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Gruffalo #1
The Gruffalo
Just what is the Gruffalo?
He has terrible tusks... and terrible claws... and terrible teeth in his terrible jaws.
But do all those things make him the scariest creature in the deep dark wood? One brave little mouse with a big imagination doesn't think so!
When Mouse takes a stroll through the woods, he meets a fox, an owl, and a snake who all want to eat him. So clever Mouse scares them off by warning them about the gruffalo who lives in the forest, a monster with terrible teeth and terrible claws.
But what happens when Mouse's invented monster turns out to be real?
The Gruffalo is an international best-selling and award-winning sensation with over 13.5 million copies in print worldwide. It has been made into an Oscar-nominated animated film as well as a stage musical that was performed on Broadway, and was voted England's favorite bedtime story.
He has terrible tusks... and terrible claws... and terrible teeth in his terrible jaws.
But do all those things make him the scariest creature in the deep dark wood? One brave little mouse with a big imagination doesn't think so!
When Mouse takes a stroll through the woods, he meets a fox, an owl, and a snake who all want to eat him. So clever Mouse scares them off by warning them about the gruffalo who lives in the forest, a monster with terrible teeth and terrible claws.
But what happens when Mouse's invented monster turns out to be real?
The Gruffalo is an international best-selling and award-winning sensation with over 13.5 million copies in print worldwide. It has been made into an Oscar-nominated animated film as well as a stage musical that was performed on Broadway, and was voted England's favorite bedtime story.
32 pages, Paperback
First published March 23, 1999
187 people are currently reading
9,481 people want to read
About the author
Julia Donaldson
1,111books1,785followersGrowing up
I grew up in a tall Victorian London house with my parents, grandmother, aunt, uncle, younger sister Mary and cat Geoffrey (who was really a prince in disguise. Mary and I would argue about which of us would marry him).
Mary and I were always creating imaginary characters and mimicking real ones, and I used to write shows and choreograph ballets for us. A wind-up gramophone wafted out Chopin waltzes.
I studied Drama and French at Bristol University, where I met Malcolm, a guitar-playing medic to whom I’m now married.
Busking and books
Before Malcolm and I had our three sons we used to go busking together and I would write special songs for each country; the best one was in Italian about pasta.
The busking led to a career in singing and songwriting, mainly for children’s television. I became an expert at writing to order on such subjects as guinea pigs, window-cleaning and horrible smells. “We want a song about throwing crumpled-up wrapping paper into the bin� was a typical request from the BBC.
I also continued to write “grown-up� songs and perform them in folk clubs and on the radio, and have recently released two CDs of these songs.
One of my television songs, A SQUASH AND A SQUEEZE, was made into a book in 1993, with illustrations by the wonderful Axel Scheffler. It was great to hold the book in my hand without it vanishing in the air the way the songs did. This prompted me to unearth some plays I’d written for a school reading group, and since then I’ve had 20 plays published. Most children love acting and it’s a tremendous way to improve their reading.
My real breakthrough was THE GRUFFALO, again illustrated by Axel. We work separately - he’s in London and I’m in Glasgow - but he sends me letters with lovely funny pictures on the envelopes.
I really enjoy writing verse, even though it can be fiendishly difficult. I used to memorise poems as a child and it means a lot to me when parents tell me their child can recite one of my books.
Funnily enough, I find it harder to write not in verse, though I feel I am now getting the hang of it! My novel THE GIANTS AND THE JONESES is going to be made into a film by the same team who made the Harry Potter movies, and I have written three books of stories about the anarchic PRINCESS MIRROR-BELLE who appears from the mirror and disrupts the life of an otherwise ordinary eight-year-old. I have just finished writing a novel for teenagers.
When I’m not writing I am often performing, at book festivals and in theatres. I really enjoy getting the children in the audience to help me act out the stories and sing the songs. When Malcolm can take time off from the hospital he and his guitar come too. and it feels as if we’ve come full circle - back to busking.
