Jul.

The ministry said there had been several meetings with Jul at which officials had raised concerns about the progress of the work, but he had failed to take account of their objections.

Oddly, in the last proofs of the book before it was withdrawn, the minister had actually added a preface, praising Jul's "malicious touch and razor-sharp eye."

Jul – who is known for his affectionally grotesque caricatures – was commissioned to give a modern take on the tale, with the book being the latest in a programme of annual gifts to French pre-adolescents.

But illustrator Julien Berjeaut – known as Jul – said the ministry's objections were spurious, and that he feared the book was pulled because the characters he portrayed in it were dark-skinned.

So unless you’re a boat operator, skip the satellite phone, Jul recommends.