyfr yn trafod (yn anuniongyrchol) mater pwysig arall ein hoes, sef cynhesu byd eang! Cyfle i gael trafodaeth yn fanna hefyd… To adults, I think David Walliams is like Marmite – you either love his style or you hate it! How fortunate then, that he isn’t writing for us adults, but for the children… and they absolutely can’t get enough of him! Here is a highly successful author who has sold millions of copies. Children of all ages love his stuff and he’s cemented himself as one of the giants of children’s literature – the new Roald Dahl they say! ‘Bear' is happy up at the North Pole, eating fish and sunbathing all day. Life is good until she falls asleep, and upon waking, finds that her piece of ice has broken off and floated away! She then finds herself alone in foreign lands, far from home, and even comes across hundreds of local creatures who although are similar to her, are very different too! It’s not long before the adventure story turns into a love story… Tony Ross is one of my favourite illustrators, and his work enriches the story. The text also supports the pictures by bending in every shape and direction – this keeps things interesting. Even in the bilingual copy, I never felt that there was too much writing on the page. As is expected of Walliams, there’s a great deal of humour in the story and I'm sure young readers will be laughing whilst reading -especially if the reader makes sounds and silly voices to go with it. I'm sure that the sight of two big bears comparing each other’s bums will no doubt be highly amusing! As is standard practice in picture books for young children, there are repeating patterns so even the smallest ones will be able to join in by saying "oh dear, oh dear, oh dear,” as the situation deteriorates. Some passages may go above the heads of very young readers, and the story seemed to be a bit longer than usual. You may find some younger children will be a bit fidgety towards the end. This is a good story, using gentle humour to convey important messages that everyone is different, but basically the same. The book is a celebration of similarities and differences. Another bonus is the fact that the book discusses (indirectly) another important issue, namely global warming! Another good opportunity to have a chat about that. Gwasg/publisher: Atebol Rhyddhawyd/released: 2018 Pris: £6.99

*Scroll down for English* Twrch sydd â phroblem digon drewllyd! A mole with a stinky problem! Awdur gwreiddiol/Original author: Werner Holzwarth Arlunydd/illustrator: Wolf Erlbruch Genre: llyfr lluniau, #doniol / picture book, #funny #humour 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 llynedd, fe ddathlodd y llyfr yma 30 mlynedd ers ei gyhoeddi’n wreiddiol yn yr Almaeneg! Mae’n wir dweud fod y llyfr yma wedi datblygu i fod yn ‘ffenomenon’ ryngwladol ers hynny ac mae’r ffaith ei fod wedi gwerthu dros 3 miliwn o gopïau mewn peth wmbredd o ieithoedd yn destament i’w lwyddiant! O’r diwedd felly, yn 2020, mae ’na fersiwn Cymraeg i blant (ac oedolion) Cymru ei fwynhau hefyd! Os ydach chi’n meddwl eich bod chi’n cael diwrnod drwg, meddyliwch am Mr Twrch druan, prif gymeriad y llyfr, sy’n deffro’n ddiseremoni i ddarganfod fod rhywun wedi gwneud pŵ - ia PŴ - ar ei ben! Mae llun y ‘pwpsyn’ ei hun mor realistig a bydd y disgrifiad o’r ‘selsigen hir, brown’ yn gwneud i chi rolio chwerthin a chrychu trwyn ar yr un pryd! ‘Delightfully disgusting’ yw’r disgrifiad Saesneg o’r llyfr – dwi’n cytuno! Ond er fod y llyfr yn trafod baw, mae o'n ei wneud o mewn ffordd sydd bron yn 'fonheddig!' Mae lluniau pensil yr arlunydd, Wolf Erlbruch yn ychwanegu at yr hiwmor, ac mae maint y llyfr a’r ’sgwennu’n addas iawn ar gyfer darllen i gynulleidfa. Pan oeddwn i’n dysgu, dwi’n cofio’r plant yn gwirioni’n lân efo un o lyfrau lleiaf adnabyddus Roald Dahl ‘The Vicar of Nibbleswicke’ oedd yn sôn am ficer dyslecsig yn ffeindio’i hun mewn trwbl gan ei fod yn dweud geiriau'r ffordd anghywir e.e. gweiddi ar y gynulleidfa i gymryd “SIP SIP!” ….get the picture?! Beth bynnag, roedd ’na hiwmor tounge-in-cheek yn perthyn i’r llyfr, ac roedd o’r math o lyfr fysa rhai oedolion (y pennaeth, debyg) ddim yn rhy hoff i’r plant fod yn ei ddarllen! Ond hwn oedd y llyfr roedden nhw’n gofyn am gael ei ddarllen fel trît! Y math o lyfr fyddai’n codi aeliau blaenoriaid! Wel - mae Bethan Gwanas wedi addasu llyfr tebyg. Llyfr cwbl ddiniwed ond un fydd plant yn meddwl sydd dipyn yn naughty, gan ei fod yn trafod un o’r tabŵs mawr, sef arferion toiled - dyma’r UNION fath o lyfr y bydd plant ifanc yn crefu i gael ei darllen! Dw innau fel oedolyn call a chyfrifol (yn ôl y sôn) yn edrych ymlaen at y cyfle i roi test drive iawn iddo fel stori diwedd dydd y tro nesaf fydda i’n gwneud gwaith llanw. Mae’n debyg na fydd pob oedolyn yn cytuno, ond dwi’n jest gwybod y bysa’r plant yn mynd adre’n chwerthin ac yn cofio’r stori, ac ella, jest ella, yn gofyn am gael mynd i’r siop lyfrau Gymraeg ar y penwythnos… Hanes Mr Twrch gawn ni yma, (o ia, does ’na ddim byd yn bod efo defnyddio’r gair ‘twrch’ Bethan – mae o’n siwtio’r stori dwi’n meddwl!) ac mae o reit cheesed off i ffeindio pwps ar ei ben! Dwi wrth fy modd gyda’i wyneb wrth iddo arsylwi ‘anrhegion’ yr anifeiliaid eraill! Mae’r dewis o eiriau ar gyfer ymateb Mr Twrch yn wych – “llawn edmygedd” wrth weld ymdrechion y ceffyl! Mae’r llyfr yma’n tapio mewn i’r “toilet humour” sydd mor ddoniol ac apelgar i blant ifanc (ac oedolion ‘anaeddfed’) ac mae’r sylw manwl sy’n cael ei roi i’r pŵ yn siŵr o fod yn destun trafod mawr wrth ddarllen. Mae gan blant rhyw ddiddordeb naturiol mewn pŵ – I mean, come on, pwy sydd ddim wedi mynd â brigyn at sbloetsh o faw gwartheg pan oedden nhw’n iau? Mae adroddiad Rosser (2017) yn datgan fod angen mwy o hiwmor mewn llyfrau Cymraeg i blant. Hiwmor naturiol sydd ddim yn teimlo’n artiffisial neu’n ffals. Y plant eu hunain sy’n galw am hyn – a gwae i unrhyw awdur neu gyhoeddwr fyddai’n meiddio anwybyddu barn ein darllenwyr ifanc! Mae plant yn gwybod yn iawn beth sy’n gwneud stori dda, credwch chi fi! Roedd hi mor refreshing darllen stori fer oedd yn stori ddoniol a syml. Rhywbeth ysgafn i’w fwynhau heb negeseuon moesol preachy, heb gwestiynau athronyddol dwys, jest hwyl a sbri wrth sôn am pw-pw’s! I unrhyw un sy’n anghytuno - mi fydd y plantos yn ddigon call i wybod nad ydi dial drwy wneud busnes am ben rhywun yn dderbyniol go iawn! Dwi’n falch fod tipyn o hanes y llyfr yno hefyd; doedd dim rhaid ei gynnwys, ond mae’n ddiddorol tu hwnt. Diolch Bethan Gwanas a Gwasg Gomer am gyhoeddi’r stori yma. Mwy o straeon doniol, quirky gwreiddiol yn y Gymraeg plîs... (neu rhai diddorol o dramor!) O.N. Mae darllen y llyfr newydd fy atgoffa o’r ‘Caganer’ o Gatalonia, sef ffigwr bychan o ddyn ar ei gwrcwd, wrthi’n gwneud ei fusnes, sy’n addurn Nadolig traddodiadol yn yr ardal! Difyr ’te! Last year, this book celebrated the 30th anniversary since its original publication in Germany! It is true to say that this book has since become an international phenomenon. The fact that it sold over 3 million copies in dozens of languages is testament to its success! So, finally, in 2020 we now have a Welsh language version for all to enjoy. If you think you’re having a bad day, think of poor Mr Twrch, (Mr Mole) who is rudely awoken to discover that someone has taken a poo on his head! The poop itself is so realistic and it’s description as a long, brown sausage will have you rolling in laughter and scrunching your nose at the same time! 