Bint il-Grufflè

The children's picture book by the 2011-2013 Children's Laureate Julia Donaldson, translated into Maltese by Toni Aquilina, D. es L..

‍

The Gruffalo said that no gruffalo should

Ever set foot in the deep dark wood.

But one wild and windy night the Gruffalo's Child

ignores her father's warning and tiptoes out into the snow. After all, the Big Bad Mouse doesn't really exist ... does he?

***

Qal il-Grufflè, li m'għandu ebda grufflè

Għax jirfes qatt 'il ġew ġol-bosk mudlam.

‍

Iżda lejl wieħed tempestuż b'riħ jobrom,

Bint il-Grufflè tinjora t-twissija ta' missierha

u toħroġ fuq ponot saqajha barra fil-borra.

‍

Wara kollox il-Ġurdien Kbir Ħajen mhux veru jeżisti ... le?

***

Reviews

I don't think that Julia Donaldson's work needs any introduction and if you have never heard about the "Gruffalo", you seriously need to get this book in our own language. Some of the words may not be common and/or frequently used but the Gruffalo deserves nothing better than a loyal translation of his description. It's simply a beautifully woven story where size doesn't really matter if a smart brain is present. This book is a rollercoaster of curiosity from one page to the other and I do encourage parents to read it with their kids though perhaps not as a bedtime story. You can figure out why on your own.

Annabel Desira

‍