Chwilio

*Scroll down for English & comments* Ysbiwr ifanc yn erbyn terfysgwyr! Young spy vs the terrorists! Addasiad/adaptation: Elin Meek Gwasg/publisher: Gomer Cyhoeddwyd/released: 2009 Cyfres: Yr Hebog Pris: £4.99 ISBN: 9781848510005 Lefel her/challenge level: ❖ Dyslecsia-gyfeillgar, addas i ddarllenwyr amharod Dyslexia-friendly, suitable for reluctant readers Dyma addasiad o’r llyfr Saesneg ‘Deadline’ gan hen law, John Townsend. Fel y mae’r clawr yn awgrymu, llyfr antur ysbïwr (Spy Adventure) ydi hwn ac mae’n sicr o apelio’n fwy at fechgyn. Mae’r awdur yn reit glyfar yma, ac mae’r llyfr yn digwydd fel cyfres o countdowns, felly mae’r ffaith fod yna ras yn erbyn amser yn adio elfen o gyffro i’r darllen. Mae Bleddyn ar drip ysgol, a thra mae’r dosbarth yn y gwesty, mae gêm ddiniwed o chwarae cuddio’n troi’n rhywbeth llawer mwy sinistr. Drwy hap a damwain, mae Bleddyn (a’i ffrind gorau, Lowri) yn dod ar draws dynion yn ymddwyn yn rhyfedd iawn. Mae yna gynllwyn tywyll i ffrwydro awyren gyda channoedd o deithwyr. Tybed all Bleddyn rybuddio’r awdurdodau ac achub y dydd cyn bod pobl yn marw? Y broblem yw, bachgen 13 oed yw Bleddyn a does neb yn ei gredu. Er mwyn atal y terfysgwyr, rhaid i Bleddyn wneud penderfyniadau mawr, ac mae ei fywyd ei hun mewn perygl. Mae ei athrawes, Mrs Prys, yn meddwl ei fod o’n ffŵl, ac am ei yrru adref o’r trip… Mewn ffordd, mae 'na nifer o bethau typical yn y llyfr yma. Yr oedolion ddim yn credu’r plant, plant yn achub y dydd yn erbyn oedolion drwg. Math yna o beth. Ond dyma be fydd yn apelio dwi’n meddwl. Mae’r llyfr yn dangos fod plant yn gallu bod yn ddewr, yn glyfar, yn gyfrwys ac yn ddyfeisgar… yn union beth sydd ei angen mewn Spy. Mi wnes i fwynhau’r stori yma. Mae’r naratif yn syml ac mae’r terfyn amser yn symud y stori yn ei flaen yn handi. Cafodd y llyfr ei gyhoeddi’n wreiddiol gan Barrington Stoke, sy’n arbenigo mewn llyfrau i fechgyn, darllenwyr amharod, dihyder a rhai sydd â dyslecsia. Dydi’r stori ddim yn hir, mae’r penodau yn fyr, ac mae yna ddigon o antur a sôn am anti-aircraft missiles ynddo! Mae’r cyhoeddwyr wedi datblygu ffont arbenigol sy’n ddyslecsia-gyfeillgar, ac mae hyn i fod i wneud y darllen yn haws, gan adael digon o fylchau a pharagraffau byrion. Dwi’n argymell y llyfr yma fel un da ar gyfer bechgyn sydd yn newydd i ddarllen, er mwyn iddyn nhw gael mwynhau llyfr, a chael y teimlad o falchder ar ôl ei gwblhau. Be dwi’n hoffi am y llyfr yma, yw bod hi’n stori reit syml, mewn iaith hawdd i ddeall, ond dydi’r cynnwys a’r thema ddim yn patronizing ac yn blentynnaidd. Mae angen mwy o lyfrau fel hyn i ddenu darllenwyr newydd. Biti fod mwy o waith yr awdur heb gael ei addasu i’r Gymraeg... eto. ADNODDAU DYSGU: Cliciwch yma i'w llawrlwytho. Dyma ‘chydig o wybodaeth amdano: John Townsend worked as a Secondary School teacher before becoming a full-time writer of children's books and a writer-in-residence in a primary school tree-house. He specialises in fun, exciting information books for reluctant readers, as well as fast-paced fiction, reading schemes and 'fiction with facts' books. He visits schools around the country to encourage excitement in all aspects of reading and writing. He has published about 300 titles, including the 'Truly Foul Facts and Cheesy Jokes' non-fiction laugh and learn series. Here is an adaptation of the English title ' Deadline ' by experienced, but not hugely well-known author, John Townsend. As the cover suggests, this is a Spy adventure and is bound to appeal more to boys. The author has been quite clever and has set the book against a series of countdowns. The race against time factor adds an element of tension and excitement to the story. Bleddyn is on a school trip, and while the class is in the hotel, an innocent game of hide-and-seek becomes something much more sinister. By chance, Bleddyn (and his best friend, Lowri) come across a group of men behaving very strangely. Together, they uncover a dark conspiracy to blow up an aircraft with hundreds of passengers. I wonder if Bleddyn can warn the authorities in time and save the day? The problem is, Bleddyn is just a 13-year-old boy and no one believes a word he says. To prevent the terrorists, Bleddyn must make big decisions, find some evidence and he must put his own life in jeopardy. His teacher, Mrs Prys, thinks he’s a fool, and wants to send him home from the trip... In a way, there are a number of typical things in this book. The adults don't believe the children, children save the day against evil adults. That sort of thing. But this is what I think will be appealing - the “I told you so” moment at the end. The book shows that children can be brave, clever, cunning and resourceful... Exactly what is needed in a Spy. I enjoyed this story. The narrative is simple and the time limit moves the story forward and keeps the pace going. The book was originally published by Barrington Stoke, specialising in books for boys, reluctant, unconfident readers and those with Dyslexia. The story is not long, the chapters are short, and there is plenty of adventure and references to anti-aircraft missiles! The publishers have developed a specialist dyslexia-friendly font, which is supposed to make the reading easier. (spacing between words, shorter paragraphs etc.) I recommend this book as a good one for boys who are new to reading, so that they can enjoy a book, together with the feeling of pride when it is completed. What I like about this book, is that it's quite a simple story, in easy to understand language, but the content isn’t patronizing and childish. More books like this are needed to attract people who wouldn’t normally choose to read. It’s also a shame that more of the author’s work has not been adapted to Welsh… yet. Some information about the author: John Townsend worked as a Secondary School teacher before becoming a full-time writer of children's books and a writer-in-residence in a primary school tree-house. He specialises in fun, exciting information books for reluctant readers, as well as fast-paced fiction, reading schemes and 'fiction with facts' books. He visits schools around the country to encourage excitement in all aspects of reading and writing. He has published about 300 titles, including the 'Truly Foul Facts and Cheesy Jokes' non-fiction laugh and learn series.

