*Scroll down for English*
♥Llyfr y Mis i Blant: Mai 2021♥
♥Children's Book of the Month: May 2021♥
Oed darllen/reading age: 7+
Oed diddordeb/interest age: 7-15+
Lluniau/illustrations: Telor Gwyn
Wrth edrych yn ôl ar fy siwrne drwy’r byd addysg, ‘sgen i ond diolch i fy athrawon, fy narlithwyr a phawb sydd wedi fy nghynnal ar hyd y ffordd. Yn sicr, does gen i fawr o gwynion wrth feddwl am fy mhrofiadau yn yr ysgol- wel, heblaw am un peth. Mae ‘na rhywbeth sy’n yn dal i fy ngwylltio heddiw - y ffaith na ches i ‘run gronyn o hanes Cymru yn ystod fy nghyfnod yn yr ysgol gynradd, a fawr ddim yn yr uwchradd chwaith.
Fel llawer o oedolion dybiwn i, pam fy mod i’n gallu rhestru enwau holl wragedd Harri’r VIII neu sôn wrthych am y Frenhines Fictoria ond fedra i ddweud y nesa peth at ddim wrthych am arwyr hanesyddol fy ngwlad fy hun?
Rŵan, dwi’n siŵr fod y sefyllfa wedi gwella ers hynny ond wir i chi, mi faswn i wedi gwirioni gyda llyfr fel hyn pan oeddwn i’n blentyn, ac mae plant heddiw yn lwcus i gael adnodd o’r fath. Diolch byth fod Ifan Morgan Jones (sy’n berson hynod o brysur) wedi mynd ati i gasglu’r hanesion a’u pecynnu mewn ffordd mor ddymunol gyda thipyn o help llaw gan Telor Gwyn.
Mae ei luniau cŵl yn dod a’r ffeithiau’n fyw a dwi’n meddwl mai’r arlunydd yma oedd y dewis perffaith ar gyfer llyfr o’r fath - doedd llyfrau hanes byth yn edrych fel hyn pan oeddwn i’n iau!
Gyda hanes mor gyfoethog â Chymru, sut ar y ddaear mae IMJ wedi llwyddo i hidlo’r straeon i lawr i ddeg? Coblyn o job. Wedi dweud hynny, o leiaf ‘da ni’n gwybod fod ‘na ddigon ar gyfer sawl cyfrol arall. Byddai’n dda gweld mwy o straeon o’r canolbarth ac o Ogledd Cymru hefyd tro nesaf.
Yn ogystal â rhai ffigyrau hanesyddol enwog a phoblogaidd, dwi’n hapus fod rhai unigolion llai adnabyddus wedi cael eu cynnwys hefyd, ac mae eu cyfraniad hwythau'r un mor bwysig.
A ninnau’n byw gyferbyn â gwlad mor fawr a dominyddol â Lloegr, rydym ni’n amddiffynnol iawn o’n hanes a’n hunaniaeth. Gall hyn ei gwneud hi’n hawdd iawn i edrych yn ôl ar ein hanes mymryn yn or-ffafriol (yr hen sbectols rose-tinted ‘na) ac fe gawn air o gyngor call iawn gan yr awdur: “i ddeall ein hanes mae angen i ni gofio’r da a’r drwg!” Er enghraifft, rydym yn dueddol o glodfori Bartholomew Roberts, neu ‘Barti Ddu’ ond rhaid cofio, ei fod o hefyd yn gyfrifol am weithrediadau drwg iawn dros ei oes. Mi ydan ni hefyd yn sôn am y diwydiant glo a llechi fel testun balchder, ond mae iddo hefyd ochr dywyll a pheryglus sy’n llawn trasiedi.
Gyda thudalennau lliwgar, a rheiny’n frith o ffeithiau diddorol wedi cael eu torri’n baragraffau manageable, bydd hwn yn siŵr o apelio at ddarllenwyr o tua 7 oed hyd at oedran ysgol uwchradd. Bydd oedolion sy’n cyd-ddarllen yn siŵr o ddysgu rhywbeth newydd hefyd – mi wnes i!
Yn ôl rhai llyfrwerthwyr, mae’r llyfr yn hedfan oddi ar y silffoedd; a hawdd yw gweld pam. Gyda’i glawr caled trawiadol melyn a choch, dyma lyfr sy’n mynnu eich sylw a byddai’n gwneud anrheg gwerth chweil (os fydd ‘na gopis ar ôl erbyn y ‘Dolig!)
