*Scroll down for English*
Genre: #ffuglen #storiallun #rhyngwladol #antur / #fiction #picturebook #international #adventure #bilingual
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: ◎◎◎◎◎
Geiriau Cymraeg gan Manon Steffan Ros
Ai dim ond fi sy’n gwirioni gyda llyfrau clawr caled? Mae ’na rai llyfrau sydd jest yn gweddu, na, sy'n haeddu bod mewn clawr caled, ac mae Michewa a’r Mynydd yn un o’r rheiny. Mae’n werth y gost ychwanegol YFMI er mwyn cael gafael a theimlo llyfr sylweddol, o ansawdd, sy’n bleser i’w ddarllen.
Mewn adroddiad pellgyrhaeddol gan Dr. Siwan Rosser yn 2017, roedd trafodaeth am yr angen i ehangu’r dewis o lyfrau sydd ar gael yn y Gymraeg, yn enwedig rhai sydd ag apêl ryngwladol. Dwi wir yn hoffi fod Sean wedi ’sgwennu llyfr sy’n mynd â ni i wlad bell, tu hwnt i Gymru - rhywbeth sy’n eithaf prin yn ein llenyddiaeth i blant. Dyma lyfr sy’n cyflwyno’r byd ehangach yn ogystal â chyflwyno tipyn o amrywiaeth diwylliannol e.e. traddodiadau baneri gweddïo Tibetaidd.
Stori am ferch fach benderfynol yw hon, sy’n byw mewn pentref gerllaw’r mynyddoedd. Os oeddech chi, fel fi, ddim yn siŵr sut i ynganu enw’r prif gymeriad, na phoener, achos mae 'na ganllaw yn nhu blaen y llyfr. Mae ei thad yn gweithio fel tywyswr sy’n arwain ymwelwyr i fyny’r mynydd ac mae hi’n falch iawn ohono. Yn anffodus, chaiff Michewa ddim mynd efo’i thad i fyny’r mynydd nes y bydd hi’n “gryfach, ychydig yn fwy ac ychydig yn ddoethach,” ac mae’n rhaid iddi fodloni ar werthu te ar ochr y ffordd.
Buan iawn mae hi’n diflasu ar aros gartref, ac mae hi’n penderfynu dangos i’w thad ei bod hi’n ddigon cryf. Gan anwybyddu ei rybudd i aros adref, cychwynna’r ferch ar antur hudol i fyny i gopa’r mynydd peryclaf un – nad oes neb erioed wedi’i goncro! Fydd hi’n llwyddo i gyrraedd y copa a pha heriau fydd yn ei hwynebu ar y ffordd tybed?
Beth sy’n wych am y llyfr yw cymaint o wahanol themâu a theimladau sy’n cael eu trafod. Mae natur amwys y llyfr yn golygu y gallwch ddehongli’r stori mewn sawl ffordd wahanol ac mae’r cyfleoedd trafod yn niferus. Gall fod yn sbardun ar gyfer pob math o waith dilynol. Daearyddiaeth wnes i fel gradd, felly o’m safbwynt i, mae’n grêt fod geirfa sy’n ymwneud â’r mynyddoedd a’r tir yn cael eu cyflwyno.
Caiff emosiynau fel unigrwydd, edifeirwch a balchder eu trafod hefyd, ac mae awydd Michewa i lwyddo, a phrofi ei hun er gwaetha’r heriau yn glodwiw ac yn empowering. Hyd yn oed os nad ydych chi’n llwyddo’r tro cyntaf, rhaid dyfalbarhau. Un neges wnes i gymryd o’r llyfr yw pwysigrwydd trio bob amser ac anelu am y copa (er, efallai nad yw’n syniad da dringo mynyddoedd anferthol ar eich pen eich hun!).
Mae antur Michewa yn chwedlonol bron, a dydach chi byth yn siŵr ai breuddwyd yw’r cyfan ai peidio. Ydi’r mynydd wedi gofalu amdani a’i dychwelyd yn saff? Lle mae’r baneri gweddïo? Tybiaf y bydd y llyfr yn gadael darllenwyr gyda nifer o gwestiynau, a dwi’n credu fod hynny’n beth da. Does dim angen ateb pendant bob tro - yn sicr mae’n procio’r meddwl.
I gyd-fynd â’r stori, mae lluniau Sean yn fendigedig ac yn cyfleu’r antur a’r cyffro, ond hefyd y perygl sy’n perthyn i’r mynydd. Tydi hi’n wych meddwl fod ’na lefydd gwyllt a hudol ar ôl ar y ddaear sydd prin wedi eu cyffwrdd gan ddyn? Roedd hi’n fwriad gan yr awdur i chi allu dilyn y stori drwy’r lluniau, ac er bod y geiriau’n hyfryd, i mi, y lluniau yw sêr y sioe.
Rhywbeth sy’n unigryw am y llyfr yw mai yn y Saesneg y cafodd ei sgwennu gyntaf (ond dw i’n pwysleisio mai cyhoeddiad gwreiddiol Cymraeg ydi o). Dwi’n meddwl fod hyn yn wych, ac yn dangos beth sy’n bosib, hynny yw, troi’r syniad fod rhaid i chi siarad Cymraeg er mwyn cyhoeddi yn Gymraeg ar ei ben!