*Scroll down for English & Comments* Llyfr i ddathlu pen-blwydd Sali Mali yn 50! Book celebrating Sali Mali's 50th Birthday! Genre: straeon byrion/short stories 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: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ Adolygiad gan/review by: Mererid Haf Roberts Mae’r rhestr o awduron sydd wedi cyfrannu at y gyfrol hon yn amrywiol iawn, o Mererid Hopwood i Tudur Owen, o Eigra Lewis Roberts i Rhys Ifans, a llawer mwy. Ac mae gweld yr enwau cyfarwydd ar y clawr yn denu oedolion at y gyfrol yn sicr, gan wneud hwn yn anrheg berffaith i blant a'u teuluoedd. A beth am ddechrau gyda’r clawr? Mae’n wahanol i’r arfer am ei fod yn glawr realiti estynedig (augmented reality), sy’n golygu bod golygfa fach wedi ei hanimeiddio yn ymddangos pan fyddwch chi’n sganio’r clawr ar eich ffôn neu dabled trwy ap o’r enw Zappar – am ddechrau gwych i blant bach, cael gweld Sali Mali a Jac Do, cymeriadau hoffus a chyfarwydd, cyn agor y llyfr a darllen yr un gair, hyd yn oed! Ac er nad oes modd rhyngweithio â nhw, mae’n ychwanegiad bach difyr a deniadol i’r gyfrol. Rhwng y ddau glawr ceir amrywiaeth o straeon sydd yn wahanol yn eu harddull i’r llyfrau Sali Mali gwreiddiol a thraddodiadol, gan mai straeon i’w darllen i blant bach ydi’r rhain, yn hytrach na llyfrau i blant ddechrau dysgu darllen ar eu pen eu hunain. Serch hynny, mae hanfodion y cymeriadau rydyn ni wedi dod i’w hadnabod a’u caru’r un peth: Jac y Jwc a’i droeon trwstan ond â chalon fawr, Sali Mali drefnus a charedig, y Pry Bach Tew drygionus, ac mae’r criw i gyd yn ymddangos yn eu tro. Wrth gwrs, gall plant hŷn a darllenwyr iau hyderus ddarllen y rhain, ond teimlaf efallai fod rhai o'r straeon yn rhy syml neu'n blentynnaidd iddyn nhw, o bosib. Fel sy’n nodweddiadol o straeon i blant bach, mae neges syml i bob stori unigol wrth iddyn nhw drafod themâu megis cyfeillgarwch, caredigrwydd, dewrder a chydweithio. Roeddwn i’n falch iawn bod hiwmor yn elfen amlwg yn y rhan fwyaf o’r straeon hefyd, a chredaf y bydd plant yn mwynhau’r sefyllfaoedd sy’n codi ac yn chwerthin yn uchel ar rai o’r straeon. Fy hoff straeon i oedd 'Swigod a Sgorio' gan Gruffudd Owen, 'Y Picnic' gan Elen Pencwm, 'Triciau’r Pry Bach Tew' gan Bethan Gwanas ac 'Anrheg Jac y Jwc' gan Aneirin Karadog. Ond mae yma ddigon o amrywiaeth gan lu o awduron gwych, a bydd gan bob aelod o’r teulu ei ffefryn, yn bendant! Adolygiad oddi ar www.gwales.com, trwy ganiatâd Cyngor Llyfrau Cymru. The list of contributing authors is vast, from Mererid Hopwood to Tudur Owen, from Eigra Lewis Roberts to Rhys Ifans, and much more. Seeing familiar, well known names will surely appeal to adults who will be buying. It makes it a perfect gift for children and their families. How about starting with the cover? It's different to the usual because it contains augmented reality, which means an animated scene can be displayed as you scan it with your phone or tablet using the free Zappar app. What a great start to see all the favourite characters brought to life before even opening and reading a word! Despite not being able to interact with them, it's an interesting and attractive little bonus. Between the two covers you get a variety of stories that are different in style to the original and traditional Sali Mali tales. This is because these stories are for young children, and not necessarily 'learning to read independently' resources. The things we know and love are present: Jac y Jwc and his clumsiness but big heart, the organized yet kind Sali Mali, the mischievous Pry Bach Tew. The whole crew turns up eventually! Of course, older children and more confident younger children can enjoy these, but perhaps some of the tales are too simple and childish for older readers. As is expected in stories for young children, each tale has a simple moral message as they discuss themes like friendship, kindness, bravery and cooperation. I was pleased that humour is employed in most of the stories, and I believe that kids will enjoy some of the situations that arise and will be laughing out loud! My favourites were 'Swigod a Sgorio' by Gruffudd Owen, 'Y Picnic' by Elen Pencwm, 'Triciau’r Pry Bach Tew' by Bethan Gwanas and 'Anrheg Jac y Jwc' by Aneirin Karadog. There's plenty of variety by the brilliant authors and each member of the family will have their own favourite stories for sure! A review from www.gwales.com, with the permission of the Books Council of Wales. Gwasg/publisher: Gomer Cyhoeddwyd/released: 2019 Pris: £12.99

*Scroll down for English & comments* Bywyd yn Nebo, ar ôl 'Y Terfyn.' Life in Nebo, after 'The End'. ★ Llyfr y Flwyddyn, 2019, Book of the Year ★ ❤ Cymraeg gwreiddiol, Welsh original ❤ Genre: Post-apocalyptic dystopian 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 ddim yn meddwl mod i wedi gweld cymaint o ‘hype’ a chyffro am lyfr Cymraeg ers talwm iawn… os erioed! Cafodd y llyfr yma ei grybwyll gan nifer fel llyfr gorau’r ddegawd! Ers iddo ennill y Fedal Ryddiaith yn Eisteddfod Genedlaethol 2018 a Llyfr y Flwyddyn 2019, mae o wedi cael ei ail-argraffu droeon! Yn ddiweddar iawn, wrth i gwmni theatr Frân Wen baratoi i fynd ag addasiad llwyfan o’r llyfr ar daith ledled Cymru, mae yna unwaith eto gyffro mawr am lyfr sydd wedi creu argraff enfawr ym myd llyfrau Cymraeg. Mae gen i sawl rheswm i ddiolch i Manon Steffan Ros. Yn gyntaf, am sgwennu whopar o nofel, ac yn ail, am ennyn fy niddordeb i fod eisiau darllen mwy o nofelau Cymraeg. I esbonio - cyn Llyfr Glas Nebo, anaml iawn fyddwn i’n dewis llyfr Cymraeg i’w ddarllen. Dwi wedi sylwi ar sawl un yn nodi sylwadau tebyg ledled Cymru. Dyma lyfr sydd wedi llwyddo i daro deuddeg hefo darllenwyr selog, ond hefyd, efo darllenwyr newydd. Mae hefyd yn boblogaidd ymysg dysgwyr Cymraeg. Dw i’n tybio eich bod yn gofyn pam ei fod yn cael ei gynnwys ar wefan adolygiadau ar gyfer plant a phobl ifanc. Wel, er mai nofel i oedolion oedd o yn wreiddiol, mae o’n llawer mwy na hyn bellach. Nofel yw hon sy’n gweithio i bawb gan ei bod mor hawdd i’w darllen. Stori sy’n ddigon ysgafn i’w mwynhau ar ôl diwrnod caled o waith, ond sydd hefyd yn cyflwyno negeseuon dwys sy’n aros yn y cof ymhell ar ôl cau’r clawr. Nofel post-apocalyptaidd dystopian ydi hi ar ffurf dyddiadur, sy’n trafod bywyd rhai blynyddoedd ar ôl ‘Y Terfyn.’ Swnio’n ominous dydi! Er bod manylion yn brin, down i ddeall fod gorsaf niwclear Wylfa ym Môn wedi ffrwydro neu ei tharo gan fom. Pwnc sy’n fy nychryn gymaint achos mae o mor gredadwy ac yn hollol bosib. Yn nyddiau Trump a thensiynau gydag Iran, Rwsia a Gogledd Korea; mae’n dod yn fwyfwy posib pob dydd! Heb ddatgelu gormod o fanylion, rydan ni’n cwrdd â Siôn, bachgen yn ei arddegau a’i fam, Rowenna. Mae bywyd yn anodd wedi’r Terfyn - prinder bwyd, nwyddau meddygol, diffyg trydan ac ati. Fodd bynnag, yng nghanol hyn i gyd, mae yna obaith ac mae yna gyfoeth newydd i’w bywydau. Ceir nifer o sylwadau sy’n beirniadu’r ‘hen ffordd o fyw’, y prysurdeb, y gwastraff a phawb ar ei sgriniau digidol. Tydi Manon Steffan Ros byth yn pregethu chwaith. Er bod hi’n gyfnod anodd a llwm, mae ’na brydferthwch a pharch tuag at y byd newydd. Mae’r ddau yn dod i werthfawrogi’r pethau bach syml mewn bywyd. Drwy’r nofel mae’n ddiddorol gweld Siôn yn tyfu ac yn aeddfedu, gan ddod yn fwyfwy annibynnol. Mae penodau Rowenna yn ddiddorol gan iddi sôn am y gorffennol, cyn Y Terfyn ac yn cyferbynnu’n dda gyda Siôn, sy’n trafod y presennol. Erbyn diwedd y nofel, mae’r ddau gymeriad yn bobl wahanol ac mae eu perthynas wedi newid. Roedd amrywio pwy oedd yn ’sgwennu yn y dyddiadur bob yn ail pennod yn cadw pethau’n ddifyr. Mae ’na ran ohonof yn teimlo rhwystredigaeth fod y nofel yn fyr, gan nad oedd amser i ymchwilio mwy ar y cyfnod sy’n arwain at y Terfyn a’r digwyddiad ei hun. Yn bersonol, byddwn wedi hoffi gwybod mwy am sut y bu i gyfraith a threfn ddadfeilio ar ôl i’r bomiau cyntaf daro Llundain a Manceinion. Fodd bynnag, nofel fer yw hi, ac yn y pen draw, dwi’n meddwl ei bod hi’n gweithio’n well fel hyn a bod hynny’n rhan fawr o’i llwyddiant. Fel y dywedodd Mark Twain, “I didn't have time to write a short letter, so I wrote a long one instead.” Mae’n hawdd iawn ’sgwennu llwyth, ond mae angen mwy o grefft wrth ysgrifennu’n gynnil. Dyma sgil y mae Manon Steffan Ros wedi’i mireinio i’r dim. Nofel yw hon sy’n gwneud i chi feddwl a sy’n codi cwestiynau dilys am ein ffordd o fyw presennol. Fyddwch chi ddim yn hir yn gorffen y llyfr, dwi’n gaddo. Un-put-downable. Mi wnes i ei gorffen mewn 3 eisteddiad! Bydd y nofel hefyd yn destun gosod ar gyfer TGAU Llenyddiaeth Cymraeg o 2021 ymlaen a dwi’n sicr y bydd nifer o ysgolion yn dewis ei hastudio. I don't think I've seen so much 'hype' and excitement about a Welsh book for a long time... if ever! This book is thought of by many as the ‘book of the decade!’ Since winning the prose medal at the National Eisteddfod, 2018 and the Book of the Year Award 2019, it has been reprinted many times and continues to sell well. Currently, as Cwmni Frân Wen prepares to take a stage adaptation of the book on tour across Wales, there is again a great excitement about a book that has created a huge impression in the world of Welsh books. I have many reasons to thank Manon Steffan Ros. First, for writing a whopper of a novel, and secondly, for engaging my interest in wanting to read more Welsh novels. To explain- before Llyfr Glas Nebo [The Blue Book of Nebo] I rarely chose a Welsh book to read. I have noticed a number of similar comments across Wales. This book has hit a note with faithful consumers of Welsh literature as well as bringing new readers on board. It is also very popular with Welsh learners for it’s easy-reading appeal. Why is an adult book included on this website I hear you ask! Well, even though it technically started as a book for adults, it has become much more than this. It’s a novel which works for everyone because it’s an easy read. A story that is light enough to be read after a hard day's work, but which also presents deeper, emotional messages that remain in the reader’s thoughts long after the covers are closed. We have here a dystopian, post-apocalyptic novel in the form of a diary, which discusses life some years after 'Y Terfyn’ [the End]. Sounds ominous doesn’t it! Although there isn’t great deal of detail, we understand that Wylfa nuclear power station in Anglesey has exploded – possibly hit by a bomb. It is a subject that frightens me so much because it’s both credible and entirely possible. In these days of Trump and tensions with Iran, Russia and North Korea; it is becoming increasingly possible every day! Right, enough doom-mongering! Without revealing too much detail, we meet Siôn, a boy in his teens and his mother, Rowenna. Life is difficult post-nuclear apocalypse. Food shortages, limited medical supplies, no electricity, etc. However, in the midst of all this, there is some hope and a new richness to their lives. There are a number of comments that criticise the old way of life; the busyness, the wasteful throw-away culture, everyone glued to their digital screens. The author shines a light on these aspects without ever preaching. Despite the bleakness of life, there is also beauty and respect for the new world. Both have come to appreciate the simple things in life. Throughout the novel it is interesting to see Siôn grow and mature, becoming increasingly independent. Rowenna's chapters are interesting as she talks about the past, and this contrasts well with Siôn’s writing, which discusses the present. By the end of the novel, the two characters are different people and their relationship has changed. A part of me feels a tad frustrated that the novel was so short, as there was little time to probe deeper into the period leading up to ‘Y Terfyn’ and to an extent, the event itself. Personally, I would have liked to know more about how law and order fell apart after the first bombings hit London and Manchester. This is however, a short novel and, ultimately, I think that was part of its appeal. As Mark Twain once said, "I didn't have time to write a short letter, so I wrote a long one instead." I think it’s much easier to write at length, but more skill and control is needed when keeping things brief. Manon Steffan Ros knows how to keep things succinct and breviloquent. This is a novel that makes you think and it raises legitimate questions about our current way of life. You won't be long finishing the book, I promise. You could say it is un-put-downable. I finished it in three reading sessions! I am happy that the novel will also be a set text for GCSE Welsh Literature from 2021 onwards. I’m hopeful schools will choose to study it and thus giving the book a whole new audience. Gwasg/publisher: Y Lolfa Cyhoeddwyd/released: 2018 Pris/price: £8.99

*Scroll down for English & comments* Pecyn croeso i'r ddaear i bobl bach newydd! Welcome pack to earth for new humans! ♥ Llyfr y Mis Ionawr 2020, January Book of the month ♥ Gwasg/publisher: Atebol Cyhoeddwyd/released: 2019 Addasiad/adaptation: Eurig Salisbury ISBN: 978-1912261987 Pris: £12.99 Yn ôl sôn, mae’r awdur yn Dad newydd, ac ar ddychwelyd o’r Ysbyty gyda’i fab newydd fe aeth a fo ar daith o gwmpas y tŷ yn cyflwyno’r amgylchedd newydd. Mae’r stori yma yn estyniad o’r syniad hwnnw, sef cyflwyno ein byd anhygoel i blentyn ifanc sy’n ceisio gwneud synnwyr o bopeth. Dim wir yn stori, ond mae hwn fwy fel rhyw fath o becyn groeso i bobl sy’n newydd i’r ddaear! Yn wir, ‘sa chi’n gallu rhoi copi o hwn i aliens wrth iddyn nhw lanio ar y ddaear am y tro cyntaf! (gan gymryd yn ganiataol fod nhw’n darllen Cymraeg, wrth gwrs!) Pwy sydd erioed wedi cael amser i eistedd yn ôl a jest meddwl pa mor anhygoel ac eang yw ein byd? Wel, mae’r llyfr yn gwneud hyn. Mae’r blaned yn ein hamddiffyn ni ac yn ein cynnal ni. Weithiau, dydyn ni, ddynol ryw, ddim bob amser yn parchu ein cartref cynnes saff. Mae’r llyfr yma’n cynnwys nifer o negeseuon sy’n annog pobl ifanc i barchu a gwarchod eu cartref. Mae’r ddaear yn llawn o systemau cymhleth a bregus, sy’n gweithio’n dda ac yn dibynnu ar ei gilydd. Rhaid sicrhau fod o’n cael ei amddiffyn. Mae 'na negeseuon hefyd am barchu ein gilydd a derbyn a dathlu ein gwahaniaethau. Diddorol oedd clywed fod yr awdur bellach yn byw yn Brooklyn - efallai y byddai Mr Trump yn hoffi copi o’r llyfr yma ‘Dolig nesa! Mae’r llyfr yn mynd a’r darllenydd ar wibdaith o amgylch y glôb, gan gyflwyno nifer o syniadau newydd ond heb fynd i ormodedd o fanylder. Wedi dweud hyn, dwi’n falch fod 'na fwy o fanylion gwyddonol yno na sydd wir ei angen ar blant ifanc iawn, achos wedyn, mae’r llyfr hefyd yn addas i blant ‘chydig yn hyn hefyd. Yn sicr dwi’n meddwl fod hwn yn llyfr sy’n gweddu’n well i’w gyd-ddarllen. Gan ddibynnu ar oed y plentyn, ond mae’r cysyniadau yn siŵr o sbarduno llwyth o gwestiynau eraill. Dwi’n hoff iawn o lyfrau sy’n tanio dychymyg a chwilfrydedd plant ac yn eu hannog i ofyn cwestiynau am y byd o’u cwmpas. Dwi’n siŵr fydd 'na oedolion fydd yn darllen y llyfr yma ac yn dysgu rhywbeth newydd hefyd (fel fi!) Mae geiriau’r awdur yn addfwyn ac yn dyner, ac mae’n siarad yn uniongyrchol gyda’r plentyn ifanc sy’n darllen. Yr awdur sydd hefyd wedi gwneud y lluniau, a dwi’n gwybod y byddwch yn cytuno, maen nhw’n brydferth iawn. Dwi’n hoff iawn o’r llong, y bont a skyline Efrog Newydd. Petai gennyf blant, mi fyddai’r llyfr hwn yn sicr ar fy rhestr siopa, gan fod ynddo gymaint o wyddoniaeth a daearyddiaeth a mwy. Yn wir, mae’n byrlymu â ffeithiau diddorol thu hwnt. Llyfr dwyieithog yw hwn, ac er bod ambell dudalen braidd yn brysur gyda’r ddwy iaith, mae’n syniad gwych i rieni sydd un ai’n dysgu, neu sydd eisiau cefnogi eu plant wrth ddarllen. Clawr caled, tudalennau o ansawdd da. The author, reportedly a new Dad, who upon returning from the hospital with his new son went on a tour of the house; introducing his son to his new environment. and F oar a tour of the house introducing the new environment. This book is an extension of that idea, which presents our incredible world to a young child trying to sense of everything. Not so much a story, but more of a ‘welcome to Earth pack’ for new residents! I’m sure you could hand out copies of this book to newly arriving aliens on their first visit! (assuming they read Welsh, of course!) Who has ever had time to sit back and think just how incredible and vast our world is? Well, the book does just this. The planet protects us and sustains us. Sometimes we humans, do not always respect our warm, safe home. This book contains a number of messages that encourages young minds to respect and protect our home. The earth is full of complex, delicate and fragile systems, that work well and depend on each other. It must be protected. There are also messages about respecting each other and tolerating and celebrating our differences. It was interesting to hear that the author now lives in Brooklyn – perhaps Mr. Trump could do with a copy of this book next Christmas! The book takes the reader on a tour of the globe, introducing a number of new ideas but not going into ridiculous detail. Having said this, I am pleased that there is still a certain level of scientific detail (probably beyond a younger child’s understanding), but it makes the book also appropriate for older children, say up to about 7-9. I certainly think that this book is better-suited to read with an adult. Depending on the age of the child, some of the concepts are bound to trigger a whole load of further questions. How exciting – parent and child could search together for answers not found in the book! I love anything that sparks children's imagination and curiosity; encouraging them to ask questions about the world around them. I'm sure there will also be adults who will read this book and pick up something new (like me!) The author's words are warm and gentle, he speaks as a father would, directly with the young child. The author is also responsible for the artwork, and I am sure you will agree, they are beautiful. I particularly love the ship, the bridge and the New York skyline! If I had children, this book would certainly be on my book-shopping list, as it has so much science and geography going on. Never mind the kids, it interests me! Indeed, it is bursting with interesting facts. This is a bilingual book, and although a few pages are rather busy with both languages, it’s a great idea for parents who are learning, or just want to support their children in reading. The book is hardcover, solid with good quality pages.