I grew up in a tall Victorian London house with my parents, grandmother, aunt, uncle, younger sister Mary and cat Geoffrey (who was really a prince in disguise. Mary and I would argue about which of us would marry him).
Mary and I were always creating imaginary characters and mimicking real ones, and I used to write shows and choreograph ballets for us. A wind-up gramophone wafted out Chopin waltzes.
I studied Drama and French at Bristol University, where I met Malcolm, a guitar-playing medic to whom I’m now married.
Busking and books
Before Malcolm and I had our three sons we used to go busking together and I would write special songs for each country; the best one was in Italian about pasta.
The busking led to a career in singing and songwriting, mainly for children’s television. I became an expert at writing to order on such subjects as guinea pigs, window-cleaning and horrible smells. “We want a song about throwing crumpled-up wrapping paper into the bin� was a typical request from the BBC.
I also continued to write “grown-up� songs and perform them in folk clubs and on the radio, and have recently released two CDs of these songs.
One of my television songs, A SQUASH AND A SQUEEZE, was made into a book in 1993, with illustrations by the wonderful Axel Scheffler. It was great to hold the book in my hand without it vanishing in the air the way the songs did. This prompted me to unearth some plays I’d written for a school reading group, and since then I’ve had 20 plays published. Most children love acting and it’s a tremendous way to improve their reading.
My real breakthrough was THE GRUFFALO, again illustrated by Axel. We work separately - he’s in London and I’m in Glasgow - but he sends me letters with lovely funny pictures on the envelopes.
I really enjoy writing verse, even though it can be fiendishly difficult. I used to memorise poems as a child and it means a lot to me when parents tell me their child can recite one of my books.
Funnily enough, I find it harder to write not in verse, though I feel I am now getting the hang of it! My novel THE GIANTS AND THE JONESES is going to be made into a film by the same team who made the Harry Potter movies, and I have written three books of stories about the anarchic PRINCESS MIRROR-BELLE who appears from the mirror and disrupts the life of an otherwise ordinary eight-year-old. I have just finished writing a novel for teenagers.
When I’m not writing I am often performing, at book festivals and in theatres. I really enjoy getting the children in the audience to help me act out the stories and sing the songs. When Malcolm can take time off from the hospital he and his guitar come too. and it feels as if we’ve come full circle - back to busking.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,608 reviews
September 28, 2015
My boy brought this to me a couple days ago, asking if I'd read it to him.
I did, and it's quickly become a new favorite.
It's not terribly complex, or long, or ethically enriching. But then again, not all books need to be.
What this book does have is a marvelously tight and deceptively effortless rhyme and meter. I say "deceptively" here because I know that sort of thing doesn't come easily. Despite the fact that the book is wonderful fun to read, I know the author sweat blood making the language work out right.
Good book. Fun to read out loud. Holds up under multiple readings. Absolutely worth your time.
I did, and it's quickly become a new favorite.
It's not terribly complex, or long, or ethically enriching. But then again, not all books need to be.
What this book does have is a marvelously tight and deceptively effortless rhyme and meter. I say "deceptively" here because I know that sort of thing doesn't come easily. Despite the fact that the book is wonderful fun to read, I know the author sweat blood making the language work out right.
Good book. Fun to read out loud. Holds up under multiple readings. Absolutely worth your time.
March 30, 2025
Julia Donaldson’s stories never fail to delight, and this picture book of The Gruffalo is one of the very best. First published in 1999, the scary gruffalo has become one of the world’s best-loved monsters, starring in films and shows galore, and inspiring a huge amount of merchandise. This is the original picture book which started it all, and which has itself won many awards, been translated into over fifty languages, and has been voted the UK’s favourite bedtime story.
It begins with a simple idea, of a little brown mouse taking a walk in a “deep dark wood�. We see a lovely illustration of the deep dark wood before the story begins � and the small child I read it to thought he might just be able to spy something sinister behind the trees, although he didn’t know the story at all � So we begin:
“A mouse took a stroll through the deep dark wood.
A fox saw the mouse and the mouse looked good.
‘Where are you going to, little brown mouse?
