Chwilio

*Scroll down for English & comments* Brwydr yn y goedwig - diweddglo'r drioleg! All out war in the forest - last in the trilogy! Genre: ffuglen, antur / fiction, adventure Gwerth addysgiadol/educational value: ◉◉◉◎◎ Negeseuon positif/positive messages: ◉◉◉◎ Themau trist,anodd/upsetting, tough themes: ◎◎◎◎◎ Trais, ofn/violence, scary: ◎◎◎◎◎ Iaith gref/language: ◎◎◎◎◎ Rhyw/sex: ◎◎◎◎◎ Her darllen/reading difficulty:: ◉◉◉◎◎ Dyfarniad/verdict: ★★★☆☆ Hwn yw’r trydydd llyfr yn nhrioleg gychwynnol Dosbarth Miss Prydderch. Mae Mererid Hopwood yn cynnwys tudalen sy’n crynhoi’r hyn a ddigwyddodd yn llyfr 1 a 2. Er bod hyn yn handi fel reminder, tydi hyn ddim yn golygu y gallwch hepgor darllen y llyfrau blaenorol - mi fydd popeth yn gwneud llawer mwy o synnwyr os ddarllenwch chi’r tri llyfr, yn y drefn gywir! Mae rhywbeth mawr o’i le yn y goedwig! Mae’r tylluanod a’r defaid yn paratoi i ryfela yn erbyn ei gilydd. Yn waeth fyth, mae Mr Cnoc wedi bod yn creu arfau ar eu cyfer. Pam fod anifeiliaid sydd fel arfer yn cyd-fyw’n heddychlon ar fin ymladd? Fe rof i un cliw i chi - Dr Wg ab Lin!! Mae o wedi bod yn creu drygioni yn y goedwig, gan droi pawb yn erbyn ei gilydd. Ond pam? Tybed fydd Alfred, ei ffrindiau a’i athrawes yn gallu stopio’r ymladd a dod a heddwch yn ôl i’r goedwig? (a’r lleisiau coll!) Mae yna ddwy frwydr ar y gweill yn y llyfr- y rhyfel yn y goedwig, a’r ymgais i atal yr awdurdodau rhag cau Ysgol y Garn. Dwi’n hoffi sut mae’r ddwy stori yn cyd-blethu o fewn yr un llyfr. Mae hanner cyntaf y llyfr yn y goedwig, ac yno fe ddown yn ôl i’r Garn i weld sut lwyddiant fu i’r ymgyrch ‘creu gwaith.’ A fydd yr ysgol yn cau? Dwi ddim am sbwylio hynny i chi – rhaid i chi ddarllen i gael gwybod! Dwi’n hoff o’r gyfres achos mae’r iaith yn syml ar y cyfan, ond nid yw’r awdur yn ofn cyflwyno geiriau ac ymadroddion Cymraeg mwy heriol. Dyma lle mae’r squiggles yn ddefnyddiol. Mae’r saethau yn dod allan o rai geiriau anghyfarwydd ac yn cynnig esboniad neu aside o beth yw’r ystyr. Dwi’n meddwl fod y syniad o roi glossary [rhestr/esboniad o’r gair] yn y llyfr yn syniad bril - mor dda mod i’n gwneud PhD ar y peth!! Does dim gormod o ysgrifen ar bob tudalen ac felly mae hyn yn ymestyn maint y llyfr sy’n rhoi teimlad sylweddol iddo. Mae effeithiau cartŵn ar y ffont yn gwneud y darllen yn fwy diddorol- dwi’n meddwl fod angen mwy o hyn mewn llyfrau eraill. Byddwn i’n dweud mai darllenwyr hyderus bl.3 a 4 fyddai’n hoffi’r llyfrau yma fwyaf, ond byddai hefyd yn gwneud deunydd darllen annibynnol i blant hŷn sy’n dysgu Cymraeg. Mae’r llyfr yma’n dod a’r rhan gyntaf o antur Dosbarth Miss Prydderch i ben yn daclus, ond mae’n gadael y drws yn agored ar gyfer mwy o anturiaethau. Erbyn hyn, mae gennym ni lyfrau 4,5 a 6 i’w mwynhau!! This is the third and last book in the initial trilogy of Dosbarth Miss Prydderch, the story about a teacher with magical powers! Mererid Hopwood includes a page summarizing what happened in Books 1 and 2. Although this is a handy reminder, this doesn't mean you can skip reading the previous books – everything will make a lot more sense if you read the three books, in the right order! There is something very wrong in the forest! The Owls and sheep are preparing to go to war against each other. Worse still, Mr. Cnoc has been arming both sides with weapons. Why are animals that normally live peacefully together about to fight? I'll give you one clue- Dr. Wg Ab Lin! (The bad guy snake) He has been creating mischief in the woods, turning everyone against each other. But why? I wonder whether Alfred, his friends and their teacher will be able to stop the fighting and bring peace back to the woods? (and return the missing voices!) There are two battles under way in the book- firstly, the impending war in the magical forest, and secondly, the attempt to stop the authorities from closing Ysgol y Garn. I like how the two stories are entwined within the same book. The first half of the book is set in the woods, and then we come back to Y Garn village to see if the job creation campaign has been successful. Will the school be forced to close? I’m not going to spoil that for you – you’ll have to read to find out! I like this series because the language is simple enough, however the author is not afraid to introduce more challenging Welsh words and phrases. This is where the squiggles are useful. The arrows come out of some unfamiliar words and offer an explanation or an aside of what the word meaning is. I think the idea of having a funkier glossary [list/definition of the word] in the book is a great idea- so good I'm doing a PhD on it!! There’s not too much writing on each page and so this bulks up the size of the book which gives it a substantial feeling. It feels like a “proper book.” The cartoon text effects on the font make the reading more interesting- I think more of this is needed in other books. I would say that confident readers in yrs.3 and 4 would like these books the most, but it would also make good independent reading material for older children who are learning Welsh. This book brings the first part of the Miss Prydderch adventure to a tidy and satisfactory end, but leaves the door open for more adventures. We now have books 4, 5 and 6 to enjoy! Gwasg/publisher: Gomer Cyhoeddwyd/released: 2017

*Scroll down for English and comments* Llyfr lliwgar, hudol am uncorn ryfeddol! Colorful book with magic and a remarkable unicorn! Genre: ffuglen, hud a lledrith, fiction, magic Gwerth addysgiadol/educational value: ◎◎◎◎◎ Negeseuon positif/positive messages: ◉◉◉◎◎ Themau trist,anodd/upsetting, tough themes: ◎◎◎◎◎ Trais, ofn/violence, scary: ◎◎◎◎◎ Iaith gref/language: ◎◎◎◎◎ Hiwmor/humour: ◉◉◎◎◎ Rhyw/sex: ◎◎◎◎◎ Her darllen/reading difficulty:: ◉◉◎◎◎ Dyfrarniad/verdict: ★★★☆☆ Dwi’n cofio pan oeddwn i yn yr ysgol yn y 90’au – yo-yo’s oedd y ‘craze’ gynta i mi ei brofi, wedyn Pogz, Mini skateboards, Pokemon Cards, Powerpodz, Beyblades a.y.y.b. Mae ‘na wastad ‘crazes’ newydd mewn ysgolion – a tydyn nhw byth yn para’n hir iawn. Yn ddiweddar, roedd y plant i gyd yn dod i’r ysgol gyda ‘sleim’. Roedd nifer o’r genethod wrth eu boddau gyda uncyrn ac yn enwedig y ‘sleim’ amryliw sy’n gysylltiedig â’r uncorn – sef y pw, wrth gwrs! Fel nifer o bethau, dwi’n meddwl mai o America ddechreuodd yr obsesiwn gyda uncyrn ac mae Dref Wen wedi gwneud penderfyniad doeth o addasu llyfr i’r Gymraeg i fodloni’r galw am bethau uncorn-aidd. Ar y cyfan, dwi’n meddwl mai genethod yw’r target audience ar gyfer y llyfr, ond does dim byd yn bod gyda bechgyn sy’n hoffi uncyrn chwaith, a dwi wedi clywed am sawl bachgen ifanc (o dan 5) sydd wedi mwynhau’r llyfr. Mae’r tudalennau amryliw’n cynnwys lot o liwiau - yn enwedig pinc. Lleolir y stori yn Llanllon-ge-y-lli, sef lle hudol yn llawn cymeriadau difyr chwedlonol o bob math – dreigiau, gwrachod, coblynnod, tylwyth teg a mwy. Un diwrnod mae ymwelydd yn dod i’r ardal ac mae’r newyddion yn trefeillio’n sydyn. Uncorn hardd yw’r ymwelydd- sy’n digwydd gwneud pw yn y fan a’r lle! (efallai fod o’n nerfus!) I ddechrau, mae pawb mewn sioc ac yn heglu hi i ffwrdd yn reit handi, ond cyn hir daw pawb i sylweddoli fod y pw yn hudol gyda arogl bendigedig yn dod ohono! Yn wir, mae’r baw yn hudol ac yn llenwi pobman gyda lliw ac enfysau! Mae pawb yn mwynhau’r pw gymaint, mae nhw’n anghofio am yr uncorn druan- sy’n teimlo dipyn bach yn unig ac yn left-out. (fod nhw mond eisiau hi o gwmpas am y pw) Yn y pen draw, mae’r trigolion yn sylweddoli fod yr uncorn yn drist ac maent yn gwneud pethau’n ‘iawn’ drwy gal parti mawr - mae pawb yn ffrindiau erbyn diwedd y llyfr. A dyna ni’r stori. Mae’r lliwiau dros-ben-llestri fflwfflyd yn MYND i apelio at blant ifanc a dwi’n siŵr y bydd hwn yn ddewis poblogaidd mewn siopau a llyfrgelloedd. Mae’r tudalennau’n brysur ac mae digon o bethau i’w trafod ym mhob llun. Er nad oes fawr o stori a dweud y gwir, dwi’n falch fod yr awdur yn llwyddo i gynnwys o leiaf un neges reit bwysig am gyfeillgarwch– a hynny ar ffurf mydr ac odl. Byddai’n ddiddorol gofyn i ddarllenwr ifanc beth oedd eu dehongliad nhw o’r prif neges ar ôl darllen. Mae’n binc, yn llachar, yn ddoniol, yn gandi-fflosaidd ac yn gyffredinol dros ben llestri – ond credwch fi, mae o’n sicr o werthu! I remember when I was in school in the nineties – yo-yo’s were my first proper ‘craze.’ Then came Pogz, and these were promptly followed by mini skateboards, Pokemon Cards, PowerPodz, Beyblades etc. By their very nature, 'crazes' are short-lived and often will move on to the next ‘big thing’ in no time. Recently, whilst teaching, I noticed many of the children coming to school with slime of all kinds. Many of the girls loved unicorns and especially unicorn related slime- which would naturally be their poo! As with a number of these things, I think the unicorn fad has been imported from America and Dref Wen made the sensible decision to capitalize on this current trend with a Welsh adaptation of this book about unicorns, magic and rainbows. On the whole, I think the target audience for this book will be girls, but there's nothing wrong with boys who like unicorns and I 've heard of several young boys (under 5) who have really engaged with the book. It’s very multi-coloured and contains lots of sickly pink. Perfect. The story is located in Llanllon-ger-y-lli, a magical place full of mythological characters of all kinds – dragons, witches, fairies, etc. One day a mysterious visitor comes to the area and news travels fast. The visitor is none other than a beautiful unicorn- which happens to make a poop right there and then! (perhaps it all got a bit much and it got nervous!) To begin with, everyone is shocked, appalled and disgusted and they quickly vanish, but soon everyone comes to realize that the poop is indeed magical and very sweet smelling! In fact, it’s so good it fills everywhere with unending colour and rainbows! They all get a bit addicted to the good stuff and very soon, everyone is enjoying it so much; they forget about the poor unicorn- who starts feeling left out, rejected and used. Eventually, the residents realize that the unicorn is sad and they make things right by holding a large party. Basically, everyone is friends again by the end of the book. And there you go, the story. The over-the-top colours and its general fluffiness are GOING to appeal to young children and I'm sure this will be a popular choice in shops and libraries. The pages are busy with plenty of things to discuss on each one. Although there is little actual serious story going on, I am pleased that the author at least manages to include one important message about friendship – and doing so through rhyme. It would be interesting to ask a young reader what their interpretation of the main message was after reading. It's pink, bright, funny, candy-floss-ish and generally over-the-top but believe me, it's going to sell! Gwasg/publisher: Dref Wen Cyhoeddwyd/ released: 2019 Pris: £5.99

*Scroll down for English & comments* Y Da yn erbyn y drwg - Taten vs Y bysen! Good vs Evil - potato against the pea! Genre: ffuglen, doniol / fiction, humour Gwerth addysgiadol/educational value: ◉◉◎◎◎ Negeseuon positif/positive messages: ◎◎◎◎ Themau trist,anodd/upsetting, tough themes: ◎◎◎◎◎ Trais, ofn/violence, scary: ◉◎◎◎◎ Iaith gref/language: ◎◎◎◎◎ Rhyw/sex: ◎◎◎◎◎ Her darllen/reading difficulty:: ◉◉◎◎◎ Dyfarniad/Rating: ★★★★☆ Dwi wrth fy modd efo’r llyfr yma – Taten (potato) vs Y Bysen!! Mae’r ffordd y mae’r awdur yn rhoi ‘twist’ bywyd go iawn i’r syniad o arch-arwyr (superheroes) yn syniad gwych. Bydd plant ifanc yn deall y syniad o da vs drwg yn syth! Mae ‘na hanner ohonof i’n teimlo bechod dros y bysen druan, sy’n hollol demonized! Y stori’n syml – mae un o fwydydd y rhewgell wedi dianc o’r oerni ac wedi dechrau creu difrod o amgylch y siop! Mae’n rhaid i’r arwr, Supertaten geisio achub y dydd rhag direidi Y Bysen! Stori syml da yn erbyn y drwg gyda digon o hwyl i’w gael wrth i’r daten geisio rhoi stop ar yr helynt! Roedd y ffaith fod y bysen wedi dechrau ymladd yn ôl gyda stwnsiwr (sy’n beryg bywyd i daten, wrth gwrs) yn hileriys! Rhywbeth bach arall i’w nodi yw mai merch yw Supertaten a dwi’n meddwl fod hyn yn eithaf gwahanol. Mae hwn yn stori entertaining iawn, sy’n sicr yn mynd i fod o ddefnydd i athrawon. Byddai’n berffaith yn nosbarthiadau’r cyfnod sylfaen fel rhan o uned o waith ar fwyd a/neu bwyta’n iach. Rhai tasgau posib oddi ar top fy mhen: · Celf – creu arch arwr newydd llysieuol – pwyso llysiau go iawn efo paent. · Gwyddoniaeth – trafod yr ‘eatwell plate’ a’r 5-y-dydd! · Coginio – Creu bwydydd amrywiol iachus · Iaith – Creu dilyniant i’r stori (bwrdd stori) neu diweddglo newydd. Mae gwaith arlunio Paul Linnet yn hynod o lliwgar, gan ddefnyddio lliwiau sylfaenol ac ddim yn rhy annhebyg i gomig (sy’n gweddu’r thema o arwyr a dihirod i’r dim). Mae digon o gyfleoedd addysgu â all ddeillio o’r llyfr ond yn fwy na hyn, mae’n lyfr doniol y gall blant ifanc ei fwynhau fel ac y mae (hynny yw, ei ddarllen er pleser yn unig!) Mi fyddwn yn tybio y byddai gwen ar wyneb unrhyw oedolyn â fyddai’n ei ddarllen hefyd. Efallai fod yr addasiad wedi cael ei frysio mymryn a byddai mwy o fireinio wedi bod o fudd. Er enghraifft, mae 'na gamgymeriad gramadegol ar y dudalen gyntaf. Efallai fod fersiwn newydd 2019 wedi cywiro hyn... Fe fyddwch yn hapus i wybod fod na fwy o lyfrau yn y gyfres yma! Addas ar gyfer y cyfnod sylfaen isaf. (meithrin a derbyn) Gallwch gyfri ar y dudalen olaf sawl pysen sydd yna! Efallai fod Supertaten wedi achub y dydd a wedi gyrru’r bysen yn ôl i fyd y rhewgell am y tro, ond i mi, mae pys yn dal i fod yn ych-a fi! Rhowch i mi sweetcorn unrhyw ddiwrnod! I love this book – Taten (potato) vs The Frozen Pea!! Giving a real life ' twist ' to the age-old idea of superheroes is a great idea. Young children will understand the idea of good vs evil straight away! Half of me feels sorry for the poor pea – he’s been totally demonized! The story is simple – one of the frozen foods has escaped from the icy cold and has gone on a rampage around the shop causing all sorts of havoc and mischief! This is our bad guy – The Pea. Who’s trying to save the day? None other than Supertaten-(supertato), the ' goodie '! There’s plenty of fun to be had as our loveable plump superhero tries to put a stop to the trouble! The bit where the pea chases the potato with a masher is really funny (naturally, a masher would be a spud’s worse nightmare!) Just thought I’d also point out that our superhero, is in fact a she – this is a refreshing change. This is a very entertaining story, which is certainly going to be of use to teachers. It would be perfect in the foundation phase classes as part of a unit of work on food and/or healthy eating. Some possible tasks off top of my head: 1. Art – Creating a new veg based superhero – using real vegetable stamps with paint. 2. Science – Discuss the Eatwell plate and the 5-day! 3. Cooking – creating healthy, varied foods 4. Language – Create a follow-up to the story (storyboard) or an alternative ending. Paul Linnet's drawing work is remarkably colourful, using the primary colours to give an effect which is not too dissimilar to comics (which fits in with the whole theme of heroes and villains). There are plenty of teaching opportunities that can be derived from the book but more than this, it is just a straight-up funny book that young children can enjoy as it is. I reckon there will be a smile on the face of any adult who ends up reading it too! You’ll be happy to know that there are more books in this series! Suitable for the early years foundation phase. (Nursery and Reception) You can even count on the last page how many little peas are hiding! Supertaten may have saved the day and driven the Pea back to the freezer, but for me, peas are still gross!! Give me sweetcorn any day! Cyhoeddwyd/released: 2016, 2020 Gwasg/publisher: Dref Wen Pris: £5.99

*Scroll down for English & comments* Nofel eironig, agos i’r asgwrn a brathog o ffraeth Ironic, witty and hard-hitting novel. ♥♥Enillydd Gwobr Tir na n-Og 1991 Award Winner♥♥ Genre: arddegau / teenage Gwerth addysgiadol/educational value: ◉◎◎◎◎ Negeseuon positif/positive messages: ◉◉◎◎◎ Themau trist,anodd/upsetting, tough themes: ◉◎◎◎◎ Trais, ofn/violence, scary: ◉◎◎◎◎ Iaith gref/language: ◉◎◎◎◎ Rhyw/sex: ◉◉◉◎◎ Her darllen/reading difficulty:: ◉◉◉◉◎ O Ddawns i ddawns oedd nofel gyntaf y diweddar Gareth F. Williams - fy hoff awdur yn y Gymraeg. Erioed. Enillodd y nofel yma’r Wobr Tir na n-Og yn 1991 ac er bod nifer o flynyddoedd wedi mynd heibio, mae’r llyfr yn dal yn berthnasol ac yn werth ei ddarllen hyd heddiw. Dyweda Manon Steffan Ros, awdur profiadol, fod hwn yn un o’i hoff nofelau gan ei bod hi’n gallu uniaethu efo’r cymeriadau a'i bod hi’n ei ail-ddarllen o leiaf unwaith bob blwyddyn! Wedi ei leoli ym Mhorthmadog, mae’r nofel yn cylchdroi o amgylch bywyd Gwenno, merch ysgol un ar bymtheg oed sy’n ffeindio ei hun mewn tipyn o benbleth ar ôl noson allan feddwol yn y dafarn leol. Mae ei chyfrinach yn rhywbeth a fydd yn sicr o newid ei bywyd am byth. Mae Gwenno yn feichiog ond tydi hi heb ddweud wrth neb eto. Dim wrth Mici, tad y babi, Arwel, ei chyn-gariad, na’i rhieni chwaith. Pan rydym ni’n cwrdd â hi gyntaf mae hi’n dioddef yn dawel gyda’r holl bwysau ar ei hysgwyddau. Wrth i’r nofel fynd yn ei flaen, mae Gwenno’n cyfaddef wrth ei rhieni ac mae ei thad yn lloerig. Yn dilyn ymweliad at feddyg teuluol, mae Gwenno’n penderfynu ar gael erthyliad. Er mai penderfyniad Gwenno ydi hyn ar ddiwedd y dydd, dwi’n teimlo fod y meddyg wedi