*For Welsh review, please see language toggle switch*
(suggested) Interest age: 3-7
(suggested) Reading age: 6/7+
Genre: #picturebook #fiction #ghosts #friendship
Boo! The cutest ghost you’ve ever seen is back, but I don’t think he’ll be winning any awards for being scary anytime soon!
On his second outing, the young little ghost declares that he has no friends (bless him☹) and he’s sent out by his mother to go and find some! I’m sure we’re all familiar with that stomach-churning feeling of going somewhere new where we don’t know anyone. Fair play to Ynyr for giving it a go.
Unfortunately, despite his best efforts, the people and animals are too scared of ghosts to even consider being mates with him. It ain’t easy being a ghost is it?
But after he sees the Tylwythen Deg (fairy) struggling with some socks, he sees an opportunity to make a new little friend. The problem is, she's not interested at all in being friends!
Does our see-through friend give up? Not a chance!
It’s very easy to judge someone the first time you meet them, and sometimes, you have to give someone a second chance in order to get to know them better. Speaking from experience, one particular girl didn't have much to say to me when we started in uni, but over time, we became friends and now we’re married! Sometimes, perseverance is worthwhile, and I think that’s something that comes across in this story.
It’s a mother and daughter team behind this series, and I was already impressed with daughter Leri's artwork from her earlier efforts in the Tomos Llygoden y Theatr series. Whilst those are pocket-sized booklets, the Ynyr yr Ysbryd series are huge in comparison. The large, A4 size does justice to the amazingly rich, warm illustrations that fill some pages. I get traditional, even classical vibes from the pictures, which remind me of children's books from days gone by.
This is a simple story about friendship, kindness and perseverance, yet there is more reading than one would think. This is, therefore, a good one to read with an adult at bedtime. And much like the '007 will return' you see at the end of the James Bond films, it's good to see that Ynyr will be back yet again…
