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School publishes book written by Jersey pupils

Chris Craddock
BBC Jersey communities reporter
BBC Ned smiles at the camera as he holds the book in his hands. He is wearing a black jacket with the school logo on his chest. Ned has short brown hair and a red tie. Behind him other pupils are reading the book on a table in a library.BBC
Ned, 11, wrote one of the stories featured in The Jersey Files

A Jersey school has published a book written by pupils across the island as part of World Book Day.

Le Rocquier School took part in the Big Read Project by Kingstone University to encourage children to write short stories which have now been collated into a book.

Pupils from the school were joined by pupils from Victoria College, Les Quennevais and Jersey College for Girls to write stories for the book, called The Jersey Files.

Author Peter J Murphy helped them put their stories together and has also contributed to the book.

'Really happy'

Ned, 11, based his story on St Saviour's abandoned hospital and how three boys venture inside and meet a menacing tall, thin man.

"I feel really happy for myself," he said.

"I felt fun writing it and just letting my creativity flow out.

"I'd like to read more because it makes me be more creativity and I have more words that I can use in my own writing."

Pupils focused their stories on areas and themes found in the island.

Georgia looks at the camera and she has long light brown hair which comes down to her chest. She has a black jacket on with the school logo on it and a grey jumper underneath with a red tie too.
Georgia wants more young people like herself to give writing a go

Georgia, 12, wrote a story about two sisters playing hide and seek in St Catherine's Woods before one of them disappears.

She said creative writing could "influence other people and expand creativity everywhere".

"I'm really proud because I never thought it would be in an actual book that's published and everything," she said.

Gemma smiles at the camera with her hands behind her back. She has a brocade jacket over a black top with a spotted skirt. She has long dark hair which comes down to her chest and pupils are reading the book behind her.
Assistant head teacher Gemma Sutherland wants the project to be even bigger next year

Gemma Sutherland, assistant head teacher at Le Rocquier School, said: "To say I'm proud would be an understatement.

"Our island is built on these stories and these children have inspired us to keep communicating.

"The whole point of this project was to encourage children to engage with reading because in this fast-paced world of technology, it's a skill that we feel they're losing."

The book was published by Medina Publishing.

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