ei harwain braidd at y penderfyniad yma. Dwi’n dallt pam y byddai’n argymell erthylu, gan fod derbyn babi i’r byd nad oes neb ei eisiau yn gwneud dim daioni i neb. Mae hyn yn sicr yn codi cwestiwn moesegol cymhleth sy’n berthnasol heddiw. Dwi’n cael y teimlad fod 'na gywilydd mawr o gwmpas sefyllfa Gwenno a bod 'na dipyn o agwedd “What will people think?” o amgylch yr holl beth. Fyddai Gwenno yn cael mwy o gymorth petai hyn yn digwydd heddiw? Dwi’n siŵr fod y stigma cymdeithasol yn bodoli hyd heddiw, yn enwedig ar iard yr ysgol. Mae hi’n braf darllen nofel sy’n creu cymeriadau real – mae eu hymatebion yn gredadwy iawn, o ystyried y cyfnod ysgrifennwyd y nofel. Tydi tad Gwenno, Ieuan, yn methu delio â’r newyddion ac mae hyn yn rhoi straen ar ei berthynas gyda’i ferch a’i wraig. Mae’r llyfr yn canolbwyntio ar y dosbarth gweithiol Cymraeg – pobl arferol – sy’n beth prin mewn llyfrau Cymraeg. Mae llyfrau Cymraeg yn dueddol o fod mor ddosbarth canol! Er mai Gareth F. yw fy hoff awdur Gymraeg, wnes i ddim mwynhau’r nofel yma cymaint â’i waith eraill. Dwi’n meddwl byddai’r nofel yma’n apelio fwy at ferched yn eu harddegau nac oedd o i mi. Nid fi, wedi’r cwbl, oedd y gynulleidfa darged! Oes, mae sawl rhan o’r stori wedi dyddio erbyn hyn, ond nid yw hyn yn gwneud y neges yn llai perthnasol na phwysig. A dweud y gwir, dwi’n eithaf mwynhau darllen nofelau ‘chydig yn hŷn achos dwi’n licio’r cult references. Dwi jest a mynd i wrando ar Bruce Springsteen a gwylio’r ffilm Ghost eto fy hun! Mae’r llyfr yn dal ar gael o wefan Y Lolfa am bris rhesymol o £3.96 ac yn eich llyfrgelloedd lleol. O Ddawns i ddawns was the first novel of the late Gareth F. Williams – my favourite Welsh author. Ever. This novel won him the Tir na n-Og Award in 1991 and although a number of years have passed, the book is still relevant and worth reading to this day. Manon Steffan Ros, an experienced author, said that this was one of her favourite novels when growing up as the characters are relatable and she rereads it at least once every year! Set in Porthmadog, the novel focuses on the life of Gwenno, a sixteen-year-old school girl who finds herself in a bit of bother after a drunken night at the local pub. The result is something that will undoubtedly change her life forever. Gwenno is pregnant but she hasn't told anybody yet. She hasn’t told Mici, the baby's father, Arwel, her ex-boyfriend, or even her parents! When we first meet her she is suffering in silence with the burden on her shoulders, and hers alone. As the novel progresses, Gwenno finally reveals the news to her parents and her father is not impressed. Following a visit to a family doctor, Gwenno decides to have an abortion. Although it’s Gwenno's decision at the end of the day, I feel that the doctor has led her somewhat to this decision. I understand why he would recommend abortion, given Gwenno’s circumstances. Admitting a baby into the world that nobody wants does no one any good. This certainly raises complex ethical and moral questions that are relevant today. I get the feeling that there’s great deal of shame around Gwenno’s situation and I sense a lot of “what will people think?" Would Gwenno receive better support if this happened today? I'm sure the social stigma of teenage pregnancy still exists to this day, especially in the schoolyard. It's nice to read a novel that creates real characters – their responses are very plausible, given the time the novel was written. Gwenno's father, Ieuan, cannot deal with the news and has trouble discussing ‘feelings.’ This puts a strain on his relationship with his daughter and his wife. The book focuses on the working-class people of Wales – ordinary people – which is a rare thing in Welsh books. They tend to lean towards the middle class! Although Gareth F. is my favourite Welsh author, I didn't enjoy this novel as much and his other work. I think this novel would appeal more to teenage girls than it did to me. I was not, after all, the target audience! Yes, many parts of the story are now outdated, but this does not make the core message less relevant or important. In fact, I quite enjoy reading older novels because I like the the cult/retro references. Having read it, I’m almost tempted myself to go and listen to Bruce Springsteen and watch Ghost again! The book is still available from Y Lolfa’s website at a reasonable price of £3.96 and at your local libraries. Cyhoeddwyd/released: 1990 Gwasg/publisher: Y Lolfa

*Scroll down for English & comments* Y llyfr ioga gyntaf yn y Gymraeg. The first Welsh yoga book. Genre: iechyd a lles, hunan-help, health & wellbeing, self-help Gwerth addysgiadol/educational value: ◉◉◉◉◎ Negeseuon positif/positive messages: ◉◉◉◉◎ Themau trist,anodd/upsetting,tough themes: ◎◎◎◎◎ Trais, ofn/violence, scary: ◎◎◎◎◎ Iaith gref/language: ◎◎◎◎◎ Rhyw/sex: ◎◎◎◎◎ Her darllen/reading difficulty:: ◉◉◎◎◎ Adolygiad gan Elen Roberts Dyma’r llyfr cyntaf o’i fath yn y Gymraeg sy’n cyflwyno ioga i blant a’u teuluoedd. Mae’r clawr yn denu’r llygad yn syth, gyda’i liwiau modern, heddychlon. O agor y clawr, mae yno gyflwyniad byr yn egluro beth yn union yw ioga, pam ei fod yn neud lles i ni, ac ychydig o hanes yr ymarfer sydd wedi bod o gwmpas ers o leiaf 5000 o flynyddoedd! Yn y croeso hefyd mae gair am beth i’w wisgo a sut dylid mynd ati i gael y gorau allan o sesiwn ioga. Fel ymarferydd ioga (achlysurol!) fy hun, roeddwn wrth fy modd o ddarganfod y llyfr hwn. Wedi hen arfer ar gael fy mhlant yn neidio ar fy nghefn yn ystod fy ymgais at wneud y symudiad downward facing dog, roedd hi’n hen bryd iddynt gael tro eu hunain! Mae Leisa Mererid wedi taro ar arddull hyfryd i esbonio ioga syml i blant trwy ein harwain ar daith hedyn bychan yn tyfu’n ara deg mewn i goeden gadarn, gan gwrdd y creaduriaid sy’n chwarae oddi tani ar hyd y ffordd. Mae darluniau tawel, arbennig Cara Jones yn serennu, gan gynnig rhywbeth newydd ar bob darlleniad. Yn wir mae’n bosib darllen y llyfr hardd hwn fel stori cyn gwely ar ei ben ei hun, neu ei ddilyn fel canllaw gyfleus ar gyfer y siapiau ioga yn unig. Ond fel cyfuniad o’r ddau oedd orau gan fy merch 7 oed a minnau. Roeddem yn darllen y stori gan wneud y symudiadau ioga ar yr un pryd, ac ar ôl sawl darlleniad, roedd penillion y testun yn dechrau aros yn y cof a ninnau’n gallu aros a mwynhau’r siâp heb orfod codi pen. Mae cyfle yma am gyfres yn fy marn i. Gyda mwy a mwy o bwyslais yn cael ei roi ar iechyd meddwl ac ymwybyddiaeth ofalgar plant a phobl ifanc y dyddiau hyn, gobeithio cawn weld mwy o lyfrau tebyg i Y Goeden Ioga yn cael eu cyhoeddi yn fuan iawn. Adolygiad oddi ar www.gwales.com, trwy ganiatâd Cyngor Llyfrau Cymru. This is the first book of its kind in Welsh that introduces yoga to children and their families. The cover immediately attracts the eye, with modern, peaceful colours. From the opening of the cover, there is a short introduction explaining exactly what yoga is, why it’s beneficial to us, and a little history about the exercise that has been around for at least 5000 years! The intro also includes some words about what to wear and how to get the best out of a yoga session. As an (occasional!) yoga practitioner myself, I was delighted to discover this book. After being used to having my children jump on my back during my attempt to make the downward facing dog movement, it was high time they tried it for themselves! Leisa Mererid has developed a lovely style to explain simple yoga for children by leading us on the journey of a small seed growing up into a sturdy tree and meeting the creatures that play beneath them along the way. Cara Jones's quiet, simple and beautiful artwork offers us something new with each reading. It is possible to read this pretty book as a pre-bedtime story on its own, or to use it as a handy guide for the yoga shapes only. But a combination of the two was preferred by my 7-year-old daughter and myself. We were reading the story and making the yoga movements at the same time, and after several readings, the verses of the text were beginning to stay in the memory and we were able to hold and enjoy the shapes without having to raise a head. There’s an opportunity for a series here in my opinion. With more and more emphasis placed on children and young people's mental health and mindfulness these days, let’s hope we see more books such as Y Goeden Ioga published very soon. A review from www.gwales.com, with the permission of the Books Council of Wales. Gwasg/publisher: Gomer Cyhoeddwyd/released: 2019 Pris: £5.99 Os wnaethoch fwynhau'r llyfr yma, edrychwch ar y teitlau o dan yr adran 'iechyd a lles' yn 'Rhestr themau' ar ein gwefan. If you enjoyed this book, look for similar books under the health & wellbeing section of our website. This can be found in 'Topic lists' section.

