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♥ Llyfr y Mis i Blant: Chwefror 2021 ♥
♥ Children's Book of the Month: February 2021 ♥
Synopsis (o Gwales)
Mae Taid yn rhoi pensil lliwiau’r enfys i mi ac yn dweud: Ysgrifenna a thynna luniau, ysgrifenna a thynna luniau dy freuddwydion di i gyd. Llyfr lluniau annwyl am y cariad rhwng merch fach a’i thaid, ac am gadw'r cariad hwnnw'n fyw trwy atgofion.
Grandpa gives me rainbow pencils, and tells me: Write and draw pictures, write and draw pictures of all your dreams. A charming picture book about the love between a young girl and her grandfather, and about keeping that love alive through memories.
Oed diddordeb/Interest age: 0-5
Oed darllen/reading age: 6-7+
Dwi’n meddwl ein bod ni’n lwcus iawn yng Nghymru; ’da ni’n cael y best of both worlds mewn ffordd. Mae gynnon ni lwyth o awduron sy’n creu llyfrau gwreiddiol anhygoel, ac mae gynnon ni addaswyr sy’n sicrhau bod ein plant yn gallu mwynhau llyfrau o bedwar ban byd yn yr iaith Gymraeg...
Dyma lyfr ingol a theimladwy dros ben sy’n sôn am ferch ifanc a’i pherthynas agos â’i thaid. Fel rhywun sydd hefyd yn agos iawn at nain a taid (dwi’n meddwl i mi dreulio mwy o amser yn eu tŷ nhw na’m cartref fy hun!) roeddwn i’n gallu uniaethu’n fawr iawn gyda’r stori yma. Mae gwaith celf cain Allison Colpoys yn llawn lliwiau a phatrymau blodeuog egnïol sydd - fel y geiriau - yn llifo o dudalen i dudalen wrth i ni symud drwy’r tymhorau.
Adroddwr person cyntaf sydd i’r stori, a gwelwn fod y ferch a’i thaid yn gwneud llawer o weithgareddau gyda'i gilydd ac yn ffrindiau mawr. Wrth i’r misoedd fynd heibio, fe ddysgwn fod taid yn heneiddio a’i fod yn sâl hefyd.
Weithiau, does dim angen geiriau o gwbl i gyfleu digwyddiad neu deimlad. Roedd un dudalen yn y llyfr yn hynod o bwerus, ac mae’n rhaid i mi gyfaddef y ces i lwmp mawr yn fy ngwddf a dagrau’n fy llygaid wrth weld cadair wag taid, gyda’i sliperi ar y llawr a’i sbectol ar y bwrdd. Wrth ddarllen ymlaen, fedrwn i ddim peidio â meddwl am fy nhaid fy hun, sy’n dathlu ei ben-blwydd yn 90 eleni. Dwi’n ffodus iawn o fod wedi cael treulio 30 mlynedd yn ei gwmni, a ’da ni’n dipyn o fêts, felly roedd meddwl am y ffaith anochel y bydd ei gadair yntau’n wag un diwrnod yn fy ngwneud yn eithaf emosiynol.
Mae’r llyfr yn rhoi’r cydnabyddiaeth a’r sylw haeddiannol i’r boen o golli Taid, ond mae hefyd yn dathlu ei fywyd a’u cyfeillgarwch mewn ffordd hapus yn hytrach na chanolbwyntio’n ormod ar y tristwch.
Rhywbeth sy’n siŵr o fod yn gysur i blentyn sydd wedi colli rhywun yw’r ffaith fod y llyfr yn disgrifio atgofion fel “ystafelloedd y gallwn ymweld â nhw.” Mae bron fel petai’r atgofion melys yn bethau y gallwn eu gweld a’u cyffwrdd, a bod Taid yn parhau mewn rhyw ffordd yn atgofion a dychymyg y ferch. Er ein bod yn hiraethu am gwmni’r rhai sydd wedi ein gadael, maen nhw dal yno gyda ni mewn ffordd wrth i ni ddal i’w cofio a sôn amdanyn nhw a’r holl amseroedd da yn eu cwmni.
Gan fod Taid wedi gadael llyfr nodiadau arbennig yn anrheg i’w wyres, mae hi’n gallu ei ddefnyddio fel rhan o’r broses o alaru. Yn wir, sonia’r llyfr am y pŵer sydd mewn mynegi teimladau drwy eu cofnodi ar bapur, boed hynny’n ysgrifen neu’n llun.