*Scroll down for English & comments* Llyfr sy'n trafod ymwybyddiaeth ofalgar. Mindfulness-based storybook. Gwasg/publisher: Gomer Cyhoeddwyd/released: 2019 Pris: £6.99 ISBN: 978-1-78562-297-7 ★ ★ Cymraeg gwreiddiol - Welsh Original ★ ★ Mae Cai yn cael dyddiau da, ac mae’n cael dyddiau gwael. Mewn ffordd, dwi’n meddwl fod hyn yn wir i ni gyd i raddau. Dyna yw bywyd weithiau ynte. You take the highs with the lows. Mae Nia a thîm o arbenigwyr yn y maes wedi datblygu llyfr sy’n sôn am rai o’r technegau sydd ar gael i helpu Cai deimlo’n well mewn iaith syml a hawdd i’w ddeall. Mae hyd yn oed y ffont sy’n cael ei ddefnyddio yn addas i blant. Adiwch y cyngor da a’r stori ei hun at luniau bendigedig Gwen Millward, ac mae gennych lyfr gwerth chweil yma. Er enghraifft, weithiau pan mae’r felan ar Cai, mae’n ysgwyd ei snowglobe ac yn gwylio’r gliter yn ofalus. Mae meddyliau Cai yn tawelu ac yn setlo fel y gliter. Ymarferion syml iawn. Mae’r esiamplau ar dudalennau 12 a 13 yn hynod o berthnasol achos mae sefyllfa’r dosbarth yn gallu cynhyrfu nifer o blant, fel Cai. Wrth gwrs, mae ‘na ddyddiau da, ond weithiau, yn yr union yr un sefyllfa, am ryw reswm neu'i gilydd, mae’n teimlo’n isel neu mewn panig. Mae’r pwysau sydd ar blant yn yr ysgol y dyddiau hyn, i ganolbwyntio, i gadw i fyny neu i fod yr un fath a phawb arall yn gallu bod yn ormod i rai. Dwi’n cofio fy nghalon yn curo a fy mochau’n poethi wrth i’r athrawes alw fy enw i ateb mewn gwers mathemateg. Gêm 24! Mochyn o beth! Mae’r llyfr yn sôn am rai o’r teimladau ac mae’n dysgu plant i adnabod rhai o’r cliwiau yn eu cyrff fod rhywbeth o’i le. Yna, mae’n cynnig strategaethau i ddelio a rhai problemau. Mae ymwybyddiaeth ofalgar yn rhywbeth sydd wedi cael cryn dipyn o gyhoeddusrwydd yn y blynyddoedd diwethaf, ac mae mwy o bobl yn dod i ddeall y buddion o’i wneud. Mae’n dysgu ni sut i sylwi ar ein corff, sut mae’n symud wrth i ni anadlu. Rydym ni’n gallu tawelu’r corff a'r meddwl er mwyn ymlacio. Dwi’n cofio pan oni’n dysgu, roeddwn i’n gwneud ymarferion tebyg gyda fy nosbarth yng nghyfnod y Profion Cenedlaethol. Mae o YN gweithio! Roedd y plant wrth eu bodd yn cael switch off am ‘chydig a chau llygaid ac ymlacio. Sitting Still Like a Frog oedd y llyfr+CD oeddwn i’n ei ddefnyddio. Rŵan, mae Cwmwl Cai yn rhoi adnodd Cymraeg i ni. Yn amlwg, byddai’r llyfr yn ddefnyddiol iawn i’w ddarllen adref gyda phlant sy’n cael trafferth rheoli emosiynau, neu sy’n dueddol o boeni neu or- bryderu. Fodd bynnag, dwi’n meddwl byddai’n werth defnyddio ymwybyddiaeth ofalgar yn yr ysgol gyda phawb. Fel oedolyn, mae gen i dechnegau fy hun hefyd - dwi’n hoffi cael cawod mewn tywyllwch llwyr gan ganolbwyntio ar wres a sŵn y dŵr yn unig. Efallai eich bod yn meddwl fod hynny’n od - ond mae o’n gweithio i mi! (wnâi ddim argymell hyn rhag ofn i chi lithro!) Dwi’n meddwl bydd pawb yn gallu uniaethu gyda Cai. Mae bywyd yn gallu bod yn hen beth unpredictable, a’r peth pwysig yw bod gennym ni’r strategaethau yn eu lle i ddelio gyda stress a phrysurdeb bywyd bob dydd. Beth am ddefnyddio’r llyfr fel sbardun i drafod strategaethau newydd, gwahanol unigryw? Y plant ei hunain fydd gan y syniadau gorau. Ym Mhrifysgol Bangor mae’r Ganolfan Ymarfer ac Ymchwil mewn Ymwybyddiaeth Ofalgar. Cliciwch yma i ddarganfod mwy. Mae 'na draciau sain ar gael i roi blas i chi a dwi’n gwybod fod 'na glipiau da ar Youtube (ond dim yn Gymraeg yn anffodus).Oedolion, mae Ap Cwtsh yn un da r gyfer myfyrio tawel. Cai has good days and has some bad days. In a sense, I think this is true of us all to a degree. That’s life sometimes! You take the highs with the lows. Nia and a team of experts in the field have developed a book about some of the techniques available to help you feel better in simple and easy to understand language. Even the font used is child-friendly. Add all that good advice, the story itself to the wonderful illustrations by Gwen Millward, and you have yourself a very useful book. For example, sometimes when Cai has the blues, he shakes his snowglobe and watches the glitter carefully. Cai's thoughts calm and settle like the glitter. Very simple exercises really. The examples on pages 12 and 13 are particularly pertinent today because a number of children, such as Cai, find the classroom a difficult environment to navigate. Of course, there are good days, but sometimes, in exactly the same situation, for some reason or other, he feels depressed and anxious. The pressure on children in schools nowadays - to concentrate, to keep up or to fit in can be too much for some. I remember my heart beating and my cheeks flushing as the teacher called my name to answer in a maths lesson. The 24 game! Awful thing! The book mentions some of the feelings and teaches children to recognize some bodily clues that something is wrong. It then proposes strategies to deal with some of these issues. Mindfulness is something that has received a great deal of publicity in recent years, and more people are coming to understand the benefits of doing it. It teaches us how to focus on our body, how it moves as we breathe. We can calm the body and mind in order to relax. I remember when I was teaching, I was doing similar exercises with my class during the national tests period. It works - honestly! The children thoroughly enjoyed switching off for a while and relaxing. Sitting still Like a Frog was the book+CD I used. Now, we have a Welsh resource to use. Obviously, the book would be very useful to read at home with children who are struggling to control their emotions, or who are prone to worry. However, I think it would be worth using mindfulness techniques at school with everyone. As an adult, I also have techniques myself- I like to shower in complete darkness concentrating only on the water's heat and sound. You might think that's strange – but it works for me! (I won’t recommend this in case of slips and trips!) I think everyone will be able to identify with Cai. Life can often be quite unpredictable. The important thing is that we have the correct strategies in place to deal with the stress, hustle and bustle of everyday life. Why not use the book as a springboard to discuss new, unique, tailor-made strategies? The best ideas will no doubt come from the children themselves. At Bangor University the Centre for Mindfulness Research and Practice is based. Click here to find out more. They have some good sound clips available to give you a taste and I know there are good clips on Youtube (but unfortunately not in Welsh). Parents, the Cwtsh app is a good one for quiet reflection.

*Scroll down for English & comments* Llyfr pyped bys hwyliog! Fun, fluffy finger puppet book! Gwasg/publisher: Rily Cyhoeddwyd/released: 2019 Originally published by: Igloo Books Ltd Pris: £4.99 ISBN: 978-1-84967-452-2 Dyma lyfr llawn hwyl i fabanod ifanc iawn. Mae’n llyfr rhyngweithiol gan fod yna byped bys ciwt a fflwfflyd sy’n mynd drwy dwll ym mhob tudalen. Stori syml am hwyaden ifanc yn cwrdd â nifer o anifeiliaid eraill drwy hwylio’r afon gyda Mami Hwyaden. Yn y diwedd, mae’r cywion bach eraill yn deor ac mae ganddo frodyr a chwiorydd! Llyfr bach lliwgar sy’n helpu i ymgyfarwyddo plant ifanc iawn gyda llyfrau. Edrychwch allan am deitlau eraill yn y gyfres Pitw Bach. Nid yw hwn yn llyfr dwyieithog, ond mae fersiwn Saesneg ar gael. Mae’n dweud addas i oedran 2+, ond byddai’n addas i rai iau. Hwyaden Bluog = Fluffy Duck. Here’s a fun little book for very young toddlers. It’s quite interactive and stimulating as it contains a fluffy finger puppet that goes through a hole in each page. A simple story about a young duckling who meets several other animals as he travels the river with his Mother. Eventually, the other eggs hatch and he gets brothers and sisters! A small, colourful little book that helps to get young children used to seeing and handling books. The hard cardboard pages will withstand some chewing! Look out for other titles in the ‘Pitw Bach’ series. This book is not bilingual, although an English version is available. It says it’s appropriate for age 2+ but I think it would be ok for younger children.

