*Scroll down for English*
“Dylai hwn ddod yn glasur modern. Beiddgar, difyr a doniol.” EOIN COLFER
Addasiad Cymraeg/Welsh adaptation: Mari Lisa
Oed diddordeb/interest age: 5-9
Oed darllen/reading age: 6-9
Os ddarllenoch chi fy adolygiad o’r llyfr cyntaf [yma] mi fyddwch chi’n gwybod pa mor impressed o’n i gyda'r gyfrol gyntaf, ac wrth reswm felly, roedd gen i obeithion mawr am yr ail lyfr, Y Gwningen a’r Arth: Beth yn y Byd?
Be ti’n feddwl o’r llyfr ’llu?
Mae’r gyfres, sy’n bartneriaeth dda rhwng yr awdur, Julian Gough, a’r arlunydd, Jim Field, yn pontio rhwng llyfrau llun a llyfrau pennod - perffaith ar gyfer darllenwyr newydd (6-8 oed). Er ei fod yn fach o ran maint, dyma lyfr sylweddol gyda bron i 100 o dudalennau felly oes, mae ’na dipyn go lew o waith darllen yma!
Mae’r ffont yn fras ac yn hawdd i’w ddarllen, ac mae’r tudalennau’n drwchus ac o ansawdd da; dydi inc y dudalen flaenorol ddim yn dangos drwy’r papur (pethau bach, ond pwysig, credwch chi fi!).
Welsoch chi ’rioed lyfr plant gyda gwaith celf mor anhygoel a thrawiadol? Er mod i’n gwybod y nesa peth at ddim am dynnu llun (dim clem pa ddulliau mae o’n eu defnyddio, sori) dwi’n gwybod digon i ddweud: os faswn i’n ’sgwennu llyfr i blant, faswn i’n gofyn i Jim Field wneud y lluniau!
Be sy’n digwydd yn y stori ’ta?
Tydi Cwningen ddim wedi newid llawer ers y llyfr cyntaf, ac unwaith eto mae’n deffro mewn hwyliau drwg. Ar ôl ffeindio uninvited guest yn ei gartref, mae sŵn byddarol cnocell y coed yn ei wylltio’n fwy. Diolch byth fod Arth, ei ffrind doeth, o gwmpas i helpu i dawelu’r dyfroedd. I fyny yng nghanghennau'r coed, llwydda Arth i ddangos i Cwningen sut i weld pethau mewn ffordd wahanol ac i sylweddoli fod y byd yn fwy na fo a’i broblemau. A fydd o’n gwrando ar gyngor ei ffrind...?!
Be oeddet ti’n licio am y stori?
Mae’n amlwg fod Cwningen yn cael trafferth rheoli ei deimladau, ac mae ganddo broblem â’i dymer sy’n achosi iddo geisio brifo pobl eraill ar brydiau. Gyda help ei ffrindiau, daw i sylweddoli nad yw bod yn flin yn gwneud iddo deimlo’n well.
Un o brif negeseuon y llyfr yw y daw pethau’n well wrth edrych ar y byd o bersbectif gwahanol ac y dylid ceisio derbyn pethau fel maen nhw weithiau yn lle brwydro yn eu herbyn - cyngor da i ni gyd! Fedrwch chi ddim rheoli a newid y byd mawr sydd o’n cwmpas, ond mi fedrwch chi wneud newidiadau bach i’ch bywyd eich hun.
Be fasa’n gallu bod yn well?
Y gwir ydi, roedd y llyfr cyntaf MOR dda, mae’n anodd iawn ei guro. Rhaid i mi gyfaddef na wnes i fwynhau’r llyfr yma gymaint â’r un cyntaf. Ydi, mae o’n dal i wneud i chi wenu, ond ella bod elfen o hwyl a chyffro’r cyntaf ar goll y tro yma. Mi fasa rhai o’r negeseuon (sy’n eithaf cymhleth a profound) wedi gallu bod yn gliriach.
Dyfarniad?
Er bod y llyfr braidd yn hir, un peth sy’n sicr - mae o’n llawn negeseuon hynod o bwysig i bawb, (plant ac oedolion!) ond yn enwedig i’r rheiny sy’n bryderus neu sy'n cael trafferthion rheoli eu teimladau. Cyfle gwerthfawr i sgwrsio am deimladau a strategaethau dygymod. Dyma pam dwi’n meddwl fod cyd-ddarllen y stori ag oedolyn yn well yn yr achos yma.
If you read my review of the first book [here] you’ll know how impressed I was with the first book, so naturally, I had high hopes for the second book, Y Gwningen a’r Arth: Beth yn y Byd?
What do you think of it then?
The series is a great partnership between the author, Julian Gough, and artist, Jim Field, the books act as a sort of bridge between picture books and chapter books - perfect for emergingindependent readers (aged 6-8ish). Despite being small in size, make no mistake, this is quite a substantial book clocking in at almost a100 pages!
The font is large, clear and easy to read, and the pages feel of high quality – what gives it away is the fact that you can’t see the previous page showing through. (little things, yes, but important, believe me!)
Have you seen a children's book with such incredibly impressive artwork? Now, I’ll admit I don’t know the first thing about art, so I can’t tell you which techniques were used, but what I do know is, if I was writing a children’s book – I’d be asking Jim Field to draw the pictures!
So what happens?
Rabbit hasn't changed much since the first book, and yet again he wakes up in a foul mood. After discovering an uninvited guest in his rabbit-hole, the loud drilling noise of a woodpecker winds him up even more. Thankfully, his wise friend, Arth, is around to help to cool things down. High up in the branches, Bear shows Rabbit how to see things in a different way and makes him realise the world is vast - much bigger than him and his problems (Rabbit is a little self-obsessed isn’t he?) Will he listen to the advice of his friends...?!
What did you like about the story?
Rabbit clearly struggles to control his emotions, and has a problem with his temper which causes him to lash out sometimes. With the help of his friends, he comes to realise that being angry doesn't make him feel any better.
One of the book's main messages is that things can be better when you learn to see the world from a different perspective. Sometimes, accepting things as they are is preferable to fighting against them (a good bit of advice for us all, I’d say) You can’t always control others and change the world, but you can make small changes to your own life.
What could be better?
The thing is, the first book was SO good, it really is a tough act to follow. I must admit that I didn’t enjoy this as much as the first one. Yes, it still makes you smile, but I can’t help but feel that some of the fun and excitement of the original is missing. Some of the messages were quite complex and rather profound, and perhaps could have been clearer.
Final verdict?
Although the book felt a tad long, one thing is certain - it is full of extremely important messages for everyone, but especially for those who are struggling with their anger, and it does offer a valuable opportunity to chat about emotions and coping strategies. It is for this reason that I think reading the story with an adult is more beneficial.