'Delightfully disgusting’ is the description given to this book on numerous sites, and I must agree! The artist, Wolf Erlbruch’s pencil drawings, add to the humour, and the book and text’s decent size make it well suited for reading aloud to an audience. I remember when I was teaching, the kids were thrilled with one of Roald Dahl's lesser-known books 'The Vicar of Nibbleswicke' about a dyslexic vicar who finds himself in trouble because he blurts out words the wrong way round e.g. when he tells the congregation to “sip sip!! ".... Get the picture?! In any case, the humour of that book was risqué and tounge-in-cheek - just the kind of book some adults wouldn’t want the children to read! But it was the book they were begging for as a special treat! Well, one of our most well-known authors, Bethan Gwanas has adapted a similarly popular book that you can bet the children will be asking for again and again! A very innocent book really, but one that could be perceived as a little bit ‘naughty’ as it mentions the great taboo of poo! Never mind the kids, I, myself as a sensible and responsible adult (supposedly) am looking forward for the opportunity to give this book a proper test drive as an end-of-day story next time I’m on a supply job! I doubt all adults would agree, but my intuition just tells me that the children will love it. I can see them now leaving the classroom in stitches. You never know, it may even inspire some of them to ask their parents to take them down to the Welsh bookshop on the weekend…. We get the story of Mr Twrch (and yes Bethan, I think the word ‘twrch’ works just fine – although, being a ‘Gog,’ I would say that!) and he’s a bit cheesed off to find someone has done their business on his head! I love the look of sheer admiration on his face as he observes the horse doing his business! This book taps into the "toilet humour " which is so appealing to young children (and immature adults) and the close attention that is given to the poo itself is bound to be a big talking point. Children just have his innate fascination with poo – I mean, come on, who hasn’t taken a branch or a stick to a cow pat when they were younger? The Rosser report (2017) states that more humour is needed in Welsh books for children. Natural humour that doesn't feel contrived or false. Its children themselves who are calling for this – and we mustn’t ignore our young readers! Children know very well what makes a good story, believe me! There was something so refreshing about reading a short(ish) story, that was comical and simple and that’s it! No preachy moral messages, no profound or philosophical issues, a funny book about a mole who got pooed on! To anyone that disagrees- the little ones will surely understand that revenge via pooping on someone’s head is not really acceptable! I'm glad that some of the book's background is included there too; it didn't have to be included, but it's interesting to read. Thank you, Bethan Gwanas and Gomer Press, publishing this story! We’d love some more original, quirky, funny stories please!! P.S. Reading this story just reminded me of the 'Caganer' from Catalonia, a small figure of a squatting man doing his business, which is a traditional Christmas decoration in the Catalan region! Love it! Gwasg/publisher: Gomer Rhyddhawyd/released: 2020 Pris: £6.99 Os wnaethoch chi fwynhau'r stori yma, dyma rhai eraill sy'n trafod 'pŵ'.... If you enjoyed this book, these are some others about poo... Dref Wen Atebol

*Scroll down for English* Llyfr ffeindiwch-teimlwch Find and feel book. Genre: Llyfr lluniau a teimlo / picture book / feely book 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 lyfr syml a lliwgar sy’n cyflwyno rhifau a chyfri hyd at ddeg i blant ifanc. Mae’r llyfr yn defnyddio mydr ac odl er mwyn gwneud dysgu cyfri’n hwyl. Mae arlunwaith syml, clir a thrawiadol Natalie Marshall yn siŵr o gadw sylw’r rhai lleiaf. Mae’r llyfr yn ail adrodd patrymau ac mae’n ddwyieithog felly yn berffaith ar gyfer rhiant a phlentyn yn dysgu gyda’i gilydd! Mae ‘na dudalennau bumpy ar gyfer dwylo bach er mwyn rhoi profiad o deimladau a gweadau newydd wrth ddarllen. This high contrast, colourful book introduces numbers and counting up to ten for young children. The book uses rhyme in order to make learning to count fun. Natalie Marshall's simple and clear illustrations is bound to keep the attention of even the youngest of readers. The book uses repetition and is bilingual which makes it perfect for parent and child learning together! There are bumpy pages for small hands to give the tactile experience of new textures whilst reading. Gwasg/publisher: Dref Wen Rhyddhawyd/released: 2020 Pris: £5.99 Prynwch o: Available to buy online from: https://www.drefwen.com/english/books/shop/childrens-welsh-books/bilingual-childrens-books-age-0-3/gwenynen-brysur-123-123-bumblebee/

*Scroll down for English* Bachgen a'r Ffwlbart mwyaf drewllyd erioed! A boy and the smelliest polecat - ever! Genre: llyfr lluniau, doniol / picture book, humour 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: ★★★★☆ “Anodd tynnu cast o hen geffyl” “Mae e'n cadw draenog yn ei boced” “Prynu cath mewn cwd” Ac fy ffefryn personol... “Dio’m yn werth cnec mochyn coron!” Mae’r iaith Gymraeg yn llawn dywediadau diddorol – nifer ohonynt yn cynnwys anifeiliaid. Mae ‘na ormodedd yn bodoli i un person eu cofio i gyd, ac mae’n bechod fod na ddim un cyfeiriadur sy’n eu casglu i gyd gydag esboniad. Byddai’n bechod petai’r dywediadau quirky yma’n diflannu. Dwi wrth fy modd gyda theitl y llyfr yma, ‘Ffwlbart Ffred: Drewi fel ffwlbart,’ am ddau reswm. Un, achos mae o’n tynnu sylw at ddywediad Cymraeg rhyfedd gan sicrhau fod y genhedlaeth nesaf yn ei chlywed. Yn ail, dyma i chi deitl sy’n siŵr o apelio at blant ifanc. Teitl bachog – perffaith ar gyfer gwerthu llyfrau! Mi fydd o'n sicr yn un o'r llyfrau "Maaam, plîîîs gawn ni brynu hwn?" yna! Mi fedra i feddwl am sawl bachgen bach ifanc (ac ambell i ferch!) fydd wrth eu bodd yn darllen am hanes y ffwlbart drewllyd ac mi fyddai’n postio fy nghopi draw at fy nghefndryd ar ôl mi orffen ‘sgwennu hwn! Fel mae’r teitl yn awgrymu, mae gan Ffred ffwlbart (polecat ydi hyn – oedd, roedd rhaid i mi Googleio!) ac mae’r creadur bach YN DREWI! Doedd o ddim, ond un bore mi ddechreuodd wynto! Mae’r arogl ddrwg yn llenwi’r lle a chyn bo hir mae hyd yn oed Anti Gyrti drws nesa’n cwyno! Ar ôl derbyn ordors i llnau’r ffwlbart drewllyd, mae Ffred a’r creadur yn cael syniad glyfar. Cyn hir, mae’r pentref i gyd yn drewi i’r uchel nefoedd! Mae llyfrau Cymraeg wedi datblygu cymaint ers oeddwn i’n blentyn, ac mae’r safon yn uchel iawn ac yn gwella o hyd. Mae gwasg Atebol wedi arwain y ffordd ers blynyddoedd wrth argraffu llyfrau o safon uchel. Dwi’n gwybod fod hyn braidd yn bedantig ond mae’r llyfr yn teimlo fel un o ansawdd da wrth afael ynddo. Mae hyd yn oed pethau bach fel y clawr matt efo darnau gloss yn gwneud gwahaniaeth. Am £6.99, bosib ei fod o'n ddrytach na rhai llyfrau o'i fath, ond bydd hwn yn lyfr fydd yn gallu handlo cael ei fyseddu a'i fwynhau droeon! Dwi’n adnabod arlunwaith Bethan Mai yn syth (dwi’n cofio’r steil o lyfrau cyfres Halibalŵ) ac mae nhw’n gweddu llyfr doniol i’r dim ac yn ychwanegu at yr hiwmor. Bonws am y llyfr yw ei fod ar ffurf mydr ac odl