Since it first appeared last year, I’ve really taken to this light-hearted series. I was pleased to see a second book and that Lleucu and Gwen had been busy writing and drawing to produce Y Dyn Dweud Drefn yn yr Ardd [In the Garden]. It started 2021 in style and has already been chosen as the Book Council For Wales’s Children’s Book of the Month for January.
The pocket-sized book is a small handy size for taking it with you, and at 68 pages long, it’s a significant little thing, so I certainly think you get value for money.
Whilst reading about the Dyn Dweud Drefn, I am reminded of another surly character from a collection of funny poems I used to like when I was in school – Briwsion yn y Clustiau. Mistar Byrbwyll, a similar character, also had some trouble with his temper!
Yup, he’s back, and although we left him smiling away in the last book, obviously the magic’s worn off and he’s back to his old ways… telling people off as usual.
This time though, he’s ventured into the garden. No one else is allowed into the garden, apart from him. He’s not having much luck there to be honest, and upon hearing the commotion, his loyal and extremely likeable friend – Ci Bach – comes to see what the fuss is about. Fair play to Ci Bach for lending a hand – he’s very handy in the garden and quite often makes better calls than his owner! But despite all his efforts, eventually he is told off yet again and sent back to the house… poor thing. Just look at those sad little eyes on page 26!
Dyn Dweud Drefn’s temper tantrums are very amusing, and are especially funny because its actually he who planted the flowers too far, he who decided to grow potatoes, and it was he who went to sleep under the apple tree. You often see that with angry, shouty people – it’s always someone else’s fault!
There’s a bit of the Dyn Dweud Drefn in all of us sometimes, isn’t there?
Once again, Gwen Millward’s pictures are affectionate, likeable and very pretty. Just look at those flowers – I wish my garden looked like that! The book is also very well set out IMO with the text evenly distributed across the book, which means that there isn’t too much writing on the pages.
After a long day of shouting and being a general grump (being angry is hard work y’know) he’s finally sitting in his chair with a big smile on his face – but how long will that last I wonder…?