Is it just me or aren’t hardbacks just amazing? Some book just suits, 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, [here] 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 ger? 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 convey the adventure and excitement, but also the danger and mystery that surrounds to 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. One of my favourites is the ‘snow monster’ cradling Michewa (I wasn’t sure if it was real or part of her imagination – anyway – it reminds me of Marshmallow from Frozen or a nicer version of the Wampa from Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back!)
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. 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.
DID YOU KNOW?
One of the new features of Atebol books, is that the English words are printed at the back of the book in order to assist non-Welsh speaking parents. I know there are people who disagree – but I think it’s a great idea – and feedback on Twitter so far suggests that many agree. Perhaps a pull-out would be more practical?