sy’n cyflwyno’r syniad o frawddegau rhythmig, cwpledi a synau i blant. Mae ‘na rhywbeth satisfying am ddarllen brawddeg sy’n odli does? Mae’r awdur yn brofiadol iawn ym maes plant, ac yn gwybod yn iawn beth sy’n mynd i apelio at y gynulleidfa darged! Prin iawn yw’r plant sydd ddim yn mwynhau dipyn o toilet humour a sôn am ddrewdod ac ati! Dwi’n siŵr i mi brynu ambell stink bomb fy hun yn fy mhlentyndod! Does dim o’i le gyda ‘chydig o ddireidi diniwed wir! Dwi’n falch o glywed mai cyfres fydd hon, nid one-off, felly bydd mwy ar y ffordd… The Welsh language is full of interesting sayings – many of which include animals. There are way too many for one person to remember them all, and it’s a shame that there isn’t a single directory that collects them all with an explanation. It would be a shame if these quirky sayings were to disappear. I love the title of this book, 'Ffwlbart Ffred – Drewi fel Ffwlbart,’ for two reasons. Firstly, because it draws attention to a quirky Welsh saying thus ensuring it’s future by introducing it to the next generation. Secondly, because this is a title that is bound to appeal to young children. A catchy title – exactly what will sell books! It’s definitely a “Muuum, I want that one, please can we read that one?” kind of book! I can think of several young boys (and a few girls!) who will love reading about the foul-smelling Ffwlbart and I will be posting my copy over to my young cousins as soon as I’ve finished this! As the title suggests, Ffred has a Ffwlbart (this means polecat as I discovered, and yes, I had to Google it!) and this cute little creature ABSOLUTELY STINKS! Initially, he didn’t smell, but one morning things suddenly changed… The bad smell fills the place and eventually even next-door neighbour, Anti Gyrti, is complaining! After receiving orders to wash the stinky creature, Ffred and his pet get a very clever idea. Before long, the whole village stinks to high heaven! Welsh books have come a long way since I was a child, and the standard is very high and improving still. Atebol has been leading the way with the printing of high-quality books. I know this is a bit pedantic but the book feels nice to hold as has a quality ‘feel’ to it. Even small things like the matt cover with glossy bits make a difference. At £6.99, it's a bit pricier than similar books from competitors, but it will certainly cope with being thumbed and enjoyed for many years. I instantly recognize Bethan Mai’s artwork (I remember them from the Halibalŵ book series) and they complement this book and add to the humour. A bonus about the book is that it’s in the form of rhyming couplets, which is a good opportunity to introduce the concept of rhyme. Don’t you think there’s something satisfying about reading a sentence that rhymes? The author is very experienced in producing things for children, and knows full well what is going to appeal to the target audience! There are few children who wouldn’t enjoy some toilet humour and talk of smelly things. I'm sure I bought a few stink bombs myself when I was a kid! Nothing wrong with a bit of harmless mischief! I'm glad to hear that this will be a series, not a one-off, so there will be more on the way... Cyhoeddwr/publisher: Atebol Rhyddhawyd/released: 2020 Pris: £6.99 Am yr awdur: Yn wreiddiol o Bwllheli ond wedi ymgartrefu yng Nghaerdydd, mae Sioned yn gweithio yn y maes darlledu plant ers dros ugain mlynedd. Ar hyn o bryd mae'n Gomisiynydd Cynnwys Plant yn S4C ac yn gyfrifol yn olygyddol am Cyw a Stwnsh. Cyn hynny, bu'n cynhyrchu ac uwch-gynhyrchu rhaglenni plant gyda'r BBC. Dewiswyd Sioned fel un o awduron cwrs Llenyddiaeth Cymru a Chyngor Llyfrau Cymru (Tŷ Newydd Chwefror 2019). Dyma lle datblygodd ei syniad ar gyfer y gyfres hon o lyfrau. Credai Sioned fod creu cynnwys safonol yn y Gymraeg sy'n tanio dychymyg plant ac sy'n helpu caffael iaith yn hanfodol.

*Scroll down for English & to leave comments)* Dio'm yn fawr! Dio'm yn dal! Ond mae o'n ddewr! He's not big! He's not tall! But he's brave! 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: ★★★★☆ Pwy sy’n cofio Ifan Bifan? Un o fy atgofion cyntaf o’r ysgol gynradd, oedd eistedd yn y neuadd (gan groesi coesau a phlethu breichiau, wrth gwrs!) a gwrando ar yr athrawes yn adrodd straeon Ifan Bifan… Dwi wrth fy modd gyda lluniau cain Gunilla Bergström, sy’n ‘retro’ iawn erbyn hyn, ond dwi’n meddwl mai’r gyfrinach ydi cadw pethau’n syml. Dyna pam fod nhw’n gweithio. Mewn byd lle mae ‘na gymaint o liwiau a chyffro ar y sgriniau teledu ac ipads, tydi hi ddim yn ddrwg o beth i ddod a phethau lawr fymryn weithiau. Less is more fel maen nhw’n ddweud. Mae’r awdur, sy’n ‘sgwennu’r straeon ac yn eu harlunio’n defnyddio cyfuniad o luniau syml a chollage. Pan dwi’n gweld y lluniau, dwi’n meddwl am y 70’au ac IKEA. Mae llyfr newydd Lleucu Lynch, ‘Y Dyn Dweud Drefn’ yn defnyddio lluniau syml tebyg. Yn y stori yma, mae Ifan wedi mynd at ei Nain i aros ac mae ei gefndryd hŷn yno hefyd. Tydyn nhw ddim yn gadael i Ifan chwarae cardiau gyda nhw ‘am ei fod o rhy fach i ddeall pethau.’ Dwi’n siŵr fydd na nifer o blant yn gallu uniaethu gyda hyn! Er nad ydi o’n cael chwarae cardiau, mae o’n ddigon clyfar i wybod sut i fynd i ben stôl er mwyn nôl y cacennau o’r tun ar y silff uchaf! Yndi wir - mae Ifan Bifan YN un cyfrwys! Dwi wrth fy modd efo’i wyneb o pan mae o’n llwyddo i gyrraedd y trîts ar ben y silff!! Dwi’n nabod y teimlad o lwyddiant yna’n iawn - mae fy ngwyneb i’n rhywbeth tebyg ar ôl ffeindio a chwalu’r Milk Chocolate Digestives sy’n cuddio yn y cwpwrdd! Daeth y llyfr cyntaf allan yn 1972 yn yr iaith wreiddiol o Swedeg dan y teitl Alfons Åberg. Mae o bellach wedi cael ei addasu i mewn i nifer o wahanol ieithoedd gan gynnwys Saesneg (o dan y teitl Alfie Atkins). Maen nhw’n dilyn straeon yr hogyn bach direidus a dwi’n meddwl byddai Ifan Bifan yn gweithio'n debyg i gyfres fel ‘Na Nel!’ ! Mae gan yr awdur ddiddordeb mewn ymddygiad bodau dynol, ac mae hi fel arfer yn gweithio rhyw negeseuon i mewn i’r llyfrau. Perffaith ar gyfer cynulleidfa ifanc. Mae’r “brand” erbyn hyn yn un mawr iawn, ac nid yn unig wedi gwerthu dros 8 miliwn copi, ond hefyd mae o wedi cael ei droi’n gyfres deledu AC yn ffilm yn 2013. Bechod fod copis o’r llyfrau bellach allan o brint, ers cael eu cyfieithu gan y Dref Wen yn yr 80au. Dwi’n meddwl basa ‘Ifan Bifan’ yn gwneud brand da yng Nghymru, yn enwedig os fasa ‘na lyfrau, cartŵn a ffilmiau i gyd-fynd. Dwi’n meddwl fod ‘na brinder o hynny yn gyffredinol yng Nghymru - cyfresi teledu a llyfrau sy’n cyd-fynd. Dwi’n cofio pethau fel ‘Look and Read’ ers talwm gan y BBC ac roedden nhw’n wych. Cyfresi fel ‘Earth Warp’ a ‘Geordie Racer.’ Bosib fod 'na ddim digon o bres yng Nghymru ond mi fase hi’n grêt gweld gwasg yn cymryd risg a datblygu llyfrau sy’n cyd-fynd a rhaglen deledu, er mwyn creu ‘brand’ adnabyddus. Teganau meddal? Apiau? Cyfleoedd di-ri!!! Mae adroddiad Rosser (2017) gan y Cyngor Llyfrau’n dweud y dylia ‘ni wneud mwy o addasiadau o lyfrau amrywiol o dramor. Pam ddim atgyfodi Ifan Bifan o’r Sweden? Dwi’n meddwl fod nhw’n llyfrau grêt fel ma’ nhw ond mae ‘na wastad sgôp i’w moderneiddio fymryn! Mae angen ychwanegu mwy o gymeriadau benywaidd ac amrywiol sy'n fwy cynrychiadol o fywyd yr unfed ganrif ar hugain! Mae hi wedi ‘sgwennu llwyth o lyfrau yn y gyfres erbyn hyn, felly dim ond angen eu haddasu a'u 'tweakio' sydd... Plîs gawn ni ddod ac Ifan Bifan yn ôl fel cyfres llyfrau a chartŵn ar S4C? Mi wnâi gyfieithu’r llyfrau fy hun os wneith o helpu! https://www.alfieatkins.com/ Anyone remember Ifan Bifan? (or Alfie Atkins) One of my first memories from primary school, was sitting in the hall (with arms and legs crossed of course!) listening avidly to the teacher recount the everyday adventures of Ifan Bifan… I love the retro, minimalist drawings of Gunilla Bergström, which I think are so successful because of their simplicity. I think that’s the secret. In a world where there’s so much colour and excitement and over-stimulation on television and ipad screens, it is a bad thing to tone it down sometimes? Less is more as they say. The author, who not only writes but illustrates her own stories uses a combination of simple pictures and collage. When I see the pictures, I think of the 70's and IKEA. Lleucu Lynch’s new book, 'Y Dyn Dweud Drefn’ uses a similar drawing style I think. In this story, Ifan has gone to his grandmothers to stay along with his older cousins. They don’t let poor Ifan play cards and join in because he’s ‘too small to understand things.’ ' I'm sure many children will be able to relate to this if they have older brothers and sisters! Although he can't play cards, he’s clever enough to figure out how to use the stool to get to the cake tin on the top shelf. Yes, what a sly one you are Ifan Bifan! I love that picture of his face when he gets his hands on those top shelf treats! That’s very much like my face when I get hold of that pack of Milk Chocolate digestives that have been hidden from me! The first book out became 1972 in the original language of Swedeish under the title Alfons Åberg. It has now been adapted into a number of different languages including English (titled Alfie Atkins). They follow the everyday adventures of mischievous little boy Ifan Bifan. The author is interested in the behaviour of human beings, and she usually works some sort of message into the books. Perfect for a young audience. The international "brand" is now a very large one, and has not only sold over 8 million copies, but it has also been converted into a TV series and a film in 2013. It’s a shame that copies of these books are now out of print, since they were translated by Dref Wen in the 80s. I think ' Ifan Bifan' would make a good children’s brand in Wales, especially as a package of books, cartoons, merchandise, apps etc. I think there’s a general shortage of well-known brands in Wales. Especially multi-platform ones. I remember things like 'Look & Read ' by the BBC and they were fantastic. They were programmes that also came with educational resources. I remember 'Earth Warp' and 'Geordie Racer' being my favourites. It may be that there is no longer enough money in Wales but it would be great to see a publisher bite the bullet and have a go at developing books that could sit alongside a television programme in order to create a well-known ' brand.’ The Rosser report (2017) by the Books Council of Wales says that we should be adapting more international and foreign books into Welsh. Why not resurrect Ifan Bifan from Sweden? I think they are great books as they are but I’m sure there’s always a bit of scope to give them a re-vamp. For example, it could do with more female characters and a more diverse cast that better represents 21st century life. There are loads of books already written – they only need a bit of 'tweaking' and translating! Can we please bring back Ifan Bifan as a book series and accompanying cartoon on S4C? I’ll translate them myself if it helps! https://www.alfieatkins.com/ Cyhoeddwr/publisher: Gwasg Y Dref Wen Rhyddhawyd/released: 1980

*Scroll down for English & comments* Antur arall gyda Douglas yr Arth Frown. Another adventure with Douglas. Genre: llyfr lluniau, dwyieithog / picture book, bilingual 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: ★★★☆☆ Gwrandewch ar 'Amser Stori Atebol' lle mae'r stori'n cael ei ddarllen! Listen to story time with Atebol, where the story is read aloud! 🔔 Hefyd - mae pecyn adnoddau ardderchog yn cyd-fynd gyda'r llyfr. Digon o weithgareddau hwyliog i gadw eich plentyn yn brysur. Diolch Atebol am baratoi adnoddau gwych AM DDIM! 🔔 Also - here's a free pack to go with the book. Plenty of engaging activities to keep your child busy for ages. Thanks Atebol for preparing great FREE resources! Link below. 🖥️ https://atebol-siop.com/pecyn-douglas-a-r-cywion-ciwt.html Ymunwch â’n hoff arth, Douglas, mewn antur newydd ar ddechrau’r Gwanwyn. Pan mae’r wiwer letchwith yn achosi i nyth llawn wyau lanio am ben Douglas, sy’n gorffwyso dan goeden, mae o’n cynnig gofalu amdanynt nes bod Aderyn Dowcio wedi adeiladu nyth newydd. Mae Douglas yn sylweddoli’n reit handi fod angen mwy na chwtsh os yw’r wyau am droi’n gywion! Diolch byth fod ganddo gyfeillion ar gael i’w helpu i achub y dydd! Dyma addasiad Eurig Salisbury o un o lyfrau’r gyfres Hugless Douglas gan David Melling. Dyma i chi gyfres hynod o boblogaidd sydd wedi gwerthu dros 1.6 miliwn o gopïau hyd yma mewn 26 iaith wahanol! Mae’r llyfr yn llwyddo i gyfuno arlunwaith del gydag antur, cyffro a chwilfrydedd y byd o safbwynt plentyn. Er enghraifft, mae’r casgliad bach o eitemau cymysg sydd gan Douglas ar ddechrau’ stori yn rhywbeth dwi’n siŵr fod pob plentyn wedi ei wneud ar un pryd neu'i gilydd. Casglu pebbles hollol lyfn a chrwn ar y traeth oeddwn i’n wneud! Mae’r stori yn un da iawn ar gyfer plant sy’n dechrau dysgu darllen (fel nifer fawr o lyfrau gwych Atebol) a dwi’n falch o weld ei fod yn llyfr dwyieithog hefyd, sy’n debygol o apelio at gynulleidfa ehangach. Plentyn yn dysgu darllen, a rhiant yn dysgu mymryn o Gymraeg ar yr un pryd- be gewch chi well? Mae ‘na ddigon o gyfleoedd trafod yn deillio o’r stori e.e. cylch bywyd adar, tymhorau’r flwyddyn, byd natur, anifeiliaid a hyd yn oed disgyrchiant i ryw raddau! (y nyth yn syrthio) Yn amlwg fel nifer o straeon i blant, maen nhw’n gerbyd i gyfleu negeseuon pwysig, e.e. pawb yn dod at ei gilydd i helpu Aderyn Dowcio. Efallai fy mod i bach yn picky, ond… wnaeth y wiwer ymddiheuro ar ôl taro nyth yr aderyn i’r llawr? Sgwn i pam wnaeth yr awdur ddim cyfeirio at hynny? Yn sicr, maen rhywbeth i drafod wrth ddarllen - fod ymddiheuro’n bwysig hyd yn oed os mai damwain oedd o. Wnaeth o gyfaddef mai fo oedd ar fai cyn rhedeg i ffwrdd? Os wnaethoch chi fwynhau hiwmor gweledol Douglas a’r Cywion Ciwt, mi fyddwch chi’n falch o glywed fod sawl llyfr ar gael yn y gyfres! Join our favourite Bear, Douglas, in a new springtime adventure! When the clumsy squirrel causes an egg-filled nest not fall on Douglas, who’s resting beneath a tree, he offers to look after the eggs for Swoopy Birds until the nest is re-built. Douglas soon comes to realise that you need more than a hug if the eggs are going to hatch into chicks! He might be a bit big to sit on them and keep them warm, but thank goodness he has friends to help him save the day! This is Eurig Salisbury's adaptation of one of David Melling’s Hugless Douglas books. This is an extremely popular series which has sold over 1.6 million copies so far in 26 different languages! The book manages to combine lively and engaging artwork with a sense of adventure, excitement and curiosity about the world from a child's perspective. For example, the small collection of mixed items that Douglas has at the