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Branwen - Aidan Saunders (geiriau Cymraeg. Mererid Hopwood)

Updated: Jun 7, 2020

*Scroll down for English*


❤Llyfr y Mis Mehefin 2020❤

❤June 2020 Book of the Month❤


Hen chwedl Gymereig ar ei newydd wedd!

A refreshing update to a classic Welsh tale!



Genre: #dwyieithog #hanes #chwedlau / #bilingual #history #legend Gwerth addysgiadol/educational value: ◉◉◉◉◎ Negeseuon positif/positive messages: ◉◉◎◎ Themau trist,anodd/upsetting, tough themes: ◉◉◉ Trais, ofn/violence, scary: ◉◉◉◎◎ Iaith gref/language: ◎◎◎◎◎ Rhyw/sex: ◎◎◎◎◎ Hiwmor/humour: ◎◎◎◎ Her darllen/reading difficulty: ◉◉◉◎◎ Dyfarniad/Rating: ★★★★

(sydd ddim yn digwydd yn aml - doesn't happen often!)


 

Gwyliwch y Q&A gyda'r awdur, Aidan Saunders [is-deitlau Cymraeg]

Watch this interesting Q&A with author-illustrator, Aidan Saunders.



 

O’r diwedd mae gennym ni lyfr sy’n dangos fod llyfrau lluniau’n cŵl ac nid jest ar gyfer plant bach yn unig! Dwi wedi gwirioni gyda fersiwn Aidan Saunders o hen chwedl o’r Mabinogi, Stori Branwen. Mae’r stori ei hun yn rhan o hen hanes Celtaidd Cymru, ac yn un sydd wedi cael ei ddweud a’i ail ddweud dros y canrifoedd. Dwi’n meddwl mai hwn yw fy hoff fersiwn o’r stori sy’n bodoli mewn print ar hyn o bryd. Mae’r stori wedi cael ei ddiweddaru ar gyfer cynulleidfa fodern ond nid yw wedi colli dim o hud a lledrith y stori wreiddiol.


Mae hyn yn rhywbeth sydd wedi bod yn fy mygio ers tro. Pam fod pawb yn edrych i lawr ar lyfrau lluniau fel pethau plentynnaidd neu fabïaidd? Dwi’n 29 oed a dwi wedi mwynhau darllen llyfr sy’n byrlymu gydag arlunwaith atyniadol a thrawiadol. Mae’r printiau lliwgar mor syml, modern a refreshing ond eto, mae rhyw deimlad hynafol a hanesyddol iddynt hefyd, fel rhyw dapestri lliwgar sy’n cefnogi’r geiriau wrth adrodd y stori. Dwi’n dal i ddweud mai ‘keep it simple’ sy’n gweithio orau - mae’r lluniau cartwnaidd yn syml, ond yn hynod o effeithiol.



Cyn mynd at y stori, dwi isio sôn am y llyfr ei hun. Dwi wedi dweud o’r blaen, fod Atebol yn cynhyrchu llyfrau o safon uchel iawn (ac na, dydyn nhw ddim yn fy nhalu i ddweud hynny!) Mae maint a siâp tenau, hirsgwar y llyfr yn wahanol iawn i’r llyfrau eraill sydd ar gael. Bydd hwn yn sicr o sefyll allan ar silff lyfrau - a thybiwn bydd yn denu sylw nifer o lygaid ifanc. Mae angen pwysleisio fodd bynnag, er bod y llyfr yn edrych fel llyfr i blant bach Cyfnod Sylfaen, peidiwch â chael eich twyllo! Fyddwn i ddim yn argymell y llyfr yma i unrhyw un dan 7 oed am sawl rheswm.


Dwi mor falch fod y wasg wedi dewis creu llyfr lluniau dwyieithog, ond ar gyfer plant hŷn. Maen nhw’n hollol iawn i wneud hyn a dylai mwy o weisg fod yn gwneud yr un peth. Mae plant CA2 (Bl.3-6 neu 7-11 oed mewn geiriau eraill) YN MWYNHAU edrych ar luniau hefyd! (a phlant hynach fyth, mewn gwirionedd) Ydyn, maen nhw’n hoffi llyfrau lluniau - ond dydyn nhw ddim isio cael eu patronizeio chwaith! Fydd darllen y llyfr yma ddim fel darllen Sali Mali - mae 'na ddigon o waith darllen ac mae o’n ddigon heriol hefyd. Mae Mererid Hopwood wedi gwneud job dda o gyfieithu’r geiriau Saesneg. Dwi’n falch fod ‘na ysgrifen Cymraeg a Saesneg ochr yn ochr felly mi all blant sy’n darllen Cymraeg yn rhugl fwynhau’r llyfr, yn ogystal â dysgwyr neu’r rheiny sydd â rhieni di-Gymraeg. Mae’r ffaith fod y ddwy iaith yno yn gwneud y llyfr yn addas i gynulleidfa fwy. Cyfle gwych i unrhyw un ddysgu mwy am hanes cyfoethog chwedlonol Cymru.