Mae hyn yn tynnu sylw at gyfle cyffrous iawn i dalentau newydd amrywiol gyhoeddi yn y Gymraeg. Dyma hefyd agor y drws i’r posibilrwydd o gydweithio gydag awduron eraill dros Ewrop a’r byd i greu llyfrau gwreiddiol Cymraeg newydd. Gellir dod a straeon rhyngwladol i Gymru, ond gellir hefyd fynd â straeon Cymraeg allan i’r byd. Dyma’r math o beth sy’n cael ei grybwyll mewn adroddiad newydd ‘Rhyngwladoli Profiadau Darllen Plant a Phobl Ifanc yn Gymraeg.’ Mae’r dyfodol yn llawn potensial am ddatblygiadau cyffrous i lenyddiaeth Gymraeg i blant...
Bachwch gopi o’r llyfr yma i’w drysori. Da iawn Atebol am fentro cyhoeddi llyfr sydd ’chydig bach yn wahanol, a llongyfarchiadau Sean ar greu dy lyfr cyntaf. Mwy plîs.
Is it just me or don't you think that hardbacks are just amazing? Some books just suit, no, deserve to be in hard cover format, and Michewa a’r Mynydd is one of those. IMO it’s totally worth that little bit extra to get a substantial book that boasts pure quality and is a pleasure to have and to hold.
In a far-reaching report by Dr. Siwan Rosser in 2017, there was discussion about the need to expand the choice of books available in Welsh, particularly those with an international flavour. I think it’s great that Sean has written and illustrated a book that takes us beyond Wales, to a distant land - something that has been lacking of late in Welsh language books for children. This book shows us a glimpse of the wider world as well as some much-needed cultural diversity e.g. Tibetan prayer flags.
This is a story about a determined little girl, who lives in a village near the mountains. If you, like me, were unsure of how to pronounce her name, then fear not, as there’s a handy guide in the front. Her father works as a mountain guide who leads visitors up the mountain. She’s really proud of her father, but unfortunately, she can’t accompany him on his journeys because she’s too little.
She soon gets bored of waiting at home, and she decides to show her father that she is strong enough and up to the task. Ignoring his warning to stay home, she embarks on an almost magical adventure up to the top of the mysterious mountain – the most dangerous one that no one has ever conquered! Will she reach the top? Which challenges lie ahead of her?
So many different themes and feelings are discussed in the book. The somewhat ambiguous nature of the book means that you can interpret the story in many different ways and the discussion opportunities are endless. It could be the trigger for a lot of interesting follow-up work. I did Geography in university, so from my point of view, it's great that vocabulary relating to the mountains and the land is introduced.
Emotions such as loneliness, pride and regret also come up, and Michewa’s desire to succeed, and prove herself despite the challenges is commendable and empowering. Even if you don't succeed the first time, you should persevere. One message I took from the book is the importance of always trying and aiming for the stars (although, it may not be a good idea to climb huge mountains on your own!)
Michewa's adventure is almost mythical and you're never sure whether it's a dream or not. Did the mountain care for her and protect her? Where are the prayer banners now? I suspect that the book will leave readers with a number of questions, and I think that’s a good thing. You don’t always need a definitive answer - it certainly gets you thinking.
Accompanying the words, Sean's pictures are wonderful and really convey the adventure, excitement but also the danger and mystery that surrounds the mountain. The author intended you to be able to follow the story through the pictures, and although the words are lovely, for me, the pictures are the stars of the show.
Something that’s unique about the book is that it was first written in English (but I emphasise that it is an original Welsh publication). I think this is great, and shows what is possible – it overturns that idea that you have to speak Welsh in order to publish in Welsh.
This is a very exciting opportunity for fresh new talents to publish in Welsh which will lead to a greater variety. It also opens the door to the possibility of working with other writers from Europe and beyond to create new Welsh original books. I’d love to see international influences on our stories, but also for our homegrown stories to be shared with the world. This is the sort of thing that’s mentioned in a new report ‘Internationalising Children and Young People's Reading Experiences in Welsh. So much exciting potential here for Welsh children’s literature…
Grab yourself a copy of this book to treasure! Well done Atebol for venturing to publish a book that’s a little bit different, and congratulations Sean on creating your first book. More please.
Cyhoeddwr/publisher: Atebol
Cyhoeddwyd/released: 2020
Pris: £9.99
ISBN: 9781913245375
PWY YDI SEAN CHAMBERS?
WHO IS SEAN CHAMBERS?
(oddi ar Gwales)
Mae Sean wedi byw a gweithio yn Tywyn, Gwynedd am y 14 mlynedd diwethaf. Astudiodd Gelf Gain ym Mhrifysgol Central Lancashire ac erbyn hyn y mae’n ddarlunydd llawrydd llawn amser, yn creu darnau unwaith ac am byth ar gyfer cleientiaid ledled y byd. Yn ddiweddar, derbyniodd gomisiwn i greu nifer o ddarluniau bywyd gwyllt ar gyfer cyngor lleol ac ar y cyd â’r RSPB ac mae Sean wedi cael gwahoddiad gan yr RNLI i gynnal arddangosfa unigol o bortreadau bad achub hanesyddol yn eu Pencadlys yn Poole ar ddiwedd y flwyddyn. Fel tad i 6 o blant ifanc ac ar ôl darllen miloedd o straeon amser gwely, mae ganddo awydd i droi ei sgiliau darlunio ac adrodd straeon yn lyfr stori a llun ei hun.
Sean has lived and worked in Tywyn, Gwynedd for the last 14 years. He studied Fine Art at the University of Central Lancashire and is now a full-time freelance illustrator, creating one-off commissions for clients around the world. He recently received a commission to create a number of wildlife paintings for a local council in conjunction with the RSPB. Sean has been recently been invited by the RNLI to hold a single exhibition of historic lifeboat portraits at their Headquarters in Poole at the end of the year. As a father of 6 young children and having read thousands of stories at bedtime, he had a desire to turn his illustration and storytelling skills into a story and picture book of his own.