beginning of the story is something I’m sure we’ve all collected at one time or another. Totally round and smooth pebbles is what I used to collect! The story is a good one for children who are starting to learn to read (as is true of many of Atebol’s great picture books) and I am pleased to see that it’s a bilingual book, which is likely to appeal to a wider audience. This way – a child can learn to read and parents can learn a bit of Welsh at the same time – what could be better? There are plenty of discussion opportunities arising from the story e.g. the life cycle of birds, seasons of the year, nature, animals and even gravity to some extent! (when the nest falls) Obviously, as is the case with most stories for young children, they are a vehicle for conveying important messages, e.g. everyone coming together to help Swoopy Bird. Maybe I'm a little bit picky, but... did the squirrel apologise after knocking over the bird's nest to the ground? I wonder why did the author made no mention of that? This is certainly something that can be discussed whilst reading – that an apology is important whether it was an accident or not. Did he even admit that he did it and own up – all I remember is squirrel running away… If you enjoyed the visual humour of Douglas and the Baby Birds, you’ll be glad to hear that there are several books available in the series! Gwasg/publisher: Atebol Rhyddhawyd/released: 2018 Pris: £5.99

*Scroll down for English & comments* Antur a chyfrinachau yn y chwarel... Discover both adventure and secrets in the quarry... Genre: ffuglen hanesyddol, Ail Ryfel Byd, chwareli / Historical fiction, WWII, 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 ddeud fod y teitl a’r clawr wedi apelio’n syth. Dwi’n meddwl fod o’n glawr effeithiol, sy’n awgrymu fod ‘na rhyw ddirgelwch mawr yn ein disgwyl rhwng y cloriau. Yn gyffredinol, dwi’n ffeindio unrhyw beth i wneud gyda chwareli yn ddiddorol dros ben, felly doedd dim angen fy mherswadio fwy! Er mai yn nociau Lerpwl yng nghyfnod yr Ail Ryfel Byd y dechreua’r nofel– ym Mlaenau Ffestiniog mae rhan helaeth o’r stori. Cawn ein cyflwyno i Sardar Singh Basra, y prif gymeriad. Bachgen weddol ifanc o dras Sikhiaid sy’n dod i Ogledd Cymru fel faciwî i ddianc rhag bomiau erchyll y Blitz. Mae’r bachgen wedi profi dipyn o newid yn ei fywyd, ar ôl iddyn nhw ymfudo i Brydain o Punjab, India. Mae’n anodd dychmygu cael eich gwahanu o’ch teulu am gyhyd – er, mae Covid-19 yn rhoi blas i ni gyd o sut deimlad ydoedd! Mae tomenni llechi Blaenau Ffestiniog yn fyd gwahanol i Sardar ac mae’n cymryd amser iddo arfer. I fod yn onest, mae’n cymryd fwy o amser i’r trigolion lleol ddod i arfer gyda fo, gan nad ydynt wedi gweld bachgen croen tywyll o’r blaen. Mae agwedd y bobl ar ddechrau’r llyfr yn siŵr o fod yn syndod i ni heddiw, ond rhaid cofio fod pethau’n wahanol iawn adeg hynny. Mae’r ffaith ei fod yn gwisgo tyrban yn destun trafod i’r pentre’ cyfan - mae rhai yn meddwl ei fod o wedi brifo ei ben! Camgymeriad diniwed sydd ‘chydig yn ddoniol mewn un ffordd, ond yn arwydd o anwybodaeth y cyfnod hefyd. Wrth dreulio mwy o amser yng Nghymru, gwna Sardar ffrindiau newydd, ac mae’n dysgu lot, ond i fod yn deg mae’r bobl leol yn dysgu llawer ganddo fo hefyd. Cultural Exchange ar ei orau. Diddorol iawn oedd clywed mwy am hanes hen chwareli’r ardal. Rho’r nofel ddarlun clir o fywyd yng nghyfnod y rhyfel, ond hefyd tafla oleuni ar hen ffordd o fyw cyn hynny pan oedd y chwareli yn eu hanterth. Dwi’n cofio cerdded gyda chlwb cerddwyr y Pentan pan oeddwn i'n blentyn, ac wedi fy nghyfareddu erioed gyda phentref Rhiw-Bach. Pwy fasa’n dychmygu pentref cyfan mewn lleoliad mor anghysbell, jest ar gyfer y gweithwyr a’u teuluoedd? Trist yw meddwl am y pentref gwag sy’n adfail bellach, a’r bobl wedi hen fynd a’r gwaith wedi dod i ben. Mae’n lle diddorol iawn i fynd am dro (o Gwm Penmachno fydda i’n mynd fel rheol) - ewch ‘da chi ar ôl darllen y nofel. Mae’n bechod mawr ‘na chefais y cyfle i ddysgu digon am hanes Cymru pan oeddwn yn yr ysgol, a hanes diwydiant y llechi -a chwaraeodd ran mor bwysig yn hanes ein gwlad a’n cymdeithasau. Mae’r nofel yn mynd peth o’r ffordd i lenwi bylchau (mawr) yn fy ngwybodaeth am hanes y chwareli ac y sicr mae gen i awydd mynd i ddarganfod mwy. Dwi’n meddwl y bydd rhaid trefnu trip arall i’r amgueddfa lechi ar ôl i’r lockdown ddod i ben! Mae ‘na ôl gwaith ymchwil manwl a thrylwyr ar y llyfr yma, a ‘da chi’n gwybod fod yr awdur, nid yn unig yn hen law ar y math yma o beth, ond yn amlwg yn mwynhau ymchwilio. Mae’r awdur yn manteisio ar bob pob cyfle i’n haddysgu ni fel darllenwyr am ffeithiau bach lleol, hen straeon a dywediadau. Roedd nodyn gan yr awdur a ffynonellau ei waith ymchwil yn reit ddiddorol hefyd. Er mai nofel hanesyddol yw hon, mae ‘na negeseuon pwysig iawn i ni heddiw. Mae Sardar yn gorfod dygymod â hiliaeth, rhagfarn a bwlis yn ystod ei gyfnod yng Nghymru. Braf yw gweld brwdfrydedd Sardar tuag at ddysgu’r iaith, wrth iddo gofnodi pob gair newydd mewn llyfr bach! Mi oedd llawer o’r faciwîs yn cael eu trochi yn yr iaith ac yn gadael yn siarad Cymraeg - grêt de! Mae’r nofel yn adrodd hanes un o gyfrinachau gorau’r Ail Ryfel Byd. Stori’r lluniau, gemau a thrysorau cenedlaethol byd enwog a gafodd eu cludo a’i storio mewn cronfa yn nwfn yn chwarel Manod. Mae’n debyg nad oes llawer yn gwybod am yr hanes diddorol yma. Byddwn wrth fy modd yn cael mynd yno i gael sbec, ond dwi’n meddwl fod o off-limits! Os da chi’n licio’r math yno o beth – googleiwch Twnelau Cudd Rhydymwyn. Reit, yn ôl at y stori -yn ail ran y nofel, cawn dipyn o antur wrth i Sardar ac un o’i gyfeillion newydd fynd ar daith bwysig, Mission Impossible-style i grombil y graig er mwyn torri mewn i guddfan y Llywodraeth! Pam? Bydd rhaid i chi ddarllen y nofel i ffeindio allan! Gwelwn y rhyfel trwy lygaid plentyn, a sut wnaeth Yr Ail Ryfel Byd daflu ei gysgod tywyll dros Ogledd Cymru hyd yn oed. Tybe ydi daliadau gwleidyddol/cenedlaethol yr awdur yn dod drosodd yn reit gryf yn y nofel? Yn enwedig wrth sôn am yr ymerodraeth Brydeinig a’i driniaeth o bobl yr India. Mae hyn yn agwedd pwysig o hanes, ond yn un sy’n cael ei frwsio dan y carped braidd gan Brydain. Mae mapiau, diagramau a nodiadau i gyd yn adio at greu nofel hynod o ddiddorol a fydda yn werthfawr iawn i’w ddefnyddio fel llyfr dosbarth - neu i unrhyw un sy’n mwynhau hanes. Mae iaith yr awdur yn gyfoethog ac mae ‘na ddisgrifiadau sydd bron yn farddonol ar brydiau, fel “dagrau’r niwl.” Fel Sardar, dwi fy hun yn hoffi cofnodi ambell air neu ymadrodd newydd – roeddwn i’n hoff iawn o ddisgrifiad Myrddin o gi bwlteriar y cigydd: “doedd y ci ddim yn llun i’w osod ar y piano.” Dwi’n licio honna! Mae’r ffordd y mae’r awdur yn trafod hanes lleol chwareli Cymru, effaith Yr Ail Ryfel Byd a bywyd dydd-i-ddydd y plant yn gwneud nofel hynod o ddiddorol. Wedi dweud hyn, mae’n rhaid i mi anghytuno gydag oedran darged y nofel. Dwi’n meddwl ei bod hi’n llawer rhy heriol i ddisgyblion Bl.5 a 6 ysgolion cynradd - heblaw'r darllenwyr mwyaf abl ac aeddfed efallai. Roedd hi ar restr ‘Cwis Darllen’ y Cyngor Llyfrau ‘lenni ac fe glywais fod nifer o’r plant yn dweud ei bod hi’n rhy heriol. Bechod - achos dwi’n meddwl y bydda darllenwyr hŷn (efallai Bl.7-9) yn debycach o fwynhau’r stori a’i werthfawrogi’n llawn. Mi faswn i’n argymell hon i ddarllenwyr hŷn hefyd. Oedolion - peidiwch â bod yn snobs am