Mae gen i gof o glywed stori Branwen yn yr ysgol, ond mewn gwirionedd roeddwn i wedi anghofio pa mor hollol nyts oedd o! Pwy ddaeth i fyny gyda rhai o’r syniadau? Roedd ganddyn nhw ufflwn o ddychymyg beth bynnag! (yndw, dwi’n cyfeirio at Branwen yn cael ei chosbi’n ddyddiol gan y cigydd gyda darn o ham! - what’s that all about?) Dyma stori sy’n cynnwys hud a lledrith, cewri, camdriniaeth ddomestig, brwydrau epig, miwtaleiddio, byddinoedd meirw, cariad, brad, twyll a marwolaeth. You name it - mae o yn stori Branwen! Mi fydd y llyfr yma’n boblogaidd gyda bechgyn a merched - ond - mae ganddo wir werth fel arf i geisio cael bechgyn sy’n amharod i ddarllen i fwynhau stori dda ac i ymddiddori mewn rhywbeth Cymraeg.

Oes, mae 'na drais, lladd a chreulondeb yn stori Branwen - ond dyma’n union pam fydd plant ar dân eisiau ei ddarllen. Maen nhw’n licio’r math yma o beth a dwi’n siŵr fod nhw wedi gweld pethau gwaeth mewn operâu sebon a ffilmiau dyddiau yma!



Mi allaf argymell y llyfr yma’n llwyr i unrhyw un sy’n 7+ ac mae’n sicr yn llyfr y dylai ysgolion ystyried buddsoddi mewn copi -cyfleoedd dysgu di-ri. Un cwestiwn sydd gen i, tybed fydd yr awdur yn gallu esbonio i mi pam fod bochau tîn random Irish soldier no.2 mewn golwg? Oedd hi’n ffasiwn i dorri tyllau bochau pen ôl mewn trowsus bryd hynny?! Bach o ventilation cyn dyddiau Air Conditioning tybed? Er nad oes gen i ateb pendant, mae’n ddiddorol beth bynnag ac yn siŵr o ennyn gigl neu ddau!


Roedd dewis stori Branwen yn un doeth ar gyfer rhoi spin ‘cŵl’ ar hanes a thraddodiadau Cymru a dwi’n gobeithio bydd mwy o’r Mabinogi yn cael triniaeth Aidan Saunders yn y dyfodol!


Beth am roi cynnig ar wneud eich pyped Bendigeidfran eich hun?

 

At last we have a book that makes picture books cool and shows they are not just something for small children! I'm thrilled with Aidan Saunders' version of an old legend from the Mabinogi, the story of Branwen. It’s a myth/legend that is part of the ancient history of Celtic Wales and one that has been told and retold over the centuries. I think this is my favourite version of the story that currently exists in print. The story has been updated for a modern audience but has lost none of the magic of the original story.



This has been bugging me for quite some time now but why do we tend to look down on picture books as being childish? I’m 29 years old and I enjoyed reading a book that is full of striking illustrations. The colourful prints are so simple, modern and refreshing but they still have an ancient, historical feeling about them. A colourful tapestry of images, they support the story and add a great deal to it. I still say that 'keeping it simple' works best – the comic-style pictures are simple, yet very effective.


Before I discuss the story, I just want to talk about the book itself. I've said before, that Atebol produces books of a very high standard (and no, they don't pay me to say that!) The thin, rectangular size and shape of the book are quite different to the usual books available. This will certainly stand out on a bookshelf and we imagine it will attract the attention of young readers’ eyes. However, it needs to be stressed that although the book looks like something for the foundation phase, don't be fooled, it really isn’t. I probably wouldn't recommend this book to anyone under the age of 7.


I’m so pleased that the publisher has chosen to create a bilingual picture book, but for older children. They are quite right to do this and others should be doing the same thing. Children in KS2 (Yrs.3-6 or 7-11 years old in other words) DO ENJOY looking at pictures too! (and even older children for that matter) Yes, they like picture books but they don't want to be patronized either! Reading this book will not be like reading Sali Mali- there’s plenty of reading and it's challenging enough. Mererid Hopwood has done a good job of translating the English words. I am pleased that the Welsh and English text sits side by side, so children who read Welsh fluently can enjoy the book, as well as learners or those with non-Welsh speaking parents. The fact that both languages are there makes the book suitable for a wider audience. A great opportunity for anyone to learn more about the rich history of Wales ' legendary tales.



I remember hearing Branwen's story in school, but I had actually forgotten how totally nuts it is! Who came up with some of the ideas? They had quite an imagination anyway! (Yes, I’m referring to Branwen having her ears boxed daily by the butcher with a piece of ham! - what‘s that all about?) This is a story about magic, giants, domestic abuse, epic battles, mutilation, armies of the dead, love, betrayal, deception and death. You name it - its in Branwen's story! This book will be popular with both boys and girls- but it really has value as a tool to get boys who are reluctant to read to enjoy a good story and to take an interest in something Welsh.


Yes, there’s moderate violence and cruelty in Branwen's story- but this is exactly why children love to read it. They like this sort of thing and I'm sure they've seen worse things in soaps and films these days! It is part of history after all!



I can wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone who is 7+ and it’s certainly a book that schools should consider investing in a copy for the countless learning opportunities. One question I have, I wonder if the author can shed some light on why random Irish soldier No.2’s bum cheeks are on show? A bit of ventilation before the days of Air Conditioning perhaps? It’ll surely cause a giggle when they find it!


Picking Branwen’s story was a wise decision for putting a 'cool' spin on Welsh history and tradition. I hope more of the Mabinogi will be given the Aidan Saunders treatment in future!

 

Gwasg/publisher: Atebol

Cyhoeddwyd/released: 2020

Pris: £6.99

 

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