The Gruffalo (Picture Books)

Product Information

Imagine Ellen's surprise when Princess Mirror-Belle climbs out of the bathroom mirror! She comes from a world where bubble fish swim in the bath, elves sleep in slippers, and brave knights fight fi... Read more Read by Imelda Staunton , The Snail and the Whale is a delightful tale of adventure and friendship by the unparalleled partnership of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, crea... Read more You're never too young to meet a Gruffalo! Join the Gruffalo as he explores the deep dark wood. Ideal for busy babies who are out and about – no pram, pushchair, car seat or highchair should be wit... Read more It's a Little Baby is a beautiful and engaging lift-the-flap book for little ones from Julia Donaldson and Rebecca Cobb, the creators of the bestselling The Paper Dolls and The ... Read more Where is Monkey's mummy? It's not too much fun being lost in the jungle, and little monkey wants his mum. A kindly butterfly is keen to help, but they don't seem to be ha... Read more

Rosie's Hat isn't just any old hat. When a gust of wind sweeps it off her head, it goes off on a whole hatful of adventures! Play with the soft, cuddly Gruffalo hand puppet as you read the fun story, based on the bestselling picture book The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. From Julia Donaldson, the bestselling author of The Gruffalo, comes Princess Mirror-Belle and the Magic Shoes, the exciting adventures of a princess with a difference. From Julia Donaldson, the bestselling author of The Gruffalo, comes Princess Mirror-Belle and the Flying Horse, the exciting adventures of a princess with a difference. Despite the immensity of her grief, she continued writing: in 2005 she released 11 new titles. “I was very used to compartmentalising,” Donaldson told me. “That’s what kept me going all through the years when we were dealing with his very difficult adolescence.”

Take a stroll in the deep dark wood with this amazing interactive gift edition of the bestselling picture book, The Gruffalo, with the full, original story – plus flaps to lift, tabs to p... Read more As well as being the UK's most successful picture book author, Julia Donaldson is a gifted son... Read more Celebrate the joy of books with the entertaining Charlie Cook's Favourite Book, from the unparalleled picture book partnership of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, creators of The Gr... Read more

In the picture book trade, Donaldson is revered for her lyrical, rhyming verse and her ceaseless productivity. In 2020 alone, her publishers Scholastic and Macmillan have published What the Ladybird Heard at the Seaside (illustrated by Lydia Monks), The Teeny Weeny Genie (illustrated by Anna Currey), The Hospital Dog (Sara Ogilvie) and Counting Creatures (Sharon King-Chai). That’s before you count reissues and the countless activity books, cookery books and other spin-offs not written by Donaldson but based on her creations. Visit the farm in the brilliantly funny A Squash and a Squeeze, the first ever picture book writ... Read more Meet the super-strong and long Superworm. When trouble strikes, he’ll squirm and squiggle to the rescue. Read more From Julia Donaldson, the bestselling author of The Gruffalo, comes Princess Mirror-Belle and the Party Hoppers, the exciting adventures of a princess with a difference. Baker, Barbara, ed. (2006). "Julia Donaldson". The Way We Write: Interviews with Award-winning Writers. London: Continuum. ISBN 0-8264-9122-7.Creasy, Matthew (7 August 2015). "How to write a children's classic: the Gruffalo formula". The Conversation. Picture books are theatre for an audience of two,” said Kate Wilson, the managing director of publishers Nosy Crow and Donaldson’s former publisher. “They require performance, because most of the audience of a picture book is not able to read. And Julia is a performer.” Lift the flaps and join in the fun with Mole's Spectacles, a brilliant story in the bestselling Tales from Acorn Wood preschool series by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, creators of <... Read more The Gruffalo, too, has won many awards, including the Nestlé Smarties Prize and the Blue Peter Award for The Best Book to Read Aloud – and in 2009 was voted the UK’s favourite bedtime story. But Gruffalo fans are everywhere: the story has been translated into over 100 languages, including Thai, Russian, Scots and Maori . . . and for Classics scholars, there is even a Latin edition.

Where is Monkey's mummy? It's not too much fun being lost in the jungle, and little monkey wants his mum. Kindly butterfly is keen to help, but they don't seem to ... Read more The Gruffalo has been adapted for the stage by Tall Stories theatre company, premiering in 2001. The production has toured the West End, Broadway, and Sydney Opera House. [63] A review in The Scotsman says that the play "develops Donaldson's words with perfect understanding". [64] A review in British Theatre praises the "dynamic movements in all the scenes", including fourth wall breaks, but writes that the musical numbers and scenery are not as inspiring. [65] The Gruffalo has also been adapted for the stage by Dutch theatre company Meneer Monster. [66] Legacy [ edit ] Sometimes it makes me feel slightly dizzy to think of all the children who are reading those books every day with their parents,” Scheffler said. “It’s such an intimate thing, and still we are kind of there.” Celebrate 30 years of of A Squash and a Squeeze, the first ever picture book written and illustrated by the bestselling partnership of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, with this specia... Read more

Broadcasts

Celebrate the 20th birthday of the bestselling classic The Snail and the Whale, with this special anniversary edition of the story, including bonus content. A brilliant story of friendship and fun, perfect for listening to at home, in the car, at bedtime – or any time at all! The initial illustrator for A Squash and a Squeeze fell through, so Wilson suggested her boyfriend, a German illustrator named Axel Scheffler. The collaboration nearly failed at the start: Methuen initially felt Scheffler’s sketches were too intimidating. “My little old lady would have been a little more spiky. They said: ‘It needs to be more joyous’,” Scheffler told me when we spoke. “Maybe I was just too obedient. I should have said no.” Axel Scheffler is the best-selling, award-winning illustrator of many of the world’s favourite picture books. Born in Hamburg, Axel moved to England over thirty years ago to study illustration. Perhaps best-known for his collaborations with Julia Donaldson, including the modern classic The Gruffalo, which has sold over 13.5 million copies worldwide and been translated into over 60 languages, Axel has also illustrated novelty titles for younger readers such as Noisy Farm and The Bedtime Bear, as well as the Pip and Posy series. Axel lives in London with his partner and daughter.

There's a commotion in the classroom as Goat and the other animals spend the day at playgroup. The musical instruments and the dressing up box are lots of fun, but – oh dear! – Goat gets into a mud... Read more Bright, bold and accessible, this collection of rhymes and poems for children is perfect for joining in. There... Read more In Poems to Perform, Julia Donaldson has chosen poems with performance by children in mind, and her notes and ideas on performing them are included in a special section at the end of the ... Read moreJourney through the deep dark wood with Snake, Owl, Fox and Mouse and discover who is making the growling noise! Monkey Puzzle Jigsaw Book Poor little Monkey has lost his mum. Kindly Butterfly tries to help, but somehow she keeps getting it wrong! Will Monkey ever find his mum? With Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler's Monkey Puzzle J... Read more Lift the flaps and join in the fun with this bestselling preschool classic, Postman Bear by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, creators of The Gruffalo.