*Scroll down for English & comments* Adolygiad Cymraeg gan Awen Schiavone English review by Helen Perdikis. [Both refer to the Welsh version of the novel.] Antur gyffrous... mewn bus stop! Crazy adventure... that starts in a bus stop! Gwasg/publisher: Gomer Cyhoeddwyd/released: 2019 Addasiad/adaptation: Ioan Kidd ISBN: 978-1-78562-258-8 Pris: £5.99 Lefel her/reading challenge level: ❖ ❖ ◤ ◤ Fersiwn Cymraeg a Saesneg ar gael- Welsh and English editions available ◢ ◢ Wrth yr arhosfan bws, hanner ffordd rhwng ei gartref newydd a'i ysgol, mae Rhys yn digwydd dod ar draws yr union fan lle mae byd chwedlau a helyntion y byd go iawn yn cwrdd. Cowbois yn canu, creadur gwyrdd o'r cloddiau, y ferch gyflymaf ar ddwy olwyn, ymhlith eraill - a fydd y criw brith yma'n ddigon i'w achub rhag y gelyn peryclaf y gwyddon ni amdano? Yr hyn sy’n taro rhywun ar unwaith am y gyfrol hon yw’r clawr deniadol. Mae yma grafanc enfawr du fel pe’n anelu at fachgen sy’n eistedd mewn arhosfan bws, tra bo degau o barau o lygaid yn gwylio o’r cysgodion. Mae’r darlun, ynghyd â’r teitl anarferol – Arhosfan ym Mhen Draw’r Byd – yn denu sylw unrhyw ddarllenydd sy’n chwilio am stori unigryw ac annisgwyl. Ni chaiff darllenydd o’r fath ei siomi! Cawn ein cyflwyno i fachgen ifanc o’r enw Rhys, sy’n byw gerllaw’r arhosfan bws gyda’i dad, Siôn, sy’n methu â gweithio oherwydd anabledd. Mae Rhys yn gymeriad hoffus, ond nid yw’n cael llawer o fwynhad o fywyd ar hyn o bryd – mae’n cael trafferth darllen, nid yw’n adnabod llawer o bobl, ac mae pawb yn chwerthin ar ei ben yn yr ysgol. Mae Rhys yn teimlo’n arbennig – ond arbennig o anobeithiol yw hynny, gan ei fod yn arbennig o dda am wneud pethau’n anghywir. Ond, daw tro ar fyd gyda dyfodiad cyfres o ddieithriaid i’r dref a’r ardal gyfagos, ac yn benodol i’r arhosfan! Gydag ymddangosiad llond llaw o gymeriadau unigryw a rhyfedd, mae bywyd Rhys yn datblygu’n fywyd diddorol tu hwnt! Dywedir wrtho fod ganddo bwerau arbennig, sef y gallu i weld bydoedd eraill – bydoedd sy’n bodoli yn yr un gofod â’r dimensiwn dynol. Ni all Rhys gredu ei glustiau, ond mae’n gwybod fod rhywbeth rhyfeddol ar droed pan mae’n cyfarfod cymeriadau mor amrywiol â Doc Penfro a Kid Welly – sy’n gwisgo fel cowbois; Mrs Prydderch a Rhiannon, sy’n ymhel â dewiniaeth ddu gwrachod; Beth, y ddraig sy’n groes rhwng Lamborghini a roced; dyn bach gwyrdd o’r enw Wdig; y Wraig Wlanog; dafad ddu o’r enw Dafi; ellyllon; coblynnod; ysbrydion; a brân fusneslyd! O fewn cloriau’r gyfrol hon, cewch fynd ar antur dra gwahanol – i fyd ffantasi a mytholeg – ymysg cymysgedd o gymeriadau a digwyddiadau difyr a gwallgof. Mae yma hud a lledrith, gyda’r cwbl yn canolbwyntio ar bŵer honedig carreg arbennig. Mae’r awdur yn llwyddo i ddal sylw’r darllenydd hyd y diwedd, gan gadw’r datgeliad am ddirgelwch y garreg a’r holl gymeriadau rhyfedd nes y tudalennau olaf. Dyma stori llawn cyffro a dirgel, gyda’r arddull ysgrifennu’n caniatáu i’r stori lifo’n gyflym o bennod i bennod – y llinyn storïol yw elfen gryfaf y nofel. Nid eir i fanylder gyda’r disgrifiadau – sy’n caniatáu rhyddid i ddychymyg y darllenydd – tra bo’r darluniau difyr hwnt ac yma’n cynorthwyo’r dychymyg. Os ydych am ddianc i fyd anturus, llawn dirgel a ffantasi, bachwch y gyfrol hon. Adolygiad oddi ar www.gwales.com, trwy ganiatâd Cyngor Llyfrau Cymru. The novel begins with a red sweet and ends with a rice pudding, or at least the image of one. What lies in between is a veritable roller coaster of a bus ride with Rhys, the rather reflective hero and all round sensitive 12-year-old facing the challenges of secondary school and being a “one off”. Set in Pembrokeshire with a deep sense of nature and landscape, the novel explores Rhys’s life with his wounded veteran father, Jamie, a single parent. Despite loving his father deeply, the emptiness at the centre of his life draws Rhys to many solitary hours at the bus stop arranging stones into imaginary armies, his own Camp Bastion. At this “intersection”, Rhys is not alone: “the bus stop ... had chosen him.” Here Rhys's adventures begin with a host of vivid characters, including supportive bus drivers and dubious cowboys, Woody the woodland creature and rampant spanner men. Naturally there are witches. Anwen “Bike” is a worthy and feisty heroine although never quite evocative enough to upstage Rhys. Rhys’s encounters at the bus stop will appeal to readers in the middle years and are rather more engaging than the slightly stereotypical and less finely drawn school scenes. It is the imagination which triumphs here and a special effort has been made to appeal to boys with plenty of pace, excitement and humour. The themes of otherness, loneliness and bullying are offset by a lively and tantalising glimpse into other worlds where time and place can be turned upside down. Rhys's trials, the build up to the last battle and the promise of a mysterious King ensure the reader is never bored. There is much to enjoy in the novel although some adult characters feel overly predictable and a little flat at times. With an all-knowing crow and a brooding black sheep keeping an eye on proceedings, however, readers will find much fun to focus on here. A review from www.gwales.com, with the permission of the Welsh Books Council. Parents! If your child is reading the Welsh copy in school and you'd also like to join in, then grab yourself an English copy and read along too.

*Scroll down for English & comments* Llyfr hyfryd sy'n trafod heneiddio a dementia. Beautiful book discussing growing old and dementia. Gwasg/publisher: Gwasg y Bwthyn Cyhoeddwyd/released: 2019 Pris: £5.95 ISBN: 978-1-91212730-3 Themau dwys ond yn cael eu trafod yn sensetif. Sensitive approach to at times, difficult topics. ☆ ☆ Cymraeg Gwreiddiol - Welsh Original ☆ ☆ Llyfr hyfryd yw hwn sy’n trafod cyfeillgarwch, heneiddio a dementia mewn ffordd sensitif ac annwyl. Mae yna ‘chydig o hiwmor yn y llyfr sy’n helpu i gyfleu’r neges (sy’n gallu bod yn un dwys) ond mewn ffordd gain ag effeithiol iawn. Dwi’n licio fod gan Nedw (fel mae’r teitl yn awgrymu) dair Nain. Lwcus ‘ynte! Yn lle’r syniad traddodiadol o ddwy set o neiniau a theidiau, mae’r stori yn gwneud pethau mymryn yn wahanol ac yn teimlo’n fwy modern o ganlyniad. Bechod fod Nain Dre heb gael mwy o airtime, achos roedd hi’n edrych fel dynes ddiddorol iawn ac yn dipyn o gymeriad. (Yn fy atgoffa o Vera o Gwlad yr Astra Gwyn. Yr high heels ma’ raid!) Mae’r stori yn canolbwyntio ar Nain Llan, sef Nain Nedw (mam ei Dad) a Hen Nain Elsi (Nain ei Dad). Wedi drysu eto? Wel, mae Nedw’n lwcus iawn o gael y cyfle i ddod i nabod ei hen nain, ac mae’n dipyn o ffrindiau â hi. Dyma Nain sy’n llawer hŷn ac yn fwy fel Nain ‘draddodiadol’. Dwi’n licio’r ffordd tydi Mam Nedw byth yn cymeradwyo hwyl Nedw a’i hen Nain - yn bennaf, gan iddi boeni am ei ddannedd ar ôl y brechdanau siwgr! Yum! Mae o’n lyfli sut mae Nedw a’i hen Nain yn gymaint o fêts, er ei bod hi’n perthyn i genhedlaeth hollol wahanol. Wrth i’r stori fynd yn ei flaen, cawn wybod bod Nain Elsi yn gwneud pethau gwirion weithiau, ac mae hyn yn gyfle gwych i gyflwyno plant ifanc i’r syniad o ddementia. Peth da fod y llyfr yn cadw pethau’n light hearted dwi’n meddwl, ac mae’r teulu yn gwneud y gorau o’r sefyllfa. Dwi’m yn meddwl fod angen bod yn rhy ‘deep’ yn yr achos yma, ac mae’r llyfr yn taro balans dda. Wrth gwrs, mae 'na ddarnau trist, sy’n dangos y problemau sy’n dod gyda chyflwr meddwl o’r fath a’i effaith ar y teulu. Er bod rhaid i Nain Elsi fynd i gartref, rydym ni’n gweld mai hyn oedd y penderfyniad iawn ac mae’r llun olaf (arlunwaith ffantastig Jac Jones unwaith eto) yn crisialu’r cyfan. Tydi’r ffaith fod hi wedi symud i’r cartref yn newid dim, ac mae’r teulu yn dal i allu mynd yno i’w gweld. Dwi’n meddwl fod llinell ola’r llyfr yn hynod o bwerus, ac yn ddigon i ddod a deigryn i lygad. Os oes rhywun yn eich teulu yn dioddef o’r cyflwr creulon yma, neu sy’n awyddus i drafod perthnasau’n newid wrth iddynt heneiddio, dyma lyfr gwych er mwyn sbarduno trafodaeth gyda phlant ifanc. Dwi’n meddwl fod y llyfr yn gweithio’n dda er mwyn agor y drws ar gyfer nifer o gwestiynau eraill gan feddyliau chwilfrydig, ifanc. Athrawon, llyfr perffaith os mai