ddarllen llyfrau plant a phobl ifanc! Mae 'na rai gwerth chweil i’w cael - fel hon! The front cover and title immediately appealed to me. The artwork is both effective and intriguing, which hints at a mystery waiting to be revealed. In general, I find anything to do with quarries extremely interesting, so I needed no more persuasion! Although the novel kicks off at Liverpool docks during the Second World War, the majority of the story is set in Blaenau Ffestiniog. We are quickly introduced to Sardar Singh Basra, the main character. A young Sikh boy, he comes to North Wales as an evacuee to escape the Blitz bombs. The boy has already experienced a lot of change in his life, after the family emigrated to Britain from Punjab, India. It’s hard to imagine being separated from your family for so long as an evacuee – although, Covid-19 is giving us all a taste of what it was like! The slate tips of Blaenau Ffestiniog is a different world for Sardar and it takes time for him to adjust. To be honest, it takes the local residents more time to get used to him, as they haven't really seen a black boy before. The attitudes of some people at the beginning of the book will no doubt surprise us today, but we must remember that at the time things were very different. The fact that he wears a turban is a subject of discussion in the village- some even mistakenly think that it’s a bandage because he's hurt his head! This rather innocent mistake is somewhat amusing, but also a sign of people’s ignorance/unfamiliarity of other cultures at the time. Whilst spending more time in Wales, Sardar makes new friends, and learns a lot, but he also teaches the local people a thing or two. Cultural Exchange at its finest. It was very interesting to hear more about the history of the old quarries of the area. The novel gives a clear picture of life during wartime, but also sheds light on an old way of life when the quarries were in their prime. I remember walking with the Pentan Walking Club when I was a child, and I’ve always been fascinated with the abandoned village of Rhiw-Bach. Who’d have thought; a whole village set up just for the workers and families? It’s sad to think of the empty village now lying derelict -the people have long gone and the work has come to an end. It's an interesting place to go for a walk (from Cwm Penmachno I’d go normally). I’d recommend going to explore after you’ve read this book. It is a great shame that 'I didn't have the opportunity to learn more about the history of Wales when I was in school, and the history of the slate industry in particular – which played such an important role in the history of our country and our society. The novel goes some way to filling (big) gaps in my knowledge of the history of the quarries and I’d now like to find out more. I think another trip to the Slate Museum is on the cards after the lockdown has ended! It is obvious that detailed and thorough research has been done in preparation of this book. You can just tell that the author, not only being highly skilled in this area, but clearly enjoys this type of historical fiction. He takes every opportunity to educate us as readers of small local artifacts, local characters, old tales and sayings that he’s no doubt discovered in his research. A note from the author and the sources of his research was a nice touch to add. Although this is a novel set in the past, there are very important messages for us today. Sardar has to cope with racism, prejudice and bullies during his time in Wales. It's great to see Sardar 's passion towards learning the language, as he records every new word in a little book! Many of the evacuees were immersed in the language during their time here and left speaking Welsh- brilliant! The novel tells the story of one of the finest secrets of the Second World War. The story of how world-renowned pictures, gems and national treasures were shipped to and stored in a deep vault in Manod quarry. It seems that not many are aware of this fascinating history. I'd love to get there for a gander, but I think it’s probably off-limits! If you like this type of thing – google the hidden tunnels of Rhydymwyn. Oops, I digress. Back to the story… The second half of the novel turns into a bit of an adventure as Sardar and one of his new acquaintances take on something quite daring- mission Impossible-style to infiltrate the government’s secret hideout! Why? You'll have to read the novel to find out! We see the war through a child's eyes, and how the Second World War cast its dark shadow even over North Wales. I feel that the author's political/national dispositions come over quite strongly in the novel, especially when talking about the British Empire and its treatment of other cultures. This is an important aspect of history, but one that is brushed under the carpet by Britain. (bit of an elephant in the room) Maps, diagrams and notes all add to this fascinating novel and it will be a valuable resource for use as a class novel- or for anyone who enjoys history. The author's language is rich and the descriptions are almost poetic at times, such as "Dagrau’r Niwl." Like Sardar, I often jot down new words or phrases – I loved Myrddin’s description of the butcher's bulldog. (translated) “he ain’t no portrait for putting up on the piano!” I like that one! (works better in Welsh!) The way the author discusses the local history of the quarries in Wales, the impact of the Second World War and the children's day-to-day life makes for a fascinating novel. Having said this, I have to disagree with the novel's target age. I think it’s far too challenging for Yrs.5&6 primary, other than perhaps the most able and mature readers. Last year, it featured on the Book Council of Wales’s ‘reading quiz’ list and I heard many of the children mention that it was too challenging. Better suited for older readers (maybe Yrs.7-9) as they’ll will be more likely to understand, enjoy and appreciate it fully. I can also recommend this for older readers. Adults- don't be snobbish about reading children and young people's books! There are some crackers out there! This book is available in English too. (Crown in the Quarry) Gwasg/ publisher: Gwasg Carreg Gwalch Rhyddhawyd/released: 2019 Pris: £6.99 https://carreg-gwalch.cymru/goron-yn-y-chwarel-y-2256-p.asp