*Scroll down for English & comments* Profiadau pobl ifanc sy'n dioddef yn dawel The experiences of young people suffering in silence. ♥♥Llyfr y mis Awst 2019 - August Book of the Month♥♥ Genre: iechyd a lles, hunan-help / health & wellbeing, self-help Negeseuon positif/positive messages: ◉◉◉◉◉ Themau trist,anodd/upsetting,tough themes: ◉◉◉◎◎ Trais, ofn/violence, scary: ◎◎◎◎◎ Iaith gref/language: ◉◎◎◎◎ Rhyw/sex: ◎◎◎◎◎ Her darllen/reading difficulty:: ◉◉◉◉◎ Dyfarniad/verdict: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ Adolygiad gan Manon Elin James Dyma gyfrol lle y mae dwsin o bobl ifanc rhwng 10 a 26 oed yn rhannu eu profiadau o fyw â chyflyrau iechyd hir dymor, a hynny’n gwbl agored ac yn onest. Rhoddir sylw i amrywiaeth eang o gyflyrau: iselder, gorbryder, cancr y gwaed, anhwylder gorfodaeth obsesiynol (OCD), spina bifida, clefyd y siwgr math 1, epilepsi, ulcerative colitis, clefyd stargardt, CFS/ME, acne a Myasthenia Gravis. Mae enwau rhai o’r cyflyrau yn gyffredin, ond mae’n bosib mai dyma’r tro cyntaf i nifer ohonynt gael eu trafod yn gyhoeddus yn Gymraeg. Egyr y gyfrol â rhagair gan y golygydd, Sioned Erin Hughes, sy’n egluro mai nod y gyfrol yw rhoi “llais i’r sawl sydd wedi ofni eu geiriau eu hunain cyhyd, a hynny ar gownt y stigma”, gan ddangos hefyd nad yw bywyd pobl ifanc yn fêl i gyd. Ceir rhestr hynod ddefnyddiol o beth y dylid, ac na ddylid, ei ddweud wrth rywun sy’n byw â salwch neu gyflwr hirdymor. Er enghraifft, gall rhywbeth mor syml â gofyn ‘Sut wyt ti’n teimlo heddiw?’ fod o gymorth mawr. Rwy’n siŵr y bydd rhestr o’r fath yn annog sgyrsiau, gan fod pobl yn fwy hyderus eu bod yn gwybod beth i’w ddweud. Ceir strwythur a fformat gwahanol i bob pennod, gyda rhai cyfranwyr yn rhannu sut mae’r salwch wedi effeithio arnynt wrth iddynt dyfu i fyny, ac eraill yn penderfynu canolbwyntio ar gyfnod penodol. Er enghraifft, cofnod o ddiwrnod gydag OCD a gawn gan Elis Derby, sy’n dangos bod symptomau ac effaith cyflyrau o’r fath yn amrywio yn ddyddiol. Pwysleisir hyn hefyd gan Mared Jarman, a ddywed nad yw ei golwg hi’n gyson: “mae’n newid o ddydd i ddydd, o awr i awr, o ystafell i ystafell, ac o berson i berson.” Mae’r profiadau a rennir yn y gyfrol hefyd yn llwyddo i chwalu mythau am rai o’r cyflyrau. Wrth feddwl am epilepsi, mae’n siŵr y bydd y rhan fwyaf ohonom yn meddwl yn syth am ffitiau. Ond mae darn Liwsi Mô yn ein haddysgu am fath penodol o epilepsi, sef Atypical Absence Epilepsy. Yn yr un modd, mae Elis Derby yn chwalu’r stereoteip niweidiol mai gair i ddisgrifio person taclus neu drefnus yw OCD drwy ddisgrifio’r ‘meddyliau drwg’ a gâi: “darluniau o weld aelodau o fy nheulu yn cael eu hanafu’n ddifrifol mewn damwain car.” Yr hyn sy’n gwneud y gyfrol yn arbennig yw’r modd y plethir cyflyrau corfforol a meddyliol. Wedi’r cyfan, mae’n anodd meddwl am unrhyw salwch neu gyflwr na fyddai’n cael effaith negyddol ar sut mae rhywun yn teimlo. Sonia Lois Mererid Williams am yr unigrwydd a deimla “fod ’na neb arall yn dallt ‘go iawn’”. Cofnoda Sioned Erin Hughes hefyd fod sgileffaith cyffuriau i drin Myasthenia Gravis yn medru cynnwys mathau o iselder, gorbryder, hysteria a pharanoia. Drwy rannu eu profiadau personol mor agored ac onest, cawn ein haddysgu am realiti byw â chyflyrau hirdymor o ddydd i ddydd. Cawn ddarlun gonest a real o’r cyflyrau, a hynny heb fod yn orddramatig. Er bod y cyfraniadau yn bwerus ac yn ddirdynnol ar adegau, mae gobaith yn amlwg ym mhob un ohonynt. Mae’r gyfrol yn rhoi llais i’r cyfranwyr i rannu eu profiadau, a thrwy hynny addysgu’r darllenwyr am gyflyrau y mae nifer ohonynt yn ddieithr. Mi wnes i yn sicr ddysgu llawer am gyflyrau a dysgu rhywbeth gan bob un o’r cyfranwyr. Rwy’n siŵr bod darllenwyr sydd â phrofiad o’r cyflyrau hefyd yn cael budd a chysur o fedru uniaethu â’r profiadau a rennir. Er mai cyfraniadau gan bobl ifanc a geir yma, mi fyddwn i’n annog pawb i’w ddarllen, gan fod y cyflyrau iechyd a drafodir yn medru effeithio ar unrhyw un o unrhyw oed. Adolygiad oddi ar www.gwales.com, trwy ganiatâd Cyngor Llyfrau Cymru. Cyfranwyr: Erin Hughes - Myasthenia gravis; Iestyn Tyne - Clefyd Siwgr Teip 1; Caryl Bryn - Iselder a gorbryder; Lois Mererid - Ulcerative Colitis; Arddun Rhiannon - Iselder a gorbryder; Rhiannon Lloyd Williams - ME; Liwsi Mo - Epilepsi; George Bowen Phillips - Spina Bifida; Mared Jarman - colli golwg, clefyd Stargardst; Elis Derby - OCD, Beatrice Edwards - canser y gwaed yn 17 oed; Sioned Rowlands - Acne Review by Manon Elin James This is a volume in which a dozen young people between the ages of 10 and 26 share their experiences of living with long-term health conditions, quite openly and honestly. A wide range of conditions are covered: depression, anxiety, blood cancer, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), Spina bifida, type 1 diabetes, epilepsy, ulcerative colitis, Stargardt disease, CFS/ME, acne and myasthenia gravis. Some of the conditions are common, but this may be the first time that a number of them have been discussed in public in Welsh. The volume is opened by a preface by the editor, Sioned Erin Hughes, who explains that the volume aims to give "a voice to those who have feared their own words for so long, and experienced stigma", and also shows that young people's lives are not all rosy. There is an extremely useful list of what should and should not be said to someone living with a long-term illness or condition. For example, something as simple as asking ' how do you feel today? ' can be very helpful. I am sure that such a list will encourage conversations, as people are more confident that they know what to say. Each chapter has a different structure and format, with some contributors sharing how the illness has affected them as they grow up, while others decide to focus on a set period. For example, a record of a day with OCD that we get from Elis Derby, which shows that the symptoms and impact of such conditions vary on a daily basis. This is also emphasised by Mared Jarman, who says that her eyesight is not consistent: "It changes from day to day, from hour to hour, from room to room, and from person to person." The shared experiences in the volume also succeed in dispelling myths about some of the conditions. When I think of epilepsy, most of us will probably think immediately about fits. But Mô 's colourful piece teaches us about a particular type of epilepsy, Atypical Absence epilepsy. Similarly, Elis Derby breaks down the pernicious stereotype that OCD is a word to describe a tidy or organised person by describing the 'bad thoughts' that they would get: "Pictures of seeing members of my family being seriously injured in a car crash." What makes the volume special is the way in which physical and mental conditions are interwoven. After all, it is difficult to think of any illness or condition that would not have a negative impact on how one feels. Lois Mererid Williams talks about the loneliness she feels "that no one else really understands." Sioned Erin Hughes also records that the side effects of drugs to treat myasthenia gravis can include types of depression, anxiety, hysteria and paranoia. By sharing their personal experiences so openly and honestly, we are taught about the realities of living with long-term day-to-day conditions. We have an honest and real picture of the conditions, and that is not overly-dramatic. While the contributions are sometimes powerful and upsetting, hope is evident in all of them. The volume gives contributors a voice to share their experiences, thereby educating the readers about conditions many of which are unfamiliar to us. I certainly learned a lot about conditions and learned something from each of the contributors. I am sure that readers who have experience of the conditions also benefit and are able to relate to the shared experiences. Although there are contributions from young people here, I would encourage everyone to read it, because the health conditions that are discussed can affect anyone of any age. A review from www.gwales.com, with the permission of the Books Council of Wales. Contibutors: Erin Hughes - Myasthenia gravis; Iestyn Tyne - Diabetes type 1; Caryl Bryn - depression and anxiety; Lois Mererid - Ulcerative Colitis; Arddun Rhiannon - depression and anxiety; Rhiannon Lloyd Williams - ME; Liwsi Mo - Epilepsy; George Bowen Phillips - Spina Bifida; Mared Jarman - losing her sight, Stargardst syndrome; Elis Derby - OCD, Beatrice Edwards - cancer of the blood aged 17; Sioned Rowlands - Acne Gwasg/publishers: Y Lolfa Cyhoeddwyd/released: 2019 Pris: £7.99

