Pikni dem we mek outa waks

Name: Pikni dem we mek outa waks
Availability: InStock
Author: Southern African Folktale

A free picture book in Jamaican Creole by Southern African Folktale

Cover of Pikni dem we mek outa waks, a Jamaican Creole picture book

Pikni dem we mek outa waks is a picture book in Jamaican Creole for ages 5–8 by Southern African Folktale that you can read free online in Pagine — no download, no cost.

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Language: Jamaican Creole
Written by: Southern African Folktale
Illustrated by: Wiehan de Jager
Translated by: Georgette McGlashen
Reading level: ages 5–8 · kindergarten to 2nd grade · Level 2 · First sentences
From: Jamaica
Source: Global Storybooks
Licence: CC BY 3.0
Price: Free — read online, nothing to download

About this book

Pikni dem we mek outa waks is a short illustrated picture book in Jamaican Creole by Southern African Folktale, illustrated by Wiehan de Jager and translated by Georgette McGlashen. It is written for ages 5–8 (Grades 1–2) and is graded as Level 2 · First sentences, so it works as a read-aloud for little ones and as practice for children learning to read in Jamaican Creole. The book comes from Global Storybooks and is shared under an open CC BY 3.0 licence, which is why it is free to read. The same story is available in 30 other languages — handy for bilingual families and classrooms (see below).

How it begins

Wan taim, yu did av wahn api fambili. Dem neva fait wananeda. Dem elp dem pierens a dem yaad an a grong. Bot dem no mek dem go nier faiya. Dem afi du aal a dem wok ina di nait.…

Opening lines quoted from the openly licensed book (CC BY 3.0).

This story in other languages

Reading the same story in two languages helps bilingual children connect words they already know. “Pikni dem we mek outa waks” is also available in:

Reading together in Jamaican Creole

Read it aloud first, pointing at the pictures; then let your child “read” the pictures back to you.
Ask open questions: what happened, how did the character feel, what would you do?
Growing up with two languages? Talk about the story in whichever language feels easiest — the understanding carries over.

More free books in Jamaican Creole

See all 40 free Jamaican Creole books by reading level → · Books in 200+ languages · 👩‍🏫 Assign this book to a class

Frequently asked questions

Is “Pikni dem we mek outa waks” free to read?

Yes. “Pikni dem we mek outa waks” is free to read online in Pagine on any phone, tablet or computer — no payment and nothing to download. It is openly licensed (CC BY 3.0).

What language is “Pikni dem we mek outa waks” in?

It is written in Jamaican Creole. Pagine has 40 free children’s books in Jamaican Creole.

What age is “Pikni dem we mek outa waks” for?

It is best for ages 5–8 (Level 2 · First sentences). Younger children can enjoy it read aloud.

Is “Pikni dem we mek outa waks” available in other languages?

Yes — the same story is in English, Kiswahili, EkeGusii, Kikamba, Kimaasai, Turkana and more.

Who wrote “Pikni dem we mek outa waks”?

“Pikni dem we mek outa waks” was written by Southern African Folktale and illustrated by Wiehan de Jager; the Jamaican Creole translation is by Georgette McGlashen.

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Credits: Pikni dem we mek outa waks — Written by Southern African Folktale; Illustrated by Wiehan de Jager; Translated by Georgette McGlashen. Jamaican Creole, Level 2. From Global Storybooks (global-asp.github.io/storybooks-jamaica), originally from the African Storybook (https://africanstorybook.org/reader.php?id=2181). CC BY 3.0. · Page updated October 2026