Come and have lunch in my underground house.’�
Oh my, what a crafty expression there is on the face of the fox! But our perky, brave little mouse is very quick-thinking:
“It’s terribly kind of you, Fox, but no �
I’m going to have lunch with a gruffalo!�
And as he describes the tusks, teeth and jaws of the terrible monster to the fox, he finishes with:
“and his favourite food is roasted fox�
whereupon the fox’s eyes get very wide indeed, and he scoots off in a panic. The mouse however, calmly carries on on his way. In time he meets several other dangerous animals; a fox, an owl, and a snake. Each one whom he meets, clearly intends to eat the mouse, and invites him back to their home, ostensibly for a meal. But every time, the mouse claims he is expected by the fierce gruffalo to his house for a meal instead.
We might also have felt as apprehensive and scared as the animals who want to eat the mouse. We learn for instance, that the gruffalo’s favourite foods are “owl ice cream�, and “scrambled snake�. But in fact we don’t feel frightened, and we don’t even believe him! My little friend was giggling as much as I was, because:
“Silly old fox, doesn’t he know?
There’s no such thing as a gruffalo!�
“Silly old owl, doesn’t he know?
There’s no such thing as a gruffalo!�
And:
“Silly old snake, doesn’t he know?
There’s no such thing as a gruffalo!�
We both had huge grins on our faces, until I turned the next page. Oh! There he was! As large as life and twice as ugly:
“Oh help! Oh no!
It’s a gruffalo!�
And we clearly see a real, live, gruffalo! He seems to be half a grizzly bear and half a buffalo. And when he spots the mouse:
“‘My favourite food� the gruffalo said,
‘You’ll taste good on a slice of bread!’�
But once again the mouse uses his quick wits and cunning. He boasts to the gruffalo that he, the mouse, is the scariest animal in the forest, and what’s more, he can prove it! The gruffalo is very doubtful of this, but humours the mouse, and accompanies him through the forest. Then the two of them once again encounter all the animals the mouse had met before. Not surprisingly, each creature is terrified by the sight of the mouse’s great “friend�, the gruffalo, whom he had described so perfectly earlier. Each one runs off in a panic, and gradually the gruffalo becomes more and more impressed with the mouse’s apparent toughness. When the mouse then claims that his favourite food is “gruffalo crumble�, it is the gruffalo who turns tail (quite literally, in his case) and flees, with a very very scared expression on his face.
Then, in the final double spread:
“All was quiet in the deep dark wood.
The mouse found a nut and the nut was good.�
The Gruffalo is a perfectly structured story, inviting the reader equally to laugh and have mock terror. Even the tiniest of tots love to be “frightened� in this way. Julia Donaldson seems to understand children completely, from the inside. She says that this story was inspired by a Chinese tale about a clever girl who tricks a hungry tiger into believing she is the Queen of the Jungle and scares him away. Julia Donaldson knew that this would make a great picture book for children between about three and seven years of age, but she wanted to do it in rhyme. She couldn’t think of anything to rhyme with “tiger�, so she created her own monster ending in “O�, to rhyme with “doesn’t he know?� She uses rhyming couplets, and includes much repetitive verse with just minor amusing tweaks, which delight the listener. We know what is coming, but each time there is a little thrill of surprise to make us laugh.
The book is about 700 words long, and much of its charm also lies in the illustrations by Axel Scheffler. Once you’ve read it, it is impossible to imagine the gruffalo as anything else, but in fact he might have looked very different. “Our� monster is scary in a cute, dim-witted sort of way, but apparently Axel Scheffler’s first designs were of a monster who was far more frightening than the one we know. He also wondered about making the animals wear clothes, but in the end decided against it.
My little Turkish neighbour, aged just four, and I both giggled (and one of us squealed a bit) at this delightful picture book. We haven’t yet ventured through our local “deep dark woods� though. Perhaps we should do that before we read the follow-up story, written five years later and called, The Gruffalo’s Child. After all, how terrifying might that one be?