*Scroll down for English & comments* Llwyth o jôcs a lot o pw! Practical jokes galore and lots of poo! Genre: hiwmor, gwirion / humour, silly, Gwerth addysgiadol/educational value: ◉◉◉◉◎ Negeseuon positif/positive messages: ◉◎◎◎◎ Themau trist,anodd/upsetting,tough themes: ◎◎◎◎◎ Trais, ofn/violence, scary: ◎◎◎◎◎ Iaith gref/language: ◎◎◎◎◎ Rhyw/sex: ◎◎◎◎◎ Her darllen/reading difficulty:: ◉◉◉◎◎ Dyfarniad/verdict: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ Dyma un o’r chwe llyfr sy’n perthyn i’r Gyfres ‘Halibalŵ’ gan y cyn-wasg, CAA, ar gyfer plant rhwng 7-11. Roedd angen MAWR ar gyfer nofelau doniol, digri i’r oedran pwysig yma a dwi’n hapus i ddweud, fod y rhain yn plesio ac yn ticio’r bocsys i gyd. Mae plant ifanc iawn fel rheol yn mwynhau darllen, ond erbyn tua blwyddyn 3, dwi’n meddwl ein bod ni’n dechrau colli nifer o’n darllenwyr newydd. (Efallai achos bod 'na fwy o distractions, neu brinder o lyfrau addas) Mae’r awduron i gyd yn brofiadol yn gweithio gyda phlant ifanc (sef y gynulleidfa darged) ac maen nhw wedi ysgrifennu chwe stori ysgafn llawn hiwmor sy’n siŵr o apelio. Dwi am ddechrau drwy sôn am y llyfr ei hun. Maen nhw’n llyfrau o ansawdd uchel - mae hyd yn oed papur y tudalennau’n teimlo’n dda. Mae’r ysgrifen wedi cael ei osod yn daclus (heb ormod o ysgrifen ar bob tudalen ) ac mae’r print yn fawr. Mae cloriau da mor bwysig!! Allai ddim pwysleisio hyn digon!! Mewn byd lle mae attention spans yn lleihau yn gyffredinol, rhaid bachu darllenwyr yn syth! Mae’r clawr yn cynnwys lluniau cartwnaidd doniol o’r prif gymeriadau sy’n edrych yn llawn direidi! Pwy bynnag gafodd y syniad i slapio’r label ‘anaddas i oedolion’ dros y clawr, da iawn - marketing tool brilliant! Stori reit wirion yw hon yn y bôn, felly addas iawn i unrhyw un sy’n hoffi hiwmor a jôcs, yn enwedig jôcs yn ymwneud gyda phŵ! Stori am gefnder a chyfnither o’r enw Wil a Dot sydd yma. Maen nhw’n reit wahanol i’w gilydd, ac er eu bod nhw’n aml yn cecru, maen nhw’n rhannu un diddordeb go bwysig sy’n sail i’r stori - chwarae practical jokesar oedolion annisgwyl! Mae’r llyfr yma yn fy atgoffa’n syth o rai o straeon Roald Dahl a David Walliams. Mae Mari Lovgreen yn fam ei hun, ac yn deall sense of humour plant yn iawn - mae’r llyfr yn mynd i fannau hollol boncyrs ar brydiau. Perffaith. Tro nesaf dwi’n gwneud gwaith llanw mewn ysgol, dwi’n mynd a'r llyfr yma i ddarllen amser stori. Rŵan, dwi’n siŵr fod 'na oedolion (booooring) o gwmpas sy’n siŵr o ddweud fod yr awdur yn annog plant i wneud drygioni a chael mewn i drwbl, ond wir i chi, dyma pan mae’r stori’n apelio gymaint, achos fod y cymeriadau’n torri’r rheolau! Er enghraifft, maen nhw’n tricio Hen, hen Nain Llanrwst i fwyta selsig baw defaid yn y parti! Ych a fi! Mi fydd plant yn gelan wrth ddarllen rhai o’r ‘sgetsys’ yn y stori yma. Dwi’m yn siŵr os oeddwn i’n hoffi’r defnydd o’r gair ‘collwr’ ar dudalen 30. Am ryw reswm mi oedd o’n teimlo braidd yn ffals ac yn stiff. Mae bron pawb yn deud ‘loser’ neu lwsar, boed nhw’n Gymraeg neu Saesneg! Efallai fod y tric olaf yn mynd chydig bach yn ailadroddus oherwydd bod 'na fwy o sôn am pŵ (gwartheg y tro yma) ond i fod yn onest, ar gyfer y gynulleidfa, sef plant, dwi’m yn rhagweld y bydd hyn yn broblem. Mi fydden nhw’n dal i chwerthin yn braf debyg! Tydi’r llyfr ddim jyst yn llawn plant yn gwneud drygioni chwaith - mae ‘na neges o ddifri yn cuddio yno’n rywle. Erbyn y diwedd, mae jôcs y ddau wedi mynd allan o reolaeth ac maen nhw wedi mynd dros ben llestri braidd. Wrth i’r chwarae droi’n chwerw, rhaid i’r ddau sgwennu llythyr i ymddiheuro - rhywbeth dwi’n siŵr fod pob plentyn wedi gorfod gwneud ar ryw adeg neu'i gilydd. Mae'r rhain yn straeon gwreiddiol Cymraeg sydd wirioneddol yn llwyddo i fod yn ddoniol heb drio’n rhy galed - rhywbeth prin iawn yn y Gymraeg. Mae Syniadau Slei’n un o’r tair nofel Haen sylfaenol/canolig yn y gyfres (smotyn oren ar y meingefn) ac felly dylai darllenwyr o 7/8+ oed ddarllen y rhain yn weddol hawdd, ac er efallai bydd rhai plant bl.5/6 yn ffeindio lefel y darllen yn hawdd, dwi’n siŵr bydden nhw’n mwynhau eu darllen beth bynnag gan eu bod nhw mor ddoniol. Mi faswn i’n argymell y rhain 100% i ddysgwyr gan fod yr iaith yn reit hawdd gyda stori dda. Er bod CAA bellach wedi mynd, mae angen mwy fel hyn plîs... Cofiwch! Pecyn gweithgareddau hefyd ar gael ar HWB. This is one of the six books forming part of the "Halibalŵ" series by the former university press, CAA, for children between 7-11. There was a HUGE need for crazy, funny, light-hearted novels for this important age group and I'm happy to say that these books are a hit and they tick all the boxes. Very young children usually enjoy reading, but by about Year 3, I think we start to lose many of our new readers. (This may be due to increasing distractions, or a shortage of suitable books) All the authors are experienced in working with young children (who are the target audience) and have written six brilliant stories that are bound to appeal. I want to start by mentioning the book itself. These are high-quality books- even the pages feel satisfyingly good. The writing has been neatly set out (with not too much writing per page) and the print is large. Good covers are so important!! I can’t emphasize this enough!! In a world where attention spans are generally diminishing, readers must be hooked immediately! The cover contains funny, cartoony pictures of the main characters that look as if they’re up to mischief! Whoever had the fine idea to slap the ‘unsuitable for adults' label over the cover – good work – a brilliant marketing tool! This is basically a silly story, so well suited to anyone who likes plenty of fun and jokes, especially ones relating to poo! It's a story about two cousins called Wil and Dot. They're quite different from each other, and though they often argue, they share one pretty important interest that underpins the story- they love to play practical jokes on unexpecting adults! This book immediately reminds me of Roald Dahl and David Walliams type stories. Mari Lovgreen is herself a parent, and so, understands children’s sense of humour. The book is utterly bonkers at times – perfect! Next time I do supply work in a school, I’m taking this book for story time. Now I'm sure that there are (booooring) adults out there who are bound to say that the author encourages kids to cause mischief and get themselves into trouble, but I tell you, this is exactly why it’s so appealing. For example, they trick their poor old Great Great Nain Llanrwst into eating sheep poo cocktail sausages in a party! Yuck! Children will be in stitches whilst reading about some of the antics in this book! Perhaps the last trick gets a little bit samey as we get yet again a trick featuring poo (cow poo this time) but to be honest, for the intended audience of children, I doubt this will be a problem. The book isn’t just full of children causing havoc either – there is even a fairly serious message hiding there somewhere. By the end, their practical jokes have gone out of control and they have gone too far. As it all turns sour, both are forced to write a letter of apology– something I'm sure children of all ages will be able to relate to! These are original Welsh stories that really succeed in being funny without trying too hard – a rare feat in Welsh children’s books. Syniadau Slei is one of the three basic/medium level novels in the series (denoted by an orange spot on the spine) and so readers of ages 7/8 + should read these fairly easily. Although some older yrs.5/6 children may find the level of reading slightly easy, I can guarantee they’ll enjoy reading them anyway for pleasure as they are so funny. I would 100% recommend these as books that learners (of a certain level) can enjoy as the language is quite easy plus the entertaining stories. CAA press may now be gone, but we still need more books like these… Remember! Activity pack to accompany the book available on HWB website. Gwasg/publisher: CAA Cyhoeddwyd/released: 2018 Pris: £4.99 Cyfres: Halibalŵ Os wnaethoch chi fwynhau'r llyfr yma... If you enjoyed this one... Eraill yn y gyfres/others in the series: Teulu Tŷ Bach Y Tocyn Raffl Tŷ Tomi Treorci Iargyfwng! Project Poli Unrhyw lyfr gan/any book by Roald Dahl Unrhyw lyfr gan/any book by David Walliams

*Scroll down for comments and English version* Cynllun i ddwyn diemwnt werth £350 miliwn!! Daring heist of a £350 million jewel! 【【Adolygiad o'r archif - From the archives】】 Genre: ffeithiol, trosedd, ditectif / factual, crime, detective Gwerth addysgiadol/educational value: ◉◉◉◎◎ Negeseuon positif/positive messages: ◉◎◎◎◎ Themau trist,anodd/upsetting,tough themes: ◎◎◎◎◎ Trais, ofn/violence, scary: ◉◉◎◎◎ Iaith gref/language: ◎◎◎◎◎ Rhyw/sex: ◎◎◎◎◎ Her darllen/reading difficulty:: ◉◉◎◎◎ Dyfarniad/verdict: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ Un o lyfrau ffeithiol gan John Townsend yw Lladron Diemwnt y Gromen. Rhan o’r gyfres ‘I’r byw,’ sy’n addasiadau o hen gyfres boblogaidd Saesneg, ‘Spirals.’ Roedd y llyfrau yma’n bwrpasol ar gyfer darllenwyr anfodlon/amharod, yn bennaf gan dargedu bechgyn gydag anawsterau darllen. Ceir brawddegau, paragraffau a phenodau byr a straeon difyr gyda chynnwys aeddfed. (yn aml, roedd llyfrau haws i’w darllen yn rhy blentynnaidd eu cynnwys) Er mai ceisio annog darllenwyr sydd ddim yn or-hoff o ddarllen yw prif fwriad y llyfrau, mae’r straeon yn dda iawn ac yn addas ar gyfer unrhyw un sy’n hoffi stori gyffrous. Efallai fod rhai elfennau o’r stori yma wedi heneiddio braidd, gan iddo gyfeirio at Gromen y Mileniwm, sydd wedi bod yn un o eiconau Llundain ar lannau’r Afon Tafwys ers tro’r Mileniwm. Y dyddiau hyn fodd bynnag, nid yw’n cael ei adnabod fel y Millennium Dome, ond yn hytrach, yr 02 Arena. Yng nghyfnod y stori yma, sef 2000, roedd arddangosfa fawr yno lle'r oedd diemwnt anferth yn cael ei arddangos i’r cyhoedd. Gan mai 9 oed oeddwn ar y pryd, doeddwn i ddim wedi clywed am y stori yma, ond ar ôl darllen y llyfr, mi es i chwilio ar google, a ffeindio fod y stori wedi digwydd go iawn! Roedd y digwyddiadau yn Lladron Diemwnt y Gromen yn swnio mor anghredadwy, ond wir i chi, fe ddigwyddodd hyn!! [chwiliwch am Millennium Dome Raid] Stori sydd yma am Ray Betson a’i giang, a gynllwyniodd i ddwyn un o’r gemau mwyaf gwerthfawr yn y byd o dan drwynau staff y gromen! Petai hwn wedi llwyddo, hwn fyddai’r lladrad mwyaf enwog mewn hanes. Yn anffodus i’r lladron, roedd Ditectif Jon Shatford, oedd yn rhan o’r Flying Squad o Scotland Yard, yn barod amdanyn nhw! Darllenwch y stori fer, i weld pa mor gyfrwys a daring oedd y lladron, a sut arweiniodd eu gor-hyder a’u barusrwydd at chwalu un o’r cynlluniau mwyaf uchelgeisiol erioed! Dwi’n gwybod mai troseddwyr oedden nhw, ond mae rhan ohonof yn eu hedmygu am fod mor hy i geisio gwneud y fath beth! Mae’r stori’n teimlo fatha rhywbeth allan o Mission Impossible neu James Bond. Yn wir, mae ‘na gyfeiriad yn y stori at ffilm James Bond, The World is Not Enough, sy’n cynnwys y Gromen a boat chase gyffrous! Bydd y stori’n apelio at fechgyn yn bennaf, ond unrhyw un sy’n hoff o straeon ditectif fel hyn - a chofiwch - mae’n stori wir! Mae’n ddigon hawdd i’w darllen, yn adrodd hanes cyffrous, a dylid gallu gorffen y llyfr yn reit sydyn. Bydd hyn yn destun balchder i unrhyw un sydd heb arfer darllen llyfr cyfan. Dwi wedi cael tipyn o lwyddiant gyda’r gyfres yma yn fy nosbarth fy hun yn y gorffennol. Lladron Diemwnt y Gromen is a factual story book by John Townsend and forms part of the ‘i’r byw’ series of books. These are adaptations of a hugely popular old English series called ‘Spirals.’ They were primarily targeted towards boys and reluctant readers. They were also highly suitable for learners with some reading difficulties. This is because they feature short and simple sentences, paragraphs and chapters that feature exciting stories with mature, un-patronizing content. (often, you’d find that easier-to-read books were rather childish and it was embarrassing to have to go down to the lower classes to get easier books) Even though the main aim of these books was to try and encourage readers not normally fond of reading, they are truly excellent stories and are suitable for anyone. Although some elements of this story haven’t particularly aged well – the story takes place in the Millennium Dome. This was one of London’s icons on the shore of the River Thames. Nowadays, it’s still there, but has been re-branded and re-purposed into the 02 Arena concert venue. At the time of this story, the year 2000, it was a large visitor exhibition space. During this time, an expensive and precious diamond was displayed there for the public. As I was 9 years old at the time, I don’t recall this event when it happened but after reading the book, I went to search Google and found out that it was a true story. The events in the book sounded so unbelievable, (like something out of a film) but honestly, it really did happen!! This is the story of Ray Betson and his gang, who tried to steal one of the most precious gems in the world right from under everyone’s nose in broad daylight! Had this succeeded, it would have been the most famous robbery of all time. Sadly, for the thieves, Detective Jon Shatford, who was part of the Scotland Yard’s Flying Squad, was ready for them! Read the short story, to see how the daring, cunning thieves conspired to ram-raid through with a digger and escape with the jewel on a speed boat. Learn how their arrogance and over-confidence led to their downfall and the collapse of one of the most ambitious raids ever! I know they were criminals, but part of me still admires them for having the audacity to try such a feat! The story feels like something out of Mission Impossible or James Bond. In fact, there is a reference in the story to the James Bond film, the World is Not Enough, featuring the Dome and a thrilling boat chase scene! The story will mainly appeal to boys, but also to anyone who likes detective/crime stories- remember it’s a true story! It’s easy to read, tells an exciting story, and it should be possible to finish the book in no time at all! This will boost the confidence of any reader who never normally manages to finish books. I've had quite a bit of success with this series with my own class in the past. Following on from the story, you could prepare newspaper articles or TV reports about the heist. Gwasg/publisher: Gomer Cyfres/series: I'r Byw Cyhoeddwyd/released: 2005 Pris: £4.00

*Scroll down for English & comments* Y beibl ar gyfer trafod emosiynau. The bible for discussing emotions. Genre: ffeithiol, emosiynau, hunan-help / factual, emotions, self-help Gwerth addysgiadol/educational value: ◉◉◉◉◉ Negeseuon positif/positive messages: ◉◉◉◉◉ Themau trist,anodd/upsetting,tough themes: ◉◎◎◎◎ Trais, ofn/violence, scary: ◎◎◎◎◎ Iaith gref/language: ◎◎◎◎◎ Rhyw/sex: ◎◎◎◎◎ Her darllen/reading difficulty:: ◉◉◉◎◎ Dyfarniad/verdict: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Dwi’n meddwl fod Rily’n gyhoeddwr sy’n gwneud penderfyniadau ardderchog wrth ddewis llyfrau newydd i’w cyhoeddi. Mae gan y tîm y gallu i sylwi ar fylchau yn y farchnad Gymraeg. Dangosa ystadegau diweddar fod gorbryder (anxiety) ymhlith plant ifanc ar gynnydd ac felly mae’r gyfrol hollbwysig yma’n fwy amserol nac erioed. Mae’r pwysau gwaith a chymdeithasol sydd ar blant a phobl ifanc y dyddiau hyn yn golygu fod mwy o angen nac erioed am lyfr sy’n helpu plant i ddod i ddeall a dygymod a mynegi eu teimladau. Mae’r llyfr yn trafod y pedwar prif emosiwn, sef hapusrwydd, dicter, ofn a thristwch ac yn ymhelaethu ar y wyddoniaeth sydd tu ôl i bob un a’r ystod enfawr o fewn pob prif emosiwn. Mae delio ac emosiynau’n sgil bwysig sy’n rhaid i blant eu dysgu ac mae’r llyfr yma’n arf a all helpu. Trafodai popeth mewn ffordd syml a gweledol drwy ddefnyddio ffotograffau ac inffograffegau Mae’r lluniau syml, lliwgar yn ddeniadol ac yn ddiddorol. Fe geir argymhellion ymarferol ynglŷn â sut i ddelio gydag emosiynau gan gynnwys ymarferion anadlu, ioga a myfyrio. Mae’r llyfr yn addas i blant ei ddarllen yn annibynnol ond teimlaf y byddai’n adnodd hyd yn oed mwy gwerthfawr wrth ei gyd ddarllen gydag oedolyn, megis rhiant neu athro. Yn sicr, mae’r llyfr yn sbardun ardderchog i gychwyn sgwrs. Un peth hynod o ddefnyddiol yw bod y llyfr yn trafod digwyddiadau a all godi ym mywydau plant sy’n gallu creu teimladau cryf a chymysglyd er enghraifft ysgaru, bwlio, symud ysgol a galar. Dwi hefyd yn hoffi'r geiriadur emosiynau yng nghefn y llyfr, sy'n ehangu geirfa plant ac yn helpu iddynt fynegi'n fwy clir eu teimladau. Mae addaswr y gyfrol i’r Gymraeg, Elin Meek, yn dweud: “Gobeithio’n fawr y bydd plant yn cael budd o’r ffordd syml a hygyrch y mae’r llyfr yn ymdrin â'u teimladau. Beth sy’n bwysig yma hefyd yw’r arweiniad sydd yn y gyfrol o ran derbyn sut maen nhw’n teimlo– does dim beirniadaeth o gwbl, a does dim emosiwn nad yw’n ‘iawn’ i blant ei deimlo. Mae’r adran am ddicter yn esbonio sut gall dicter fod yn beth iach o’i sianelu’n gywir; gall fod yn sbardun i ddal at egwyddorion, a gweithredu dros gyfiawnder.” Ers i’r cyhoeddwr gyhoeddi ar eu gwefannau cymdeithasol fod y llyfr ar fin cael ei lansio, bu cryn dipyn o ymateb ffafriol ac mae wir yn dangos cymaint o alw sydd amdano. Mae’r llyfr yn bartneriaeth gyda’r elusen iechyd meddwl i blant, Place2Be, a bydd yn ganllaw defnyddiol i blant sy’n ceisio deall beth sy’n mynd ymlaen y eu pennau. Bydd yn tywys plant drwy ddryswch a chymhlethdod emosiynau yn y gobaith y bydd yn eu hannog i garu eu teimladau a charu eu hunain. I think Rily is a publisher that makes excellent decisions when choosing new books for publication. Their team has the ability to spot gaps in the Welsh language market. Recent stats show that anxiety amongst young children is increasing and so this vital resource is timelier than ever. Work and social pressures on children and young people nowadays means that there is more need than ever for a book that helps children to understand, cope with and express their feelings. The book discusses the four main emotions of happiness, anger, fear and sadness and elaborates on the science behind each one and the enormous range within each major emotion. Dealing with emotions are important skills that children have to learn and this book is certainly a tool that can help. Everything is presented in a simple, visual way through the use of photographs and infographics. The colourful pictures are both attractive and interesting. There are practical recommendations on how to deal with emotions including breathing exercises, yoga and mindfulness reflection. The book is suitable for children to read independently but I feel that it would be an even more valuable resource when read with an adult, such as a parent or teacher. The book is certainly an excellent trigger to initiate conversations on emotions. An extremely useful aspect is that the book discusses events that may arise in the day-to-day lives of children that can generate strong and confusing feelings for example divorce, bullying, new schools and grief. The Welsh author-translator, Elin Meek, says: "I very much hope that children will benefit from the simple and accessible way in which the book addresses their feelings. What is also important here is the guidance contained in the volume in accepting how they feel – there is no criticism at all, and there is no emotion that it is not ' right ' for children to feel. The section about anger explains how anger can be a healthy thing when it is properly channelled; It can be a catalyst to stick to principles, and act for justice. " Since the publisher revealed on their social websites that the book was about to be launched, there has been a great deal of favourable response and it really shows how much demand there is for this sort of thing. I really like the emotions dictionary in the back that teaches new vocabulary and helps children to better express specific emotions. The book stems from a partnership with the child mental health charity, Place2Be, and will be an useful guide for children who are trying to understand what is going on in their minds. It will guide children through the confusion and complexity of emotions in the hope that it will encourage them to love their feelings and love themselves. Gwasg/publisher: Rily Cyhoeddwyd/released: 2019 Pris: £6.99 Teitl gwreiddiol/original title: My mixed Emotions by DK

