26 September 2022
Every child starting Reception will receive a Jèrriais translation of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s classic picture book Monkey Puzzle.
The Jèrriais Teaching Service is offering over 1000 copies of D’vinnâle dé Marmoûset
(Monkey Puzzle) to encourage young readers to take an interest in Jersey’s native
language. This follows giveaways of J’allons à la chasse à l’ourse (We’re Going on a
Bear Hunt), Lé Gruffalo (The Gruffalo) and most recently La P’tite Gruffalinne (The
Gruffalo’s Child).
This year, the launch of D’vinnâle dé Marmoûset (Monkey Puzzle) has been timed to
coincide with the Jersey Festival of Words. On Sunday 25 September, families can
attend free readings of the book at Jersey Zoo between 11am and 3pm.
There is no charge to take part, but normal Zoo admission fees apply.Full details are
All the translated children’s books will be available to purchase from the bookshop at
Société Jersiaise (behind Jersey Museum). The Jèrriais Teaching Service will also be
running stalls at La Faîs’sie d’Nièr Beurre at The Elms and La Faîs’sie d’Cidre at
Hamptonne in October, and at La Fête dé Noué in The Royal Square in December.
Ben Spink, Head of the Jèrriais Teaching Service and translator of the book, said:
“This is the fifth picture book we have translated into Jèrriais and I’m thrilled that, once
again, we can give it away for free to reception children. Making the story rhyme
whilst retaining the meaning was a challenge but it was a lot of fun to translate. I hope
it will inspire children to learn Jèrriais and perhaps pique the interest of parents in the
process.”
Minister for Children and Education, Deputy Inna Gardiner, said: “Jèrriais is a vital
part of our Island identity, so I’m delighted that our youngest learners will have access
to this excellent picture book. We must encourage our schoolchildren to learn
Jersey’s native language so that it may endure for generations to come.”
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