It begins with a simple idea, of a little brown mouse taking a walk in a “deep dark wood�. We see a lovely illustration of the deep dark wood before the story begins � and the small child I read it to thought he might just be able to spy something sinister behind the trees, although he didn’t know the story at all � So we begin:
“A mouse took a stroll through the deep dark wood.
A fox saw the mouse and the mouse looked good.
‘Where are you going to, little brown mouse?
Come and have lunch in my underground house.’�
Oh my, what a crafty expression there is on the face of the fox! But our perky, brave little mouse is very quick-thinking:
“It’s terribly kind of you, Fox, but no �
I’m going to have lunch with a gruffalo!�
And as he describes the tusks, teeth and jaws of the terrible monster to the fox, he finishes with:
“and his favourite food is roasted fox�
whereupon the fox’s eyes get very wide indeed, and he scoots off in a panic. The mouse however, calmly carries on on his way. In time he meets several other dangerous animals; a fox, an owl, and a snake. Each one whom he meets, clearly intends to eat the mouse, and invites him back to their home, ostensibly for a meal. But every time, the mouse claims he is expected by the fierce gruffalo to his house for a meal instead.
We might also have felt as apprehensive and scared as the animals who want to eat the mouse. We learn for instance, that the gruffalo’s favourite foods are “owl ice cream�, and “scrambled snake�. But in fact we don’t feel frightened, and we don’t even believe him! My little friend was giggling as much as I was, because:
“Silly old fox, doesn’t he know?
There’s no such thing as a gruffalo!�
“Silly old owl, doesn’t he know?
There’s no such thing as a gruffalo!�
And:
“Silly old snake, doesn’t he know?
There’s no such thing as a gruffalo!�
We both had huge grins on our faces, until I turned the next page. Oh! There he was! As large as life and twice as ugly:
“Oh help! Oh no!
It’s a gruffalo!�
And we clearly see a real, live, gruffalo! He seems to be half a grizzly bear and half a buffalo. And when he spots the mouse:
“‘My favourite food� the gruffalo said,
‘You’ll taste good on a slice of bread!’�
But once again the mouse uses his quick wits and cunning. He boasts to the gruffalo that he, the mouse, is the scariest animal in the forest, and what’s more, he can prove it! The gruffalo is very doubtful of this, but humours the mouse, and accompanies him through the forest. Then the two of them once again encounter all the animals the mouse had met before. Not surprisingly, each creature is terrified by the sight of the mouse’s great “friend�, the gruffalo, whom he had described so perfectly earlier. Each one runs off in a panic, and gradually the gruffalo becomes more and more impressed with the mouse’s apparent toughness. When the mouse then claims that his favourite food is “gruffalo crumble�, it is the gruffalo who turns tail (quite literally, in his case) and flees, with a very very scared expression on his face.
Then, in the final double spread:
“All was quiet in the deep dark wood.
The mouse found a nut and the nut was good.�
The Gruffalo is a perfectly structured story, inviting the reader equally to laugh and have mock terror. Even the tiniest of tots love to be “frightened� in this way. Julia Donaldson seems to understand children completely, from the inside. She says that this story was inspired by a Chinese tale about a clever girl who tricks a hungry tiger into believing she is the Queen of the Jungle and scares him away. Julia Donaldson knew that this would make a great picture book for children between about three and seven years of age, but she wanted to do it in rhyme. She couldn’t think of anything to rhyme with “tiger�, so she created her own monster ending in “O�, to rhyme with “doesn’t he know?� She uses rhyming couplets, and includes much repetitive verse with just minor amusing tweaks, which delight the listener. We know what is coming, but each time there is a little thrill of surprise to make us laugh.
The book is about 700 words long, and much of its charm also lies in the illustrations by Axel Scheffler. Once you’ve read it, it is impossible to imagine the gruffalo as anything else, but in fact he might have looked very different. “Our� monster is scary in a cute, dim-witted sort of way, but apparently Axel Scheffler’s first designs were of a monster who was far more frightening than the one we know. He also wondered about making the animals wear clothes, but in the end decided against it.
