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Gwaith Celf/illustrations: Lowri Roberts
Oed diddordeb/interest age: 3+
Oed darllen/reading age: 5+
“Ti ’di mynd dros ben llestri!” Faint o weithia glywes i’r geiriau yna wrth dyfu i fyny?! A sgwn i faint o rieni sy’ ‘di bod yn arthio’r ‘run peth ar eu plant ‘leni dros y lockdown? Dipyn go lew, dybiwn i!
Clywed ei wraig yn dwrdio un o’u plant wnaeth Huw Davies, yr awdur, ac fe ddaeth cymeriad direidus Ben Llestri i fodolaeth yn fuan wedyn. Heb amheuaeth, mi fuodd y cyfnod clo yn ofnadwy mewn llawer o ffyrdd, ond un peth da a ddaeth o’r cyfnod yw’r ffaith fod nifer o bobl brysur wedi cael cyfle i fod yn greadigol, a rŵan mi ydan ni’n gweld ffrwyth eu llafur. Mi benderfynodd Huw gydweithio â’r arlunydd, Lowri Roberts, ar ôl trafod y syniad am flynyddoedd ac mae ei lluniau ysgafn yn cyfleu’r hiwmor yn dda.
Yn debyg i lawer o hogia bach direidus, gwneud cymysgeddau hollol afiach yn yr ardd sy’n mynd â bryd Ben Llestri. Ac yndi, mae’r teitl “bwced ych-a-fi” yn addas iawn i ddisgrifio’r sglyfaeth peth, sy’n cynnwys pridd, bîns ac ambell i napi ymysg pethau ffiaidd eraill! (napi i’r Gogs, ond Cewyn i’r Hwntws!) Wrth gwrs, i Ben, mae’r gymysgedd afiach yn destun balchder mawr, ac mewn dim mae o’n hel cynlluniau i gyflawni un o’r pranks hynaf sydd ‘na – fatha rywbeth allan o Home Alone!
Y broblem efo triciau fel hyn ydi bod angen blaengynllunio manwl iawn, ac mae gofyn am dipyn o waith meddwl ac amseru perffaith os am lwyddo. Dydi Ben druan ddim cweit wedi meistroli hyn eto!
Ar achlysur lansio’r llyfr, dywedodd yr awdur “mae angen mwy o lyfrau sy’n dathlu gweithredoedd twp, ond ar ôl 2020 a’r cyfnodau clo mae angen storïau direidus a dafft ar blant yn arbennig!” Ti’n gwybod be’ Huw? Dwi’n tueddu i gytuno efo chdi! Mae gen i ddau gefnder bach direidus yn y teulu fyddai wrth eu boddau’n darllen y stori yma (er, dwi’m isio nhw gael syniada chwaith!) ac yn aml iawn, mi fyddai’n tyrchu yn y siop lyfra am storis-gneud-chi-wenu fydd yn siwtio eu natur ddireidus nhw a finnau. Dyma stori fydd yn apelio at blant bach drygionus ond fydd hefyd yn siŵr o godi gwên ymysg rhieni.
Mae darnau o’r llyfr yn ail adrodd a bydd plant yn gallu ymuno wrth gofio trefn y cynhwysion drewllyd. Dwi’n siŵr y bydden nhw’n heglu hi i’r garej wedyn i wneud cymysgeddau tebyg! Rhieni – watch out!
Stori syml yw hon sy’n osgoi negeseuon moesegol dwys, ac sy'n cynnig rhywbeth ysgafn a doniol yn lle – jest y peth at gyfnod fel hyn! Nadi, tydi’r prif gymeriad ddim yn angel o bell ffordd, ond mae hynny’n rhan o’i apêl. Dwi’n falch bod ‘na gyfres newydd sydd ddim yn cymryd ei hun ormod o ddifri a dwi’n gobeithio y cawn ni gyfle arall i weld pa driciau direidus fydd ganddo dan sylw tro nesaf!
I gloi, dim ond gair o gyngor sydd gen i Ben Llestri - dwi’n meddwl y bydd rhaid iddo wella ei gêm os ‘dio am fod yn giamstar ar chwarae triciau!
"Ti ‘di mynd dros ben llestri!" How many times have I heard those words whilst I was growing up?! And I wonder how many parents have said those exact words over the lockdown? Quite a few, probably!
Huw Davies, the author, heard his wife admonishing one of their children, and the mischievous character of Ben Llestri came to be shortly afterwards. Without a doubt, the pandemic and its associated lockdowns have been terrible in many ways, but one good thing that came from it is the fact that several normally busy people have had the opportunity to be creative, and we’re starting to see the fruits of their labour now. Huw decided to work with the artist, Lowri Roberts, after discussing the idea for years and the light touch of her illustrations conveys the book’s humour well.
Like a lot of little boys, making disgusting concoctions the garden is right up Ben Llestri’s street. The title, "bwced ych-a-fi" is aptly named to describe the revolting mixture, which includes soil, beans and nappies amongst other things! Of course, for Ben, the awful mixture is a source of great pride, and it’s not long before he’s hatching plans to carry out one of the oldest tricks in the book – like something straight out of Home Alone!
The problem with pranks like this is that they need quite a bit of planning don’t they? You need perfect timing and good execution if they’re going to work. I’m not quite sure Ben Llestri’s got it all figured out just yet!
Upon the book's launch, the author commented that “we need more books that celebrate silly things, after 2020 and the lockdown, children in particular need mischievous and daft stories!" You know what Huw? I Couldn’t agree more! I’ve got two little cousins who’d just love this story (although I don’t want them getting any ideas!) and quite often, I’ll trawl the bookshops for make-em-laugh stories. This is one that will appeal to the playful, and the prank-loving out there, but I’m sure parents will also raise a smile.
Parts of the book repeat a similar pattern and children will enjoy joining in as they recall some of the smelly ingredients. I'm pretty sure they’ll want to head to the garage themselves afterwards to make their own nasty potions!
This is a simple story that avoids deep moral messages, and offers something light-hearted and amusing instead – just the thing after last year! The main character is by no means an angel, but that is part of his charm, I guess. I'm pleased that we’ve got yet another series that doesn't take itself too seriously and I hope we’ll get to see what other tricks he’s got up his sleeves.
I’ve got a bit of advice for Ben Llestri – you’ll have to improve your game if you’re going to be king of the pranksters!