Gwen ac Arianrhod

About this book

At first, when Gwen’s mum suggests she join the local swimming club to help her make friends in her new hometown, it seems like a good idea. But all too soon the memories of her best friend’s drowning overwhelm her and the once-champion swimmer is not even fast enough to make the team. This, along with the fact that a trio of local girls have taken to bullying her, means that Gwen feels sad and isolated in her new home. The only thing that gives her pleasure is visiting the rockpools and it is here she meets Arianrhod, a friendly, fashion-designing mermaid who proves to be the best friend she didn’t know she needed. Arianhrhod invites Gwen to visit her home under the waves and it is here, in the depths of the ocean, that Gwen begins to re-discover her strength and sense of self. When Gwen returns to land, she is able to use her new self-confidence to return to being the swimming champion she once was, and finally make the swimming team. This is a graphic novel which succeeds in exploring a variety of complex emotions such as loss, social isolation and self-discovery all through the medium of emotion-evoking illustrations.

This book is published in Welsh.