*Scroll down for English & comments* Llyfr gwrth-ddŵr gyda thasgwr! Waterproof book with built-in squirter! Pris: £5.99 Cyhoeddwyd/released: 2019 Ar gael: https://www.drefwen.com/english/books/shop/childrens-welsh-books/bilingual-childrens-books-age-0-3/hwyaden-y-tasgu-squirty-duck/ Ydych chi’n chwilio am ffordd i wneud amser bath yn fwy o hwyl a llai o strach? Os felly, wel hwn yw’r llyfr perffaith i chi a’ch baban. Dyma lyfr llawn lluniau lliwgar o hwyaden a'i ffrindiau. Mae yna fymryn o odl a stori fer hefyd i chi ddarllen i’ch plentyn. Pwy fasa’n meddwl fod amser bath yn gallu bod yn addysgiadol ac yn hwyl ar yr un pryd? Mae’n holl bwysig cael plant ifanc iawn (babis hyd yn oed) i arfer gyda llyfrau. Does dim yn bod gyda jest troi tudalennau, gafael mewn llyfr neu hyd yn oed ei gnoi! Y peth pwysig yw eu bod yn arfer gweld llyfrau o’u cwmpas. Mae’r llyfr yma’n ideal achos mae’r defnydd plastig gwydn yn sicr o oroesi cael ei drochi ym mybls y bath - mae o’n 100% waterproof. Mi allwch ei sychu gyda chadach yn rhwydd i’w gadw’n lân. Y prif beth sy’n gwneud y llyfr yma’n gymaint o hwyl yw’r ‘built-in squirter’ neu’r tasgwr yn Gymraeg. Mi fydd ‘na ddigon o hwyl i’w gadael yn sblasio yn y bath - digon i ddiddanu eich plentyn. Bonws yw bod y llyfr yn ddwyieithog felly fe gewch chi ymarfer yr iaith a bydd eich plentyn yn clywed y Gymraeg o’r crud. Mae’r llyfr yma’n cael marciau llawn gan rieni sydd wedi ei ddefnyddio! Mae 'na un arall yn y gyfres hefyd... Are you looking for a way to make bath time more fun and less stressful? If so, well this is the perfect book for you and your baby. We have here a book full of colourful pictures of a little duck and his friends that will surely attract and keep the attention of very young children. There’s also a bit of light rhyme too and a short story for you to read to your child. Who’d have thought bath time could be so educational and fun at the same time? It’s vital that very young children (even babies) get used to books. There's nothing wrong with simply turning pages, holding a book or even giving it a chew! The important thing is that they get used to seeing books around them – even before they start properly reading. This book is ideal because the durable plastic material is sure to withstand being immersed in bathwater – yes, it’s 100% waterproof. You can even wipe it with a cloth to keep it clean. The main attraction with this book is definitely the built-in squirter. Bath time will be plenty of fun and should keep your little one entertained. An added bonus with the book is that it’s bilingual so you can practice your Welsh and your child will get used to hearing Welsh from the cradle. This book gets full marks from parents who have used it! Plenty of giggles to be had. If you liked this one, there's another book in the series…

*Scroll down for English & comments* Llyfr gwrth-ddŵr gyda thasgwr! Waterproof book with built-in squirter! Pris: £5.99 Cyhoeddwyd/released: 2019 Ar gael: https://www.drefwen.com/english/books/shop/childrens-welsh-books/bilingual-childrens-books-age-0-3/pysgodyn-y-tasgu-squirty-fish/ Ydych chi’n chwilio am ffordd i wneud amser bath yn fwy o hwyl a llai o strach? Os felly, wel hwn yw’r llyfr perffaith i chi a’ch baban. Dyma lyfr llawn lluniau lliwgar o hoff greaduriaid y môr sy’n denu sylw plant ifanc iawn. Mae yna fymryn o odl a stori fer hefyd i chi ddarllen i’ch plentyn. Pwy fasa’n meddwl fod amser bath yn gallu bod yn addysgiadol ac yn hwyl ar yr un pryd? Mae’n holl bwysig cael plant ifanc iawn (babis hyd yn oed) i arfer gyda llyfrau. Does dim yn bod gyda jest troi tudalennau, gafael mewn llyfr neu hyd yn oed ei gnoi! Y peth pwysig yw eu bod yn arfer gweld llyfrau o’u cwmpas. Mae’r llyfr yma’n ideal achos mae’r defnydd plastig gwydn yn sicr o oroesi cael ei drochi ym mybls y bath - mae o’n 100% waterproof. Mi allwch ei sychu gyda chadach yn rhwydd i’w gadw’n lân. Y prif beth sy’n gwneud y llyfr yma’n gymaint o hwyl yw’r ‘built-in squirter’ neu’r tasgwr yn Gymraeg. Mi fydd ‘na ddigon o hwyl i’w gadael yn sblasio yn y bath - digon i ddiddanu eich plentyn. Bonws yw bod y llyfr yn ddwyieithog felly fe gewch chi ymarfer yr iaith a bydd eich plentyn yn clywed y Gymraeg o’r crud. Mae’r llyfr yma’n cael marciau llawn gan rieni sydd wedi ei ddefnyddio! Mae 'na un arall yn y gyfres hefyd... Are you looking for a way to make bath time more fun and less stressful? If so, well this is the perfect book for you and your baby. We have here a book full of colourful pictures of our favourite sea creatures that attracts and keeps the attention of very young children. There’s also a bit of light rhyme too and a short story for you to read to your child. Who’d have thought bath time could be so educational and fun at the same time? It’s vital that very young children (even babies) get used to books. There's nothing wrong with simply turning pages, holding a book or even giving it a chew! The important thing is that they get used to seeing books around them – even before they start properly reading. This book is ideal because the durable plastic material is sure to withstand being immersed in bathwater – yes, it’s 100% waterproof. You can even wipe it with a cloth to keep it clean. The main attraction with this book is definitely the built-in squirter. Bath time will be plenty of fun and should keep your little one entertained. An added bonus with the book is that it’s bilingual so you can practice your Welsh and your child will get used to hearing Welsh from the cradle. This book gets full marks from parents who have used it! Plenty of giggles to be had. If you liked this one, there's another book in the series…

*scroll down for English* Llawlyfr handi i esbonio'r feirws i blant. Handy guide to explain the virus in kid-friendly speak. ❤❤e-LYFR AM DDIM / FREE e-BOOK❤❤ Genre: iechyd a lles, ffeithiol / factual, 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: ★★★★☆ 💻DOWNLOAD HERE: 💻 LAWRLWYTHWCH YMA: https://atebol-siop.com/coronafeirws-llyfr-i-blant.html Dyma lyfr newydd sydd wedi cael ei gyfieithu i’r Gymraeg gan Atebol. Yn gyntaf, diolch Atebol am wneud hyn a'i wneud yn sydyn hefyd! Mae’n wych cael adnodd arall sy’ trafod y firws ond yn gwneud hyn drwy’r Gymraeg. Mae hwn yn gyfnod anodd, na welwyd mo’i debyg ers yr Ail Ryfel Byd. Mae’r newid i routines dyddiol yn effeithio ar fywydau pawb. Tra bod miliynau ohonom wedi diflasu ar ôl bod yn styc gartref, rhaid cofio am y gweithwyr allweddol dewr sy’n dal i weithio i frwydro’r anghenfil ‘anweladwy’ yma. Mae’n bwysig hefyd meddwl am y teuluoedd sy’n galaru ar ôl colli rhywun sy’n annwyl. Mae hyd yn oed plant ifanc iawn yn mynd i sylwi fod bywyd yn wahanol iawn rŵan, ac yn debyg o fod am amser hir. Maen nhw’n siŵr o fod yn llawn cwestiynau ac yn gofyn pethau fel ‘Pam fod nain a thaid ddim yn cael dod draw?’ a “Pryd ga i weld fy ffrindiau yn y parc?” Efallai eich bod chi’n ei chael hi’n anodd ateb rhai o’r cwestiynau hyn…. Wel, rŵan mae ‘na lyfr ar gael i helpu gyda’r drafodaeth… ac mae o AM DDIM! Mae’ bwysig iawn trafod popeth yn agored. Bydd plant sy’n deall y sefyllfa YN IAWN yn poeni llai yn y pen draw am fod yr elfen o ddryswch a’r fear of the unknown yn cael ei leihau. Bydd y llyfr yma’n siŵr o ateb rhan fwyaf o’u cwestiynau ond mae’n bosib fydd rhai yn parhau. Mae’r llyfr yn fwy o information booklet ‘na stori, ac yn mynd i mewn i gryn dipyn o fanylder e.e. yn trafod antibodies a phethau gwyddonol fel yna. Yn bersonol, dwi’n hoffi’r ffaith fod y llyfr yn reit fanwl, matter-of-fact a ffeithiol achos dwi’n meddwl fod cael mwy o wybodaeth yn well na dim digon. Un pwynt i’w nodi am y llyfr yw, er mwyn cael y gwerth gorau ohono, y bod hi’n syniad da i’w darllen gydag oedolyn. Bydd hyn yn caniatáu trafodaeth ystyrlon ac yn gwneud yn siŵr fod popeth yn eglur. Ysgrifennwyd y llyfr gan arbenigwyr yn y maes iechyd a gofal, felly gallwch fod yn hyderus fod y wybodaeth ynddo yn gywir (ar hyn o bryd, beth bynnag!) Mae’r lluniau cartŵn ar gefndir gwyn felly mae’n reit syml (sy’n beth da). Mae’r llyfr yn: · Esbonio beth ydi’r coronafeirws · Beth yw ei effaith · Sut allwn ei stopio rhag lledaenu · Argoel ar gyfer y dyfodol · Sut a ble i gael MWY o wybodaeth This is a new book which has been translated into Welsh by Atebol. Firstly, thank you for doing this and turning it around quickly! It's great to have another resource that discusses the virus and does this in Welsh. This is a difficult