chi sy’n gwneud y gwasanaeth boreol. Beth am ddefnyddio’r llyfr mewn uned o waith? Gellir trefnu taith i gartref henoed i’w diddanu gydag adloniant ysgafn… This is a lovely, heartfelt book that discusses friendship, ageing and dementia in a sensitive and sympathetic manner. It has a sense of humour which helps to convey the message (which can be rather intense) but in a highly effective way. I like that Nedw (as the title suggests) has three Nains. What a lucky lad! Instead of the traditional idea of two sets of grandparents, the story does things a little different and feels more modern as a result. It’s a shame that Nain Dre didn't get more airtime, because she looked like a very interesting character. (She reminds me of Vera from S4C’s Gwlad yr Astra Gwyn. Must be the heels!) Anyway, no time for that; the book is here to discuss something more meaningful… The story focuses on Nain Llan, who is Nedw’s Nain (his father's mother) and his Great Nain Elsi (his father's grandmother). Confused yet? Well, as I said, Nedw is very lucky to have the chance to get to know his Great Gran, and they are good friends. This Nain is much older as is more akin to the ' traditional ' idea of Nain. I find it amusing that Nedw’s Mum never condones their antics- especially the sugar sandwiches!! Yum! It's lovely to see that Nedw and Nain Elsi are such good mates, despite the huge age gap and that she belongs to a completely different generation. As the story progresses, we find out that Nain Elsi sometimes does silly things, and this is a great opportunity to introduce young children to the idea of dementia. It's good that the book keeps things light hearted I think, and the family makes the most of the situation without being too gloomy. I don’t think it’s necessary to make things too 'deep' in this instance, and the book strikes a good balance. Of course, there are sad bits, which highlights some of the not-so-good days that come with such a condition; particularly it’s impact on the rest of the family. Although Nain Elsi has to go to a home, we can see this was the right decision and the last picture (once again the fantastic work of illustrator, Jac Jones) perfectly encapsulates the ‘feel’ of the whole novel. Despite the fact that she has moved into the home; it changes nothing and the family continue to visit her and have fun. I think the last line of the book is immensely powerful, and brings a tear to the eye! If someone in your family suffers from this cruel condition, this is a fantastic book to stimulate discussion with young children. I think the book works well to open the door to more questions from children’s inquisitive young minds. Teachers, this is a perfect book if you are in charge of the daily assembly. Why not use the book in class for an unit of work? Perhaps a follow up visit to a care home can be arranged… you could do an afternoon of light entertainment for the elderly…

*Scroll down for English & comments* Llyfr i blant ifanc sy'n trafod 'hwyliau drwg'. Book for young children discussing 'bad moods.' Gwasg/publisher: Atebol Cyhoeddwyd/released: 2018 Addasiad/adaptation: Eurig Salisbury Pris: £7.99 ISBN: 978-1912261314 Lefel her/challenge level: ❖ Dyma stori sy’n taclo emosiynau mawr, cymhleth a heriol mewn ffordd sydd mor ddealladwy â phosib i blant ifanc. Mae ‘hwyliau drwg’ Daf yn cychwyn fel rhywbeth bach - dros ddim byd a dweud y gwir. Sgwn i os oedd deilen wedi chwythu yn ei wyneb? Ta waeth, mae’r hwyliau drwg yn sgubo drosto fel storm fawr, gan dyfu a thyfu. Mae’r bachgen yn cynhyrfu gymaint ag yn mynd mor flin, does dim posib dod yn ôl, ac mae’n mynd o ddrwg i waeth. Rhywbeth bach i gychwyn, sydd wedi mynd yn rhywbeth llawer mwy. Mae gwaith yr awdur a gwaith y darlunydd yn mynd llaw yn llaw yma, ac mae’r ddau yn plethu gyda’i gilydd yn dda i greu trosiad (metaphor) sy’n helpu i drafod teimladau mewn ffordd ddealladwy a gweledol. Mae emosiwn a thymer yn gysyniad abstract ac mae’r syniad o sgubo dail yn un diddorol, gwahanol ac effeithiol. Wrth i’r hwyliau drwg dyfu, mae Daf yn sgubo popeth i fyny; y dail, y bobl, y beics, yr adeiladau, nes mae o’n bentwr anferthol. Y neges: mae pethau wedi mynd rhy bell. Dwi’n teimlo dros Daf, a dwi’n siŵr fydd plant yn gallu uniaethu gyda theimlad Daf o fod yn euog, ac yn helpless gan ei fod wedi colli pob rheolaeth. Tybed fydd Daf yn gallu dod yn ôl o hyn? Dwi’n licio’r ffaith fod gan yr hwyliau drwg gymeriad, neu lais. Debyg i’r syniad traddodiadol o ddiafol ar yr ysgwydd. Mae Daf yn cwestiynu: “ydi hyn werth o?” ond mae’r hwyliau drwg yn ei annog ymlaen, yn mwynhau’r holl beth. Erbyn diwedd y nofel, mae Daf wedi penderfynu mai digon yw digon ac mae’r storm wedi chwythu’i blwc. O’r diwedd mae’r byd yn olau eto. Dangosai hyn eich bod chi’n gallu dod yn ôl o hwyliau drwg a does dim rhaid i’r storm lyncu popeth. Erbyn y diwedd, mae gan Daf fwy o reolaeth os yw’r hwyliau byth yn bygwth dod yn ôl. Mae nifer o blant yn cael trafferth rheoli eu tymer, a dwi’n meddwl fod y llyfr yma’n un da er mwyn eistedd gyda phlentyn a thrafod eu teimladau i drio gwneud synnwyr ohonynt. Mae’r copi llyfrgell sydd gen i wedi cael ei fenthyg 11 gwaith mewn jest dros blwyddyn! Ceir yma arlunwaith bendigedig sy’n gwneud defnydd llawn o liwiau llwm a hydrefol. Maent yn fy atgoffa o luniau L.S.Lowry braidd. Mae’r text wedi ei osod mewn siapiau diddorol ac mae’r ffaith eu bod yn ddwyieithog yn dda iawn. Ella bod y tudalennau tywyll angen ffont sy’n fwy darllenadwy e.e. lliw gwyn. Dyfarniad: Llyfr dwyieithog da i rieni neu athrawon i’w ddefnyddio i drafod ‘hwyliau drwg.’ This is a story that tackles big, complex and challenging emotions in a way that is as understandable as possible to young children. Daf’s ‘bad mood’ starts out as something small – about nothing to tell the truth. Perhaps a stray leaf blew in his face? Regardless of how it started, the foul mood sweeps over him like a thunderstorm, growing and growing. The boy gets more wound up and is in a temper that seems impossible to come back from. It goes from bad to worse. The author's work and that of the illustrator go hand in hand here, and the two work together well to create a visual metaphor that helps to discuss an abstract concept such as feelings in an understandable and relatable way. Strong emotions such as anger are difficult to explain to young minds and so the sweeping of leaves is an interesting, different yet effective way of doing this. As the bad mood grows, Daf sweeps everything up; the leaves, the people, the bikes, the buildings, until it is a huge pile. The anger consumes everything essentially. Things have gone too far. I feel for poor Daf, and I'm sure children will be able to identify with feelings of guilt and helplessness when all control is lost. Will Daf be able to come back from this? I was pleased that the bad mood was given a character voice. Similar to the traditional idea of a devil on the shoulder. Daf questions: ‘Is this really worth it?’ but the ‘bad mood,’ influences him and encourages it, almost thriving on it. By the end of the book, Daf has decided that enough is enough and the storm has blown over. At last the world is bright again. This shows that you can come back from a bad mood and the storm doesn't have to swallow everything. By the end, he has more control if it ever threatens to come back. A good opportunity to talk about calming and distraction techniques. Many children have trouble managing their temper and I think this book is a good one to sit down with a child to try to make sense of these feelings. The library copy that I'm using has been borrowed 11 times in just over a year! The images make full use of Autumnal colours and they remind me a little of L.S. Lowry paintings. The text is set in interesting shapes and the fact that it’s bilingual is handy.Perhaps the dark pages could do with more readable font colours, e.g. white Verdict: A good bilingual book for parents or teachers to discuss ‘bad moods.’ About the original author: Louise Greig is a poet and children's picture book author. She lives in Aberdeen, Scotland, and when she's not busy telling stories, she is the director of a rescue home for dogs.