Heb os, dyma un o’r llyfrau pwysicaf i gael eu cyhoeddi ‘leni, sy’n ychwanegu at y dewis prin o lyfrau ffeithiol cyfoes, engaging sydd ar gael yn y Gymraeg, ac mae hwn yn haeddu ei le ar y silff lyfrau ym mhob ysgol a chartref. Gobeithio y bydd Rily yn ystyried cyhoeddi mwy o lyfrau gwreiddiol Cymraeg yn y dyfodol.
Looking back at my own educational journey, I’ve got nothing but thanks to my teachers, lecturers and all those who’ve helped me along the way. I certainly don't have many complaints when I think about my experiences at school- well, except for one thing that is. There’s just one thing that still bothers me to this day - the fact that I didn’t get an iota of Welsh history during my time in primary school, and not much more in secondary school come to that.
Like many adults, I can happily list you the names of Henry VIII's wives or even tell you about Queen Victoria’s reign but I can hardly tell you a thing about the bygone heroes of my own country.
Now, I'm sure things have improved since then but honestly, I would have loved a book like this when I was a child, and today’s lot are lucky to have such a resource. Thankfully, Ifan Morgan Jones (who appears to be a ridiculously busy person) has done his homework on these stories and packaged them in such an appealing way with a helping hand from Telor Gwyn.
His cool illustrations bring the facts to life and I think he was the perfect choice for such a book - history books never used to look like this!
With a history as rich as Wales’, how on earth has IMJ managed to whittle the stories down to ten? Not an easy task I bet. Having said that, at least we know that there’s enough material for several other volumes. It’d be good to see more stories from mid and North Wales next time too.
In addition to some famous historical figures, I’m happy that some lesser-known individuals have also been included, as their contribution is equally important and properly recognized here.
Living next to a country as large and as dominant as England, it’s only natural that we’re very proud and fiercely protective of our own history and identity. Though not a bad thing, it can make us view our history through those old rose-tinted glasses. We get some handy advice from the author in this respect: "to understand our history we need to remember the good and the bad!" For example, we tend to celebrate Bartholomew Roberts, or 'Barti Ddu' but it must also be remembered, that he was responsible for many bad deeds during his lifetime. We also talk about the coal and slate industries of yesteryear as a source of national pride, but it also had a dark and dangerous side full of tragedy.
With two colourful double page spreads per figure, littered with interesting facts broken into manageable chunks, this will surely appeal to readers from about 7 years old right up to secondary school age. Adults who read along will definitely learn something new as well – I did!
According to booksellers, the book is flying off the shelves; and it’s easy to see why. With its impressive yellow and red hardback cover, this is a book that demands your attention and would certainly make a great gift (if there are copies left by Christmas!)
This is undoubtedly one of the most important books to be published this year- which adds a greatly-needed offering to the slim choice of contemporary non-fiction books in Welsh. It deserves its place on the bookshelf in every school and home. I hope that Rily will consider publishing more original Welsh books in the future.
Cyhoeddwr/publisher: Rily
Cyhoeddwyd/released: 2021
Pris: £9.99
ISBN: 9781849675414
OEDDECH CHI'N GWYBOD?
DID YOU KNOW?
Mae 'na lyfr gweithgareddau i gyd-fynd!
There's an activity book to accompany!
Dyma lyfr lliwio a gweithgaredd clawr meddal, sy'n llawn dop o gynnwys difyr yn ymwneud â hanes digwyddiadau Cymreig, pobl Cymru, diwylliant Cymru a threftadaeth Gymreig. Bydd plant wrth eu bodd â'r posau mathemateg, dod o hyd i’r gwahaniaethau, lliwio yn ôl rhifau, gêmau hwyl a llawer, llawer mwy! Bydd y llyfr ar gael yn Gymraeg ac yn Saesneg.
Beautiful paperback activity and colouring book is packed full of content – all linked to the history of Welsh events, Welsh people, Welsh culture and Welsh heritage. Children will love the maths puzzles, spot the difference, colour by numbers, fun games and much, much more! The book will be available in both Welsh and English languages.
Awdur/author: Tanwen Haf
Lluniau/pictures: Telor Gwyn:
Pris: £6.99