*Scroll down for English & comments* Rhyfel. Cyfeillgarwch. Hiraeth. Pêl-droed. War. Friendship. Longing. Football. ♥ ♥ Enillydd Gwobr Tir na n-Og 2015 Tir na n-Og Award Winner 2015 ♥ ♥ Genre: hanesyddol, rhyfel / historical, war Gwerth addysgiadol/educational value: ◉◉◉◉◎ Negeseuon positif/positive messages: ◉◉◉◎◎ Themau trist,anodd/upsetting,tough themes: ◉◉◉◎◎ Trais, ofn/violence, scary: ◉◉◎◎◎ Iaith gref/language: ◉◎◎◎◎ Rhyw/sex: ◎◎◎◎◎ Her darllen/reading difficulty:: ◉◉◉◎◎ Dyfarniad/verdict: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Dyma stori bwerus sy’n adrodd hanes dau ffrind, Alun y Gelli a Tecwyn Tŷ’r Nant wrth iddyn nhw dyfu i fyny ym mhentref Nantfechan cyn ymuno â’r fyddin yng nghyfnod y Rhyfel Byd Cyntaf. Nofel hanesyddol yw hon, gydag elfennau arswydus sy’n cynnwys nifer o gyfeiriadau at ffeithiau a digwyddiadau gwir. Mae’r awdur wedi plethu hyn yn feistrolgar gyda stori ffuglen am fywyd y ddau ffrind sy’n deimladwy iawn. Hwn yw’r chweched tro i Gareth F.Williams ennill Gwobr Tir na n-Og ac mae’n hawdd gweld pam. Mae’r nofel wedi ei rhannu’n sawl ran. Yn gyntaf, clywn am ddiwrnod trawsnewidiol pan aeth y ddau ffrind i’r goedwig a dod ar draws hen dŷ arswydus. Digwyddodd rhywbeth brawychus yno wnaeth newid perthynas y ffrindiau gorau am byth. Erbyn hyn, mae Alun yn hen ddyn, sy’n edrych yn ôl dros ei fywyd. Dyma sut rydym yn cael gwybod am fywyd yn y pentref yn arwain i fyny at y Rhyfel, ac yna, hagrwch ac erchylltra’r ffosydd yn Frelinghien, Ffrainc. Yn dilyn digwyddiadau yn yr hen dŷ, fuodd ‘na fawr o Gymraeg rhwng y ddau eto. A dweud y gwir, gallwch fynd mor bell a dweud eu bod nhw bellach yn elynion, sy’n ddryswch mawr i’w ffrindiau agos. Mae pêl-droed yn gefndir i’r stori, ac yn ogystal ag wynebu ei gilydd ar y cae pêl droed lleol, mae Alun a Tecs yn ffeindio’u hunain yng nghwmni ei gilydd eto yn y ffosydd. Tybed a all y ddau anghofio am helynt y gorffennol a bod yn gyfeillion unwaith eto? Mae’r ddau yn profi rhywbeth arbennig iawn ar ddiwrnod Nadolig 1914, mewn cadoediad byr rhwng y milwyr Prydeinig ac Almaenig lle stopiodd yr ymladd er mwyn dathlu’r wŷl a chael gêm gyfeillgar o bêl droed. Yn ddiweddar, mae hysbysebion Nadolig fel un Sainsbury’s wedi tynnu sylw at y digwyddiad nodedig yma. Mae’r awdur yn trafod nifer o bethau pwysig fel y feirniadaeth gref o’r Gweinidog, Erasmus Williams, yn defnyddio ei statws yn y gymuned i recriwtio dynion ifanc i’r fyddin. Hefyd, mae cyfeiriad at yr arferiad dirmygadwy o roi pluen wen i fechgyn oedd wedi aros gartref er mwyn eu cywilyddio i ymuno â’r fyddin. Roedd y bennod ‘Tadau’ yn emosiynol iawn wrth weld y dynion yn mynegi eu poen a’u hiraeth drwy fynd i lawr at y cae pêl droed gwag i weddïo dros eu meibion: “Lle wyt ti, ‘ngwas i? Lle uffarn wyt ti? Os na fyddai un ohonyn nhw yno’r Sadwrn hwnnw, gwyddai’r lleill fod ei holl weddïo wedi bod yn ofer, ac na fyddai ei hogyn yn dod adra i garlamu unwaith eto ar Gae Pen-rhos.” Grymus iawn ac yn dod a deigryn i’m llygaid. Mae Gareth F. Williams yn disgrifio erchylltra’r ffosydd fel ac yr oedd, ac mae ambell i ddisgrifiad yn hynod o drawiadol: “ Y ‘nhw’ oedd y milwyr a orweddai allan yn Nhir Neb, wedi’u hanafu’n ddifrifol, yn galw am gymorth, yn crio am eu mamau, yn crefu am gael marw.” Mae’n bosib fod y teitl yn cyfeirio at fwy na gêm syml o bêl droed, ond yn hytrach ‘y Gêm’ lle’r oedd y bobl mewn pŵer yn chwarae gyda bywydau’r dynion ifanc, yn eu cymell i ymladd ar faes y frwydr. Mewn gwirionedd, byddai wedi bod yn llawer gwell gan y bechgyn ifanc (o’r ddau ochr) chwarae gêm o ffwtbol a rhannu smôcs, na saethu ar ei gilydd. Dyna’r peth tristaf i gyd am yr holl beth. Gareth F Williams yw fy hoff awdur Cymraeg, gan fod ei lyfrau mor bwerus, ond eto, mor ddarllenadwy hefyd. Tydi byth yn faich darllen ei waith a dwi’n gwybod mod i mewn dwylo saff wrth bigo un o’i nofelau. Er mai oedran cynradd yw’r llyfr yma, mae o’n sicr yn fwy addas ar gyfer top yr Ysgol Gynradd neu efallai blynyddoedd cynnar yr Ysgol Uwchradd, heblaw bod arweiniad yr athro’n gallu bod o gymorth. Tydi’r iaith ddim yn anodd anodd, ond eto, mae angen rhywfaint o gymhwysedd darllen er mwyn gallu gwerthfawrogi’r nofel yn llawn. A powerful story about the tale of two friends, Alun Y Gelli and Tecwyn Tŷ’r Nant as they grew up in the village of Nantfechan before joining the army during the First World War. This is a historical novel, with some ghostly elements that includes a number of references to true facts and events. The author has interwoven this masterfully with a poignant fictional story about the life of the two very close friends. It is the sixth time that Gareth F. Williams has won the Tir na n-Og Award and it's easy to see why. The novel is divided into several parts. Firstly, we hear about a transformational day when the two friends ventured into the woods and happened upon an abandoned old house. Something frightening happened that changed their relationship forever. Now, Alun is an old man, who looks back over his life. This is how we find out about life in the village leading up to the war, and then the awful conditions of the trenches in Frelinghien, France. Following events in the old house, there had been bad blood between the two old friends. You could go so far and say that they are now enemies, which is a source of great confusion to his close friends. Football is the backdrop to the story, and as well as facing each other on the local football pitch, Alun and Tecs find themselves in each other's company once again in the trenches. I wonder if the two can forget about the past and become friends once again? The two experience something very special on Christmas Day 1914, in a short armistice between the British and German troops where the fighting stopped in order to celebrate. The day is remembered for the friendly game of football and exchange of gifts between the two sides. Recently, Christmas adverts such as Sainsbury's have highlighted this landmark event. The author discusses a number of important things such as the strong criticism of the minister, Erasmus Williams, using his community status to recruit young men into the army. There is also a reference to the despicable practice of giving boys that had stayed at home a white feather in order to shame them into joining the army. The chapter ‘Tadau’ [fathers] was very emotional as the men left behind expressed their pain and longing by going down to the empty football pitch to pray for their sons. It was clear that the fathers who did not return to the pitch the following week had lost their sons, and they would never again play football on the fields. Gareth F. Williams describes the horrors of the trenches as they were. A few descriptions are remarkably harrowing such as that of the wounded soldiers lying in bits on no-man’s land, crying for their mothers and begging to die. It is possible that the title refers to more than a simple game of football, but rather 'the game' is likely to be the war itself, where the people in power (and relative safety and comfort) played with young men's lives, compelling them to fight on the battlefield. In fact, the young lads (from both sides) would have much preferred playing a game of footy and sharing a few cigarettes together rather than killing each other. That is all the saddest thing about the whole thing; such a waste. It reminds me of the quote by Herbert Hoover; “Older men declare war. But it is the youth that must fight and die.” Gareth F Williams is my favourite Welsh writer, as his books are powerful and compelling, yet, so utterly readable as well. I know I’m in safe hands when picking up one of his novels. Although the book is for primary school age, it is certainly more suited to the upper end of the primary school or maybe the early years of secondary school. Teacher guidance could help with younger readers I suppose. The language isn’t hugely difficult, but again, a certain level of reading competence/ability is required in order to be able to fully appreciate the novel.