*Scroll down for English & comments* Stori ddoniol am gyfeillgarwch annisgwyl! Funny story about an unusual friendship! Gwasg/publisher: Atebol Cyhoeddwyd/released: 2019 Addasiad: Mari George Pris: £6.99 ISBN: 978-1-912261-97-0 Lefel her/challenge level: ❖ ❖ Pan welais i’r llyfr yma am y tro cyntaf, roeddwn i’n meddwl mai llyfr plant arferol fyddai hwn. Roeddwn i’n hollol anghywir! Mae stori draddodiadol am arth a chwningen yn cael twist gwbl fodern yn y llyfr yma. Mae yna erthygl ddiddorol iawn yn sôn am sut a pham aeth yr awdur ati i ysgrifennu’r stori: .......... . Roedd wedi cael llond bol ar lyfrau plant boring, ac aeth ati i ‘sgwennu un gwell! Dwi’n hoff o’r ffaith fod y prif gymeriad yn ferch - rhywbeth annisgwyl. Mae’r arth yn cael ei deffro o’i gaeafgwsg oherwydd bod 'na leidr sy’n dwyn ei bwyd yn sefyll ar ei thrwyn. Mae’r arth yn hynod o optimistaidd a does dim byd yn mynd i’w digalonni. Wrth fentro allan a gweld yr eira, mae hi’n penderfynu gwneud y gorau o’r sefyllfa ac adeiladu dyn eira. Mae’r gwningen yn ymddangos - creadur digon sarrug a does ganddo fawr o fynadd gyda’r arth. Er hyn, mae o’n gwningen wybodus iawn ac yn gwybod llawer am ddisgyrchiant, eirlithradau ac arferion bwyta cwningod. Dyma ddarn amusing o’r nofel sy’n trafod (mewn cryn fanylder) y ffaith fod cwningod angen bwyta eu bwyd ddwywaith. Ydyn, maen nhw’n bwyta eu pŵ eu hunain!! Bydd plant wrth ei bodd gyda’r darn yma, ac yn dysgu ffeithiau gwyddonol newydd ‘run pryd! Mae ein cwningen gelwyddog yn teimlo braidd yn euog am ddwyn bwyd yr arth, felly mae’n rhoi moronen iddi! Ond dim ond un llipa, du, wedi pydru! Wrth i’r stori fynd yn ei flaen, mae’r arth yn amyneddgar ac yn gyfeillgar, ond mae’r gwningen yn swta, yn feirniadol ac yn gystadleuol! Dim yn ffrind da iawn o gwbl! Pan mae blaidd yn ymddangos ac yn ffansio cwningen i de, mae’r arth yn fwy na pharod i helpu ei ffrind newydd! Ar ôl i’r ddau gael hwyl yn adeiladu dyn eira, mae gan y gwningen gymaint o gywilydd, mae’n cyfaddef beth mae o wedi gwneud. Beth fydd ymateb yr arth tybed? Mae ‘na lot yn mynd ymlaen yn y llyfr yma. Mae’r awdur yn sôn am gyfeillgarwch, gonestrwydd, bod yn hapus yn eich croen ac edifeirwch. Mae gwybodaeth wyddonol ddiddorol wedi cael ei blethu gyda hiwmor, cymeriadau hoffus, stori annwyl a lluniau gwerth chweil. Dwi wrth fy modd gyda’r lluniau du a gwyn, gyda mymryn o las. Mae’r llyfr yn un sylweddol ac mae lluniau bendigedig yn cyd-fynd a BOB tudalen! Mae’r tudalennau’n drwchus iawn ac mae’n amlwg fod hwn yn llyfr o ansawdd uchel. Fel oedolyn yn darllen y llyfr yma, mi roeddwn i’n gwenu drwyddo, a dim yn aml mae hynny’n digwydd gyda llyfrau plant ifanc. Dwi’n meddwl fod hwn yn glasur modern ac mi wnes i wir ei fwynhau. Y llyfr plant ifanc gorau i mi ddarllen yn 2019. Mae’r stori’n addas ar gyfer plant 5-7 oed, ond dwi hefyd y meddwl fod o’n llyfr da iawn i’w ddefnyddio fel nofel ddosbarth ym mlynyddoedd 3 a 4. Byddai ganddo ddefnydd gyda phlant hŷn yr adran iau hefyd ar gyfer darllenwyr dihyder. When I first saw this book, my first thoughts were, ‘here we go… yet another typical children’s book.’ How wrong I was! The traditional animal partnership story about a bear and a rabbit has had a revamp and a totally modern twist. Here is a very interesting article where the author discusses why he wrote the story in the first place: https://www.theguardian.com/childrens-books-site/2016/mar/24/julian-gough-i-wanted-to-mash-up-winnie-the-pooh-and-david-attenborough. His daughter was fed-up with average, run-of-the-mill children's books, so he decided to write one himself! The bear, our main character is actually a female. This makes a refreshing change as the larger animal is almost always male. The bear is woken up from her hibernation when a food thief stands on her nose. Rather than get angry and upset about it, this bear is extremely optimistic and decides to make the best of the situation. On seeing the snow, she decides to make a snowman. The rabbit appears – a grouchy creature who makes numerous snide remarks. Despite coming across as a bit of a know-it-all, he really is quite knowledgeable about gravity, avalanches and rabbit eating habits. We then get a very amusing part that describes (in some detail) the fact that rabbits need to eat their food twice. Yes, they eat their own poop! Children will love this bit, and will also learn something new at the same time! Our lying rabbit with a dodgy moral compass feels a bit guilty about stealing the bear's food, so feels compelled to give her a consolation carrot (of bear’s own food!) Not a nice, fresh one, but a black, withered and rotten old carrot! The cheek! As the story progresses, bear is patient and friendly, but rabbit is grumpy, critical and competitive! Not a very good friend at all! When a wolf appears and fancies some rabbit for tea, bear wastes no time in helping her new friend! Once the two have fun building a snowman, the rabbit feels extremely guilty about stealing the food, and admits what he’s done. How will bear react I wonder? There is a lot going on in this book. The author talks about friendship, honesty, remorse and being happy in your own skin. Interesting scientific information is perfectly woven with endearing characters, a charming story, humour and brilliant illustrations. I love the black-and-white pictures with hints of blue. The book is a substantial one and ALL the pages are accompanied by some wonderful pictures! The paper itself is thick and it feels like a very high-quality book. As an adult reading this book, I smiled all the way through and that's not often the case with young children's books. I think this is truly a modern classic and I really enjoyed it. This is my favourite young children's book of 2019. The story is suitable for children aged 5-7, especially for bedtime reading with adults. I also think that it would make an ideal book to use as a class novel in years 3 and 4. It could also be used with older children in the juniors for newly independent readers lacking in confidence.

*Scroll down for English & comments* Llyfr arall 'dwdl-tastig' yn y gyfres Twm Clwyd! Another 'doodle-tastic' Twm Clwyd installment! Gwasg/publisher: Rily Publications Ltd Cyhoeddwyd/released: 2019 Addasiad: Gwenno Hughes Pris: £6.99 ISBN: 9781849670906 Lefel her/challenge level: ❖ ❖ Hwn yw’r seithfed llyfr yn y gyfres! Mae hi’n wythnos weithgareddau yn yr ysgol, a gan fod yr ysgol hefyd yn cael arolwg, mae 'na bob math o wersi fyddai byth yn cael eu dysgu fel arfer; pethau fel coginio pitsas a gwneud ffilm. Mae staff yr ysgol ar bigau’r drain yn disgwyl i weld pa helynt bydd Twm yn achosi! Mae ei rieni yn penderfynu ei fod angen llai o amser o flaen y teledu a threulio mwy o amser gyda’i Dad, sydd wedi gwirioni wrth wneud barcud. Mae’n llawer gwell gan Twm fod yn gwneud ei ddwdls, chware miwsig gyda’i fand a bwyta mwy o waffers caramel! Tybed geith o ei ffordd ei hun? Pan ddaeth y llyfrau yma allan yn wreiddiol, roedden nhw’n gwbl wahanol i beth oedd ar gael. Y peth agosaf atyn nhw yw’r gyfres Dyddiadur Dripsyn. Dim rhyfedd fod Liz Pichon wedi gwneud ffortiwn - mae’r llyfrau wedi bod yn hynod o boblogaidd ac wedi ennill nifer o wobrau! Rydych yn adnabod llyfrau Twm Clwyd yn syth, gyda’r llyfrau trwchus, y cloriau lliwgar fflachiog, a’r dwdls prysur ar bob tudalen. Wir i chi, mae 'na ddwdls ym mhobman! Does 'na fawr o stori yn mynd ymlaen yma, ac mae hynny o stori sydd yno dipyn bach ym mhobman. Mae’n reit hawdd anghofio’r llyfr ar ôl ei ddarllen; hynny ydi, tydi o ddim yn creu effaith mawr. Dwi’m yn meddwl mai fi (oedolyn hen!) yw’r person gorau i adolygu’r gyfres yma, ac mae’n bur annhebyg y byddai’n darllen mwy o Twm Clwyd. Fodd bynnag, er mod i’n gweld y llyfrau’n hollol boncyrs, dwi’n gwybod o brofiad fel athro dosbarth, pa mor boblogaidd yw’r llyfrau yma mewn gwirionedd gyda phlant o 7 oed ymlaen. Mae’r hiwmor yn sicr o apelio at fechgyn, (ond gennod hefyd!) ac mae’r prysurdeb a’r dwdls di-ri yn cadw diddordeb y darllenwr. Yn sicr, mae unrhyw un sy’n laru ar baragraffau o ‘sgwennu yn mynd i hoffi steil y llyfr yma. Dio’m yn teimlo fel bod 'na lawer o waith darllen ar bob tudalen. Dim yn lyfr a fyddai’n cael ei astudio fel nofel ddosbarth debyg, ond siwr o fod mewn llawer o fagiau darllen ar draws Cymru! Dwi’n argymell y llyfr yma i blant sy’n newydd i ddarllen yn Gymraeg. Byddai’n addas i blant Cymraeg iaith Gyntaf o 7+, ond yn dda ar gyfer Bl.5 a 6 os ydy’r darllenwr yn llai hyderus yn y Gymraeg. Mae’n bosib y gwnaiff rai plant ffeindio’r llyfrau yma’n rhy blentynnaidd. Blas personol dwi’n meddwl. This is the seventh book in the hugely popular Tom Gates series! It’s activity week in school, and because the inspectors are in too, there are all sorts of lessons that would never normally be taught; things like cooking pizzas and making films. The staff are on tenterhook to see what mischief and havoc Twm will cause! His parents also decide that he needs less time in front of the