and unprecedented period, the likes of which we have not seen since the Second World War. The change to daily routines affects everyone's lives. Whilst millions of us are bored after being stuck at home, we must remember the brave key workers who are still working to fight this ' invisible ' monster. It is also important to take a moment to think of the bereaved families who have lost a loved one. Even very young children are going to notice that life is very different now, and probably for a long time to come. They are sure to be full of questions and may ask things like “Why are nain and taid not allowed to come to visit?” and "When can I see my friends in the park?" You may find it difficult to answer some of these questions.... Well, now there's a book to help you along with the discussion... And it's absolutely FREE! It is very important to discuss everything openly. Children who understand the situation PROPERLY will be less worried at the end of the day because the elements of confusion and fear of the unknown are removed/reduced. This book will probably answer most of their questions but some may remain. The book is more an information booklet than a story, and goes into great detail e.g. discussing antibodies and scientific things like that. Personally, I like the fact that the book is quite scientific, matter-of-fact and factual because I think having more information is better than not enough. One point to note about the book is that, in order to get the best from it, I think it should certainly be read with an adult. This will allow for meaningful discussion and also ensures everything is clear and understood with no misconceptions. The book was written by experts in health am medical fields, so you can be confident that the information contained within it is correct (at this stage anyway!) The cartoon pictures are on a white background so it's quite simple (which is a good thing). The book: 1. Explains what the coronavirus is 2. What is its impact 3. How can we stop it spreading 4. An indication for the future 5. Where and how to get even more information ALSO AVAILABLE AS AN ENGLISH BOOK FROM NOSY CROW WEBSITE. Gwasg/publisher: Atebol Cyhoeddwyd/released: 2020 Pris: AM DDIM / FREE DOWNLOAD

*Scroll down for English & comments* Llyfr perffaith i sôn am lygredd plastig. Ideal book to discuss plastic pollution. ❤❤Llyfr y mis Ebrill 2020❤❤ ❤❤Book of the Month April 2020❤❤ Genre: llyfr lluniau amgylcheddol / environmental picture book 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: ★★★★☆ Dwi’n falch o weld mwy o lyfrau ‘amgylcheddol’ yn cyrraedd y farchnad Gymraeg, ac mae hwn yn enghraifft dda iawn o lyfr ideal i drosglwyddo neges hollbwysig i blant ifanc. Ers i David Attenborough a’i raglen Blue Planet II fod ar ein sgriniau, dwi’n meddwl fod agwedd y byd wedi newid dros nos tuag at fagiau plastig. (er, mae lle i wella wrth gwrs!) Mae pobl dylanwadol fel Greta Thunberg hefyd wedi bod yn brysur yn tynnu sylw pobl ifanc at faterion amgylcheddol sy’n peryglu ein byd ac wedi tanio ymwybyddiaeth ac angerdd ynddynt i geisio goresgyn rhai o’r problemau. Mae’r llyfr yma’n grêt achos ei fod yn cyflwyno’r broblem o lygredd plastig i oedran ifanc iawn mewn ffordd ddealladwy. Portreadir y bag plastig fel cymeriad o’r enw Llŷr sy’n mynd ar dipyn o antur ar ôl syrthio i’r môr. Yn anffodus, mae ei antur yn creu nifer o drafferthion i rai o greaduriaid y môr sy’n ei gam-gymryd am slefren fôr flasus. Mae’r morfil, y wylan a’r crwban yn cael trafferth gyda Llŷr ar ôl ei fwyta a lwcus iawn bod bachgen caredig yn gallu helpu’r crwban cyn bod hi’n rhy hwyr. Dwi’n meddwl fydd plant ifanc wirioneddol yn poeni am y crwban druan, ond diolch byth fod 'na ddiweddglo hapus y tro hwn. Mae’r neges yn effeithiol iawn heb fod yn rhy frawychus i blant bach. Mae yna hyd yn oed ddiweddglo hapus i Llŷr ei hun, sy’n cael ei uwch-gylchu i mewn i rywbeth newydd sy’n saffach i anifeiliaid! Yn wir, mae hyn yn bwynt trafod gyda plant ifanc - a ddylen ni fod yn flin gyda Llŷr y bag am fod yn gymaint o broblem? Na, siŵr iawn! Rhaid i NI sicrhau nad ydy’r bagiau’n cyrraedd y môr yn y lle cyntaf! Ysgrifennwyd y llyfr yn wreiddiol gan Sarah Roberts, sy’n animal behaviourist (beth bynnag ydi un o’r rheina!) ac yn ymgyrchwr dros yr amgylchedd. Mae’r llyfr yn gweithio fel llyfr stori gyda’r nos gartref, ond yn fwy na hyn, yn sbardun i gychwyn trafodaeth/ymchwil pellach ar y thema o lygredd. O fewn dosbarth Cyfnod Sylfaen, byddai modd llunio uned o waith amgylcheddol o gwmpas y llyfr yma. Yn wir, mae’n ffitio’n berffaith gyda rhai o agweddau’r cwricwlwm newydd. Bonws i’r llyfr yw fod na luniau liwgar, cyffrous a gellir cychwyn sôn am fudr ac odl hefyd. Llyfr delfrydol i’w ddarllen ar goedd fel dosbarth yn ystod amser mat. I am very pleased to see more environmental books reaching the Welsh market, and this is a good example of an ideal book to convey the message to young children. Since David Attenborough and his Blue Planet II documentary programme aired, I think that the world's attitude has changed overnight towards plastic bags. (although, of course, there is room for improvement!) Influential people like Greta Thunberg have also been busy drawing young people's attention to environmental issues that endanger our world and have ignited an awareness and passion in them to try to overcome some of the problems. This book is great because it introduces the problem of plastic pollution to a very young audience in a way that is understandable. The plastic bag is portrayed as a character named Llŷr who goes on a bit of an adventure after falling into the sea. Sadly, his adventure creates a few issues for some of the sea creatures who mistake him for a tasty jellyfish! The whale, the gull and the turtle all have trouble with Llŷr after eating him and it’s very good luck that a kind boy is able to help the sea turtle before its too late. The book builds up a real sense of concern for the sea creatures and young children will be genuinely worried about the poor turtle, although thankfully we get a happy ending this time. The message is very effective and creates impact without being too frightening for small children. This is a fine balancing act, because the book must get across the important and serious message, without traumatizing it’s young readers! There’s even a happy ending for Llŷr himself, who is up-cycled into something new that just so happens to be safer for animals! Indeed, this is a discussion point with young children - should we be angry with Llŷr the bag for being such a problem? No, of course not! WE must ensure that the bags do not get to ocean in the first place! The book was originally written by Sarah Roberts, an animal behaviourist (not quite sure what that is!) and an environmental campaigner. The book works as a bedtime story book, but more than this, as a springboard to initiate further discussions/research on the topic of pollution. Within a foundation phase classroom, it would be possible to form an unit of environmental work around this book. Indeed, it fits perfectly with aspects of the new curriculum. A bonus for the book is that there are colourful, exciting pictures and rhyming couplets that can also be discussed in passing. An ideal book to be read aloud as a class during on-the-mat time. Gwasg/publisher: Dref Wen Rhyddhawyd/released: 2020 Pris: £5.99