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"Bachgen yn ymladd am ei fywyd yn Oes Fictoria."
"One boy's fight for survival on Victorian streets."
Gwasg: Dref Wen
Cyhoeddwyd: 2009
Addasiad: Dafydd Morse
ISBN: 978-1-85596-847-9
Lefel: ❖ ❖ ❖
Ar gyfer darllenwyr profiadol/ for proficient readers
(addas i oedolyn ddarllen/ but suitable for adults to read to child)
Dyfarniad/Verdict: ★ ★ ★ ★ ½
Genre: #ffuglenhanesyddol #historicalfiction
Cyfieithiad o ‘Street Child’ gan Berlie Doherty yw ‘Plentyn y Stryd’ ac mae’n stori afaelgar sydd wedi ei osod yn nhlodi’r oes Fictoria. Mae’n dilyn hanesion y bachgen tlawd, Jim Jarvis, wrth i’w fywyd gael ei droi wyneb i waered ar ôl i’r teulu gael eu tyrchu allan yn ddidrugaredd i’r oerfel am fethu talu’r rhent i’r landlord cas, Mr Spink. Mae bywyd ar y stryd yn beryglus ac yn unig, ac mae’n rhaid i Jim frwydro am ei fywyd. O ddrwg i waeth aiff bywyd Jim wrth iddo gael ei wahanu oddi wrth ei chwiorydd, a cholli ei Fam yn ogystal â’i Dad. Mae bywyd yn arwain Jim at y Wyrcws, hen le brwnt gydag athro cas sy’n pigo arno. Blant, os ydych chi’n meddwl fod eich athro neu eich athrawes yn gallu bod yn flin, wel, dydych chi ddim wedi cyfarfod Mr Prydderch y Wyrcws eto!
Ar ôl dianc, mae Jim yn addasu’n dda i fywyd fel plentyn y stryd, ond cyn pen dim, ffeindia’r bachgen ei hun mewn sefyllfa waeth fyth, ar ôl cael ei werthu i feistr newydd creulon, Nic Seimllyd gyda’i gi ffyrnig a brawychus, Sneip.
Dilynwch hynt a helynt Jim wrth iddo gynllunio i ddianc rhag y meistr blin er mwyn ffeindio ei chwiorydd a chael bywyd gwell.
Ar ddechrau’r stori, rydym ni’n cael ein cyflwyno i ddyn dirgel, sef Barnie. Erbyn diwedd y nofel rydym ni’n dod i ddeall mai Dr.Barnardo yw’r dyn caredig, a dwi’n siwr eich bod wedi gweld siopau elusen Barnardo’s ar y stryd fawr. Er mai ffuglen yw’r stori, mae wedi ei selio ar gymeriadau go-iawn, sy’n gwneud y stori yn ddifyrrach fyth. (Cewch wybod mwy ar ddiwedd y stori yn y darn ‘Nodyn gan yr awdur.’)
Mae’r nofel yma’n wych er ei fod yn llwyd, yn llwm ac yn llawn tristwch a chaledi. Mae’r awdur yn disgrifio pethau’n blwmp ac yn blaen sy’n creu’r darlun o fywyd anodd ar strydoedd Llundain yn Oes Fictoria. Mae’r darllen yn emosiynol iawn ar brydiau.
Mae cymaint o elfennau hanesyddol i’r llyfr, ac mae’n amlwg fod yr awdur wedi gwneud ei gwaith ymchwil cyn ysgrifennu. Byddwn i wirioneddol yn argymell y llyfr yma i unrhyw un sydd eisiau dysgu mwy am y cyfnod. Yn wir, mae’r stori’n haeddu ei lle ar silff lyfrau'r cartref yn ogystal â’r ysgol.
This is the Welsh adaptation of ‘Street Child’ by the Carnegie Medal winning author, Berlie Doherty. This is a gripping, page-turning novel set in the poverty of Victorian London. It follows the story of a young boy, Jim Jarvis, who’s life is turned upside down when his family is cast out onto the cold streets when they fail to pay the rent for their uncaring landlord, Mr Spink. Life on the street it both dangerous and unforgiving and Jim has to adapt quickly in his fight for survival. His life goes from bad to worse when he is separated from his sisters and loses his Mother as well as his Father. Life takes him to the Workhouse, a grim institution with a nasty teacher who beats him. Children, if you think your current teacher can be angry at times, you haven’t met Mr Prydderch yet!
Following his escape, Jim finds some happiness even on the harsh streets. He makes friends, but these are quickly taken away from him as he is sold to a new and cruel master, Nic Seimllyd with his fierce and terrifying guard dog, Sneip.
Follow Jim as he plans his daring escape from the cruel master, so he can find his sisters and a better life for himself.
At the beginning of the story, we are briefly introduced to ‘Barnie’ , a man we later come to realise is Dr. Barnado. I’m sure you’ve seen the Barnardo’s charity shops on the high streets. Despite the story being a work of fiction, it is based on real life people which makes it all the more powerful. (You can discover more at the end of the novel in the ‘Note from the Author’ section.
This is an amazing novel despite being very grim and depressing at times. Full of tales of woe and hardship, the author has a way of describing things with simple accuracy which successfully convey the difficulty of life in these times. The book is very emotional at times.
There are so many historical references in the book – the author has clearly done her homework! I would thoroughly recommend this for anyone wanting to know more about peasant life in the Victorian times. This book really deserves pride of place on any book shelf at home or indeed school.