television and force him to spend more time with his Dad, who is thoroughly enjoying making a kite. Twm would much rather be left alone with his doodles, or playing music with his band and eating caramel wafers! I wonder, will he get his own way? When these books came out originally, they were completely different from what was available. The closest thing to them in my opinion is the Dyddiadur Dripsyn series (Diary of a Wimpy Kid). No wonder Liz Pichon has made a fortune – the books have been hugely popular and have won many awards! They are instantly recognizable with the garish and overloaded front covers and doodles galore on the inside. I’m not kidding, there are doodles everywhere! There is little actual story going on here, and what we do get is all over the place. I found that it didn’t leave a lasting impression on me, and it’s quite forgetful. Perhaps more so than the others in this series. I’ve come to the conclusion that I, (an old and past-it adult!) am not the best person to review this series, and it's quite unlikely that I’ll be reading another! Despite these not being my kind of books (well, I’m not the target audience, am I?) I know from experience as a teacher, how popular these books really are. Although they’re bonkers, children aged 7+ absolutely love them and totally dig the humour. The jokes are sure to appeal to boys, (but also girls!) and the countless doodles keep the reader's interest. Anyone who hates pages upon pages of boring text will love the style of these books. It never feels like there’s much reading work on any page. I would certainly recommend this book to children who are new to reading in Welsh because of the informal and uncomplicated style. It would be suitable for Welsh first language children of 7+, but suitable for older upper KS2 (yrs.5 & 6) if the readers were less confident in Welsh or learning. Some children may simply find these books to be too childish. Down to personal preference, I think. Other books in the series:

*Scroll down for English & comments* Gwasg/publisher: Y Lolfa Cyhoeddwyd/released: 2019 Pris: £6.99 ISBN: 978-1-78461-709-7 Lefel her/challenge level: ❖ ❖ ❖ Iaith heriol, themau aeddfed. Challenging language, mature themes. ☆ ☆ Cymraeg gwreiddiol - Welsh Original ☆ ☆ Afallon - y nofel olaf yng nghyfres Yma gan Lleucu Roberts. Lle hud yn y gorllewin ydi Ynys Afallon sy’n cael ei gysylltu â chwedlau am y Brenin Arthur. Caiff ei ddisgrifio fel gwlad ieuenctid bythol, gwledda a ffrwythlondeb. Mae’r llyfr yma’n disgrifio rhywle sy’n bopeth ond hynny! Dyma nofel dywyllach na’r ddwy arall yn y gyfres, sy’n cynnwys elfennau sy’n ein hatgoffa o glasuron fel ‘1984’ a ‘Handmaid’s Tale.’ Mae blwyddyn wedi mynd heibio ers y nofel ddiwethaf, mae Anil ar goll a does dim all neb ei wneud i godi calon Cai. Bellach mae gweddill yr ynyswyr a’r Niaid wedi dysgu i gyd-fyw ac yn dechrau cyfathrebu’n well. Erbyn y nofel hon, mae Bwmbwm wedi cael ei ddad-goroni’n llwyr a chaiff ei bortreadu fel creadur reit pathetig bellach. Trafoda’r awdur ladd anifeiliaid mewn ffordd matter of fact, di-ffwdan. Mae’n rhan o fywyd bellach – rhaid hela er mwyn byw. Ym mhennod 5 ceir disgrifiad graffig o hela ebol bychan. Mae’r disgrifiad yn cyfleu realiti anodd bywyd yng Nghymru bellach. Dwi’n falch nad yw Lleucu yn osgoi trafod pethau naturiol fel marwolaeth: “Nesaodd Freyja at yr ebol a wingai mewn poen… ei lygaid yn erfyn am drugaredd… osgôdd Freyja’r llygaid a phlannu ei phicell rhwng asennau’r anifail.” O’r pwynt lle mae Gwawr yn cael ei chipio, mae’r stori yn cael ei rhannu rhwng Cymru ac Afallon. Down i ddeall fod cyfrinach sinistr a thywyll y tu ôl i arwyneb ffals gwlad Afallon. Nid paradwys mohoni o bell ffordd. Caethwas yw Anil ac mae Gwawr yn wynebu treulio gweddill ei bywyd mewn cawell. Rheolir Afallon gan Y Llyw, dyn cymhleth a chreulon, sydd wir yn credu fod yr hyn mae o’n ei wneud yn iawn. Yn Afallon, maen nhw wedi llwyddo i ddal eu gafael ar dechnoleg, ac yn defnyddio awyrennau i grwydro’r byd yn dwyn merched ifanc, ffrwythlon er mwyn cynaeafu eu hwyau. Mae’r ‘fferm’ yn bychanu’r merched i ddim byd mwy nag ieir mewn cytiau. Mae’n syniad tywyll ac yn hynod o anghyfforddus. Bechod na chafodd ei archwilio ymhellach a’i wneud hyd yn oed yn fwy tywyll. Er popeth a ddigwyddodd iddi, doeddwn i byth yn teimlo fod Gwawr mewn perygl go iawn. Tybed a fyddai diweddglo anhapus wedi bod yn fwy o sioc?! Roedd penodau Afallon yn llawer mwy diddorol na phenodau criw’r Ynyswyr yng Nghymru. Mewn ffordd, roedd y cymeriadau yma’n ‘spare parts’ wrth i’r brif stori symud ymlaen at Afallon. Yn bersonol, roeddwn i’n gweld y darn ar y cwch ym Mae Aberystwyth yn ddiflas, ac yn tynnu oddi ar y brif stori. Great White Sharks yn Abertyswyth? Rili?! Ddweda i ddim mwy. Yn sicr, hwn yw llyfr cryfaf y drioleg. Mae’r awdur yn llwyddo i blethu nifer o themâu aeddfed fel cariad, gwrthdaro, natur, cynaladwyedd, trais, sexism, gwleidyddiaeth, cam-drin a sawl un arall. Sgil yr awdur yw eu cynnwys yn rhan naturiol o’r stori, gan wneud sylwadau, yn hytrach na phregethu. Am ryw reswm dwi’n ffafrio diweddglo anhapus i stori - efallai mai fi sy’n od. Ond er y diweddglo ‘happy ever after’ mae Lleucu yn llwyddo i gloi’r drioleg yn effeithiol ac yn daclus, gan ateb y rhan fwyaf o’r cwestiynau a oeddem yn eu gofyn i ni’n hunain wrth i’r drioleg ddatblygu. Mae iaith y nofel yn heriol, waeth i mi fod yn onest. Roedd rhaid i mi ganolbwyntio dipyn wrth ddarllen. Dwi’n meddwl y byddai’n rhaid i ddarllenwr ifanc fod yn reit hyderus i fwynhau’r nofel yn llawn. Mae’n bosib ei fod yn llyfr a fyddai’n well ei astudio yn yr ysgol, o dan arweiniad athro/awes, gyda mwy o gyfle i drafod a gwneud synnwyr ohono. Afallon -The last novel in the ‘yma’ series by Lleucu Roberts. Afallon Island is a magical place in the West that is linked to legends about King Arthur. It is described as a country of evergreen youth, plenty and fertility. This book describes somewhere that is anything but that! This is a darker novel than the other two in the series, which contains elements that remind us of classics such as 1984 and Handmaid's Tale. A year has passed since the last novel, Anil is missing and no one say or do anything to cheer Cai up. The rest of the Islanders and the Niaid have by now learned to live together and can just about communicate. Bwmbwm, the former leader, has have been de-throned and is now portrayed as quite a pathetic character. The author discusses killing animals in a very matter of fact way. It is now a part of everyday life – they must hunt to live. In Chapter 5 there’s a graphic description of killing a young foal. The description shows us the difficult reality of life in Wales. I am pleased that Lleucu does not shy away from discussing natural things like death. From the point at which Gwawr is captured, the story switches between Wales and Afallon. We come to understand that there is a dark and sinister secret behind the pleasant facade of Afallon. It is by no means paradise! Anil is a slave and Gwawr faces spending the rest of her life in a cage. Afallon’s leader, ‘Y Llyw,’ is a complex and cruel man, who really believes what he is doing is right. In Afallon, they’ve somehow managed to hold on to technology. They use their solar planes to roam the globe looking for young, fertile girls in order to harvest their eggs to maintain the population. The ' farm ' reduces the girls to nothing more than chickens in battery cages. This is a dark concept and is extremely uncomfortable. It’s a shame that it was not explored further and made even darker. Despite everything that happened to her, I never felt that Gwawr was truly at risk. I wonder if an unhappy ending would have been more of a shock?! The chapters which took place in Afallon were much more interesting than those with the islanders back in Wales. In a way, these characters felt like 'spare parts ' as the main story progressed to Afallon. Personally, I found the bit on the boat in Aberystwyth Bay boring, and distracting from the main story. Great White Sharks in Aberystwyth? Really? C’mon! This is certainly the strongest entry in the trilogy. The author manages to bring in a number of mature themes such as love, conflict, nature, sustainability, violence, sexism, politics and domestic abuse amongst others. The author's true skill is to include them as a natural part of the story, making observations, rather than preaching. For some reason I prefer an unhappy ending to a story –perhaps it’s just me that's strange. But despite the happy ever after ending, Lleucu manages to bring the trilogy to a neat and effective end. The language of the novel is challenging, I may as well be honest. I had to concentrate quite a bit whilst reading. I think a younger reader would have to be quite confident to enjoy the novel in full. It may be a book that would be better suited to studying at school, led by a teacher, with more opportunity to discuss and make sense of it. BOX SET AVAILABLE £15