Swansea Spy

Disgrifiad Cymraeg / Welsh Description

Mae Gwyn yn byw yn Abertawe, ac mae'n gyfnod rhyfel. Mae ei dad yn ymladd yn y rhyfel yn yr Affrig, ond mae gan Gwyn a'i fam a'i chwaer gysur am fod lletywr, Uncle Keith, gyda nhw i'w cynorthwyo ac yn adeiladu lloches iddyn nhw ac yn diffodd tanau wedi'r bomio yn Abertawe.

Disgrifiad Saesneg / English Description

Gwyn lives in Swansea. It is wartime. Gwyn's father is away fighting in Africa, but Gwyn and his mother and sister are pleased that their lodger, known as Uncle Keith, is around to help them, building their air raid shelter and putting out fires after the bombing of Swansea.

Dosbarthu

Byddwn yn dosbarthu eitemau sydd mewn stoc o fewn 3 diwrnod gwaith, fel arfer drwy Royal Mail Tracked 48. Ar gyfer archebion o flaen llaw, byddwn yn dosbarthu’r eitem o fewn 3 diwrnod gwaith ar ôl ei derbyn gan ein cyflenwr.

Dispatch

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Bywgraffiad yr Awdur / Author Biography

Geraint Thomas was a teacher in junior schools in the Swansea area for ten years, and is now a reporter on the South Wales Evening Post. This is his first book, but he has had plays staged in Swansea and Cardiff.

Adolygiad y Cyhoeddwr / Publisher Review

Gwyn, Owen and Tom are twelve-year-old chums living in Swansea in 1941, and in the exciting opening chapter of this book, they find themselves in the midst of an air raid when a single German Stuka bombs the South Dock. Owen's father has died in the war, and Gwyn's dad is off fighting. These two are best friends, and Owen's need for revenge is such that he hatches a dangerous and unwise plot. Gwyn, the main character, who lives with his mum, his little sister, and a lodger known as Uncle Keith, is wary of Owen's plan but goes along with it. A cracking adventure follows. There is an immense amount of detail in the story, such as the building of an Anderson Shelter in Gwyn's back garden, and the whole is redolent of 1940s Swansea. Factually accurate with a meticulous glossary that explains in accessible terms things that might not be clear to today's children, this novel is a real tour de force. It will appeal to upper KS2 and KS3 boys particularly as there are plenty of bombs, explosions, and even a spy! Focusing on the 'Three Nights' Blitz' in February 1941, when many people were killed and much property destroyed, the story vividly brings to life what living in Swansea must have been like at the time. This reviewer would have liked to see better production values for the book. While the front cover is enticing, the textual print is small and cramped, and lacks the space it deserves. A map showing the Swansea area helps us see exactly where the action is taking place. While the text occasionally suffers from a slightly stilted style, this in no way affects the overall impact of what is a pleasurable and exciting read.