Mae marwolaeth yn destun dwys, ac yn aml iawn rydan ni’n teimlo’n anghyfforddus yn ei drafod, yn enwedig â phlant. Dwi’n teimlo ei bod hi’n hollbwysig ein bod ni’n siarad yn onest ac yn agored ac yn peidio â chuddio pethau rhag plant. Mae galaru’n broses anodd, sy’n unigryw i bawb, ond mae marwolaeth yn rhan naturiol o fywyd, ac fel y tymhorau, mae bywyd yn parhau ar ôl profedigaeth.
Mae llinellau prydferth iawn yn y llyfr, a dyma un sy’n sefyll allan: “Petai’r byd i gyd yn wanwyn, byddwn i’n ailblannu penblwyddi Taid fel na fyddai byth yn mynd yn hen.” Tydi hi’n biti nad ydi hynny’n bosib.
Gobeithio y bydd y llyfr o gymorth i sawl plentyn sy’n profi cyfnod anodd, ac y bydd yn fan cychwyn da i annog sgyrsiau pwysig. Yn sicr mi faswn i’n argymell y llyfr i blentyn sydd wedi colli aelod o’r teulu, ond mae hwn yn stori werthfawr y dylid ei rannu â phawb.
Diolch i’r awdur am ysgrifennu stori addfwyn, sy’n ymdrin â’r pwnc mewn ffordd sensitif a gyda chymaint o gariad.
I think we’re very lucky in Wales; we get the best of both worlds really. We have great writers churning out original books, and we have fantastic translators who ensure that our children can enjoy books from around the world in their own language...
This is an extremely sweet and poignant book about a young girl and her close relationship with her grandfather. As someone who is also very close to my grandparents, (probably spent more time at their gaffe than my own home!) I was able to identify very much with this story. Allison Colpoys’s artwork is full of energetic, swooshing floral colours and patterns that closely mimic the words as they flow from page to page as we move through the seasons.
The story is a first-person narrative, and we see the world from the little girl’s point of view as she does lots of fun activities with her grandad. As the months pass, we see that he is getting older but we come to learn he’s not too well either.
Sometimes, words aren’t needed at all to convey an event or a feeling. One page stood out as being exceptionally powerful, and I have to admit that I had a big lump in my throat and some teary eyes when I saw his empty chair, with his slippers on the floor and his glasses on the table. I couldn't help but think about my own Taid, who is celebrating his 90th birthday next month. I'm very fortunate to have been able to spend 30 years in his company, and we’re good mates, so thinking about the inevitable fact his chair will be empty one day was quite emotional.
The book gives the pain of losing Taid the recognition and attention it deserves, but also celebrates his life and their friendship in a joyous way rather than dwelling too much on the sadness.
Something that is bound to be reassuring for a child who has lost someone is the fact that the book describes memories as "rooms we can visit." It’s almost as if the memories are tangible - things we can see and touch, and Taid continues to live on in some way in the girl's memories and imagination. Although we long for the company of those who have left us, they are still here with us in a way as we continue to talk about them and remember all the good times in their company.
As Taid has left a special notebook as a gift to his granddaughter, she’s able to use it as part of the grieving process. Indeed, the book mentions the power of expressing feelings by committing them to paper, whether that be writing words or drawing pictures.
Death is a difficult subject, and we often feel uncomfortable discussing it, especially with young children, who can find it all very confusing. I feel it’s vital that we speak honestly and openly and don’t hide things from children. Grieving is a long, difficult process that’s an unique experience to each individual but we must remember that death is a natural part of life, and like the seasons, life goes on after a bereavement.
There are very beautiful lines in the book, and this is one that stands out: "If the whole world were spring, I would replant Taid's birthdays so that he would never get old." I only wish it were so.
It is hoped that the book will help people who are experiencing grief, and it’s a good starting point for encouraging those important conversations after a loss. I would certainly recommend the book to a child who has lost a family member, but in reality, this is a valuable resource that should be shared with everyone.
I’d like to thank the author for writing such a gentle story, which deals with the subject sensitively and with so much love and respect.
Cyhoeddwr/publisher: Atebol
Cyhoeddwyd/released: 2021
Pris: £6.99
ISBN: 9781913245559
Who is Joseph Coelho?
From BookTrust
Joseph Coelho is an award-winning children's author, performance poet and playwright based in London. His debut poetry collection, Werewolf Club Rules, was the 2015 winner of the CLPE CLiPPA Poetry Award. His second book, Overheard in a Tower Block, was shortlisted for the 2018 CLPE CLiPPA Poetry Award and is longlisted for the 2019 UKLA Book Awards. Joseph features in the BBC Teach 'Understanding Poetry' online series.
His work has poetry and performance at its heart, drawing on over 16 years' experience running dynamic creative literacy sessions in schools. He aims to inspire young people through stories and characters they can recognise.