*Scroll down for English & comments* Llyfr ffeithiau lliwgar, syml am y gofod. Colourful, simple fact book about space. Genre: Ffeithiol/factual Gwerth addysgiadol/educational value: ◉◉◉◉◉ Negeseuon positif/positive messages: ◎◎◎◎◎ Themau trist,anodd/upsetting,tough themes: ◎◎◎◎◎ Trais, ofn/violence, scary: ◎◎◎◎◎ Iaith gref/language: ◎◎◎◎◎ Rhyw/sex: ◎◎◎◎◎ Her darllen/reading difficulty:: ◉◉◉◎◎ Dyfarniad/verdict: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ Ers yn blentyn dwi wedi gwirioni gyda’r gofod. Dwi dal wrth fy modd hefo unrhyw beth sy’n ymwneud ag ef, boed hyn yn newyddion neu’r ffilm ddiweddaraf. Mae’r syniad o wagle enfawr, di derfyn yn rhyfeddu ac yn cyffroi plant o unrhyw oedran. Allwch chi gredu fod ‘na fwy o blanedau yn y bydysawd ‘na sydd o ronynnau o dywod ar bob traeth ar y ddaear?! Anhygoel! Rydym ni’n ffeindio cysyniadau fel hyn yn anodd i’w prosesu. Yn enwedig i blant ifanc, mae rhai o’r syniadau yn anodd eu hesbonio ac yn mind-boggling a dweud y gwir! Dyna pam dwi wrth fy modd gweld llyfr fel hwn sy’n ceisio gwneud y pwnc mor hawdd â phosib i gynulleidfa oedran cynradd. Mi faswn i wedi bod wrth fy modd yn derbyn copi o hwn yn fy mhlentyndod! Mae dyluniad y llyfr yn lliwgar, yn syml ac yn siŵr o apelio at lygaid plentyn. Mae 'na lot o wybodaeth yn y llyfr ond dim gormod i ddrysu - mae’r print bras yn help mawr hefyd. Clawr caled sydd i’r llyfr ac o ganlyniad mae’n teimlo fel llyfr o ansawdd da. Mae’r llyfr wedi’i drefnu’n synhwyrol ac mae pob planed yn cael tudalen ei hun yn llawn ffeithiau diddorol. Yn dilyn hyn, mae gwahanol ddarnau’n sôn am rocedi, gofodwyr a phethau eraill perthnasol. Roeddwn i’n hoff o’r llinell amser ar y diwedd hefyd i roi popeth mewn cyd-destun. Mae glossary yn y cefn sy’n helpu i esbonio’r geiriau allweddol. Yn bersonol, byddwn wedi hoffi gweld y geiriau Saesneg cyfatebol yma hefyd. Byddai’r llyfr yma’n gwneud anrheg berffaith i unrhyw un sydd â diddordeb mewn gwyddoniaeth a phethau yn ymwneud â’r gofod. Er hyn, dwi’n meddwl mai prif gryfder y llyfr yw ei werth fel adnodd dysgu. Mae’r pwnc yn codi ym mhob ysgol fel rhan o wersi gwyddoniaeth, a gan fod hi braidd yn anodd mynd ar drip ysgol i’r gofod (mi fysa’n cŵl basa!), mae’n rhaid i ni fodloni ar ddarllen amdano yn y dosbarth. Yn aml, mae digon o wybodaeth am blanedau ar gael ar y we yn Saesneg, ac er bod trawsieithu yn sgil hynod o bwysig, mae’n braf gallu cael pethau yn Gymraeg. Mae ‘na nifer o dasgau dysgu gwerthfawr all ddeillio o’r llyfr; er enghraifft creu poster neu bas data gwybodaeth am blanedau. Byddai’r llyfr yn ddefnyddiol ar gyfer prosiect cyffredinol ar y gofod – gall y plant ymarfer sgiliau darllen drwy chwilio a chwalu am ffeithiau (yn enwedig plant iau fel blwyddyn 3 a 4). Rhieni – beth am brynu’r llyfr i’ch plentyn ac yna mynd am drip teulu i Ganolfan Jodrell Bank ger Manceinion? Since I was a child I have been captivated and enthralled by space. I still find myself fascinated with absolutely anything relating to space, be it newspaper articles or the latest sci-fi films! The idea of huge, unlimited, ever-expanding space amazes and excites children (and adults to be fair!) of any age. Can you believe that there are more planets in the universe than there are grains of sand on all of Earth’s beaches? Incredible isn’t it? We find such abstract concepts difficult to process. This is especially true for young children, who find some of the hard to grasp. It really is quite mind-boggling when you think about it! That's why I'm always pleased to see a book which aims to make the subject as easy as possible for primary age children. I’d have been delighted to get a copy of this when I was younger! The design of the book is both colourful and simple and is bound to appeal to children’s eyes. There's a lot of information contained in the book but not so much as to confuse – the large print is a big help too. The book has a hard cover and consequently feels like it’s of good quality. The book is sensibly organized and each planet gets its own page full of interesting facts. Following this, we have various sections about rockets, astronauts and other relevant stuff. I’m a big fan of the timeline at the end as it puts everything in context. A glossary at the back helps to explain the key words. Personally, I would have liked to have seen the corresponding English words here as well as it would be more useful. This book would make a perfect gift to anyone interested in science and all things space-related. However, I think the main strength of the book lies in its value as a learning resource. The topic arises in all schools as part of science lessons, and as it is rather difficult to go on a school trip to space (Would be amazing right?) we have to make do with reading about it in class instead. Often, we have plenty of information in English on the web and although translanguaging (reading in one language then writing in another) is a hugely important skill, it is nice to be able to get things in Welsh occasionally. There are a number of valuable learning tasks that can result from this book. For example; creating a poster or database with planetary facts. The book could be useful for a general space project – providing opportunities to practice reading/selecting skills whilst searching for facts (especially younger children such as Year 3 and 4). You can be assured that the book has been rigorously fact checked, unlike some internet sources. Parents – why not take the family on a day out to the Jodrell Bank centre near Manchester and have this book in the car to keep them occupied on the drive!?

*Scroll down for English & Comments* Mwy o anturiaethau gyda'r ferch fach ddrygionus! More adventures with this mischievous girl! Gwasg: Y Lolfa Cyhoeddwyd: 2018 ISBN: 978-1-78461-549-9 *Gwreiddiol Cymraeg ~ Welsh Original* Lefel: ❖ Iaith hawdd/llyfr byr Easy, clear text/very short book Dyfarniad/Verdict: ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ Genre: #antur #adventure #mischief #direidi Faint o weithiau dwi’n cofio fy rhieni’n gweiddi “Na!” arnaf pan oni’n blentyn...? Wel mae rhieni, brawd ac athrawon Nel wastad yn gorfod gweiddi “Na, Nel!” wrth y ferch fach ddireidus yma! Mae’r gyfrol weddol newydd yma wedi bod yn ‘hit’ dros Gymru wrth i ni ddarllen am anturiaethau y ferch fach “llawn bywyd”! Cafodd y stori yma ei ryddhau ar gyfer Diwrnod y Llyfrau ac mae’n un o’r llyfrau sydd ar gael am £1. Ia!! Dim ond £1!! Allwch chi gredu?! Dim ond 48 tudalen sydd i ‘Na Nel, Un tro…” ac mae ei faint yn berffaith i gael stori sydyn heb ormod o waith darllen. Mae’r print yn reit fawr ac yn glir ac mae’r penodau’n fyr hefyd! Bonws! Yn y stori yma, rydym ni’n dilyn Nel wrth iddi hi a’i ffrindiau a’i hathrawes, Miss Morgan, fentro allan yn y tywydd garw i’r gystadleuaeth dweud stori! Ond tydi bywyd byth yn ddistaw gydag ein hoff ferch, Nel. Mae yna antur o fewn cloriau’r llyfr byr yma! Rhowch gynnig arni i glywed beth yw hanes cyfrinach y ‘nicyrs’ a darganfod syrpréis Nel ar y diwedd! Mae'r gyfres wedi'i hanelu at ddarllenwyr 6-8+ ac yn addas ar gyfer rhiant/athro i'w darllen ar gyfer 5-10 oed. Mae 'na luniau bach da du a gwyn gan John Lund hefyd sy’n mynd a ni i fyd Nel! Tafodiaith y de sydd yn y llyfr yma, ond mae’n ddigon hawdd i’w ddeall, hyd yn oed i Gog fel fi! Yr unig beth am y llyfr yma ydi bron ei fod o'n rhy fyr, ond wnai ddim cwyno am y pris! Hwn oedd y llyfr ‘Na Nel!’ cyntaf i mi ddarllen, ond nid hwn yw’r cyntaf yn y gyfres, felly rwan dwi’n awyddus i fynd yn ôl i lyfr 1 i glywed mwy am ddrygioni Nel! How many times do I recall my parents telling me “No!” when I was younger... Well, Nel’s parents, brother and teacher are always shouting “No, Nel” at this mischievous little girl! This new series has been a ‘hit’ across Wales as we read about the energetic antics of this likeable character! This book was released for World Book Day and is one of the £1 books! Yes, £1!! Can you believe it?! Only 48 pages makes this a perfect quick story to enjoy without too much strenuous reading. The print is fairly large and clear and the chapters short too! Bonus! In this story we follow Nel and her classmates and teacher, Miss Morgan as they venture out into the bad weather to attend a story competition. Life is never straightforward and boring with Nel, so as you can imagine, there’s an adventure even within this short novel! Give it a go and find out about the secret of the knickers and Nel’s big surprise at the end! The series is aimed at readers aged 6-8+ and is suitable for parents/teachers to read to children aged 5-10. There are wonderful black and White illustrations throughout the book by John Lund, which help take us into Nel’s world. The dialect in the story is South Walian but it’s easy enough for a ‘Gog’ like me to understand! The only thing about this book is it’s almost too short! (but I won’t complain for the price!) This was the First ‘Na, Nel!’ book that I read, but it’s not the First in the series, so I’ll have to go back and discover the rest and find about Nel’s mischief!