My little Turkish neighbour, aged just four, and I both giggled (and one of us squealed a bit) at this delightful picture book. We haven’t yet ventured through our local “deep dark woods� though. Perhaps we should do that before we read the follow-up story, written five years later and called, The Gruffalo’s Child. After all, how terrifying might that one be?
May 17, 2022
“Silly old fox, doesn’t he know?
There’s no such thing as a gruffalo!�
A clever mouse travels through the woods, encountering many animals that would normally prey upon it, but keeps them all at bay by threat of a scary monster known as the gruffalo. This is all well and good, but what will the mouse do when he actually encounters a gruffalo for real?
This is another charming kid's book from the duo behind Room on the Broom (another excellent kid's read). It's filled with fun rhymes, funny moments and delightful artwork. Again, had this been around when I was a kid, this would no doubt have been one of my favorites. Instead, it is wonderful to share it with my daughter, hear her laughs and pointing out how clever the mouse is every time. Another 4/5 stars from the Donaldson/Scheffler duo. I have the feeling we will end up adding most of their books to our home library soon enough�
There’s no such thing as a gruffalo!�
A clever mouse travels through the woods, encountering many animals that would normally prey upon it, but keeps them all at bay by threat of a scary monster known as the gruffalo. This is all well and good, but what will the mouse do when he actually encounters a gruffalo for real?
This is another charming kid's book from the duo behind Room on the Broom (another excellent kid's read). It's filled with fun rhymes, funny moments and delightful artwork. Again, had this been around when I was a kid, this would no doubt have been one of my favorites. Instead, it is wonderful to share it with my daughter, hear her laughs and pointing out how clever the mouse is every time. Another 4/5 stars from the Donaldson/Scheffler duo. I have the feeling we will end up adding most of their books to our home library soon enough�
February 7, 2017
Brains beat brawns every time. The Gruffalo teaches children to be patient and understanding. Whilst not necessarily advocating the cunning manipulation that the mouse utilises, it does suggest that there is more to people than their outward appearance. Just because someone may appear “scary� doesn’t mean they’re a bad person, and innocent seeming things can be the worse. Judge only on actions not how one appears.
April 22, 2020
One of the delights of parenthood is being able to enjoy some of the most popular children's books from the last 20 years, The Gruffalo is an award winning hit from 1999.
It's a brilliant simple rhythmic story as a mouse trys to scare off other woodland creatures from eating him by describing this big beast known as The Gruffalo.
Unfortunately The Mouse is about to discover that he's been right all along!
I think the reason why this appeals so much as it hooks into a child's vivid imagination, I remember tells of strange creatures living in the woods when I used to go camping.
With each animal mouse meets the descriptions become even more elaborate!
This is one that I'm looking forward to enjoying together over and over again.
It's a brilliant simple rhythmic story as a mouse trys to scare off other woodland creatures from eating him by describing this big beast known as The Gruffalo.
Unfortunately The Mouse is about to discover that he's been right all along!
I think the reason why this appeals so much as it hooks into a child's vivid imagination, I remember tells of strange creatures living in the woods when I used to go camping.
With each animal mouse meets the descriptions become even more elaborate!
This is one that I'm looking forward to enjoying together over and over again.
June 1, 2023
Another great classic of children's literature that I had hitherto missed out on.
The story is that of a little mouse taking a stroll through the forest. Along the way, the mouse meets animals that aren't always ... uhm ... natural friends. *lol* However, that doesn't deter the little mouse because it is terribly clever. I shan't say more so as not to spoiler anyone who hasn't read this yet. Let me just assure you: it's hilarious.
To my great delight, the story is told in verse! Combined with the cute illustrations, that was almost too adorable to bear.
This has instantly become one of my all-time favorite children's books!
The story is that of a little mouse taking a stroll through the forest. Along the way, the mouse meets animals that aren't always ... uhm ... natural friends. *lol* However, that doesn't deter the little mouse because it is terribly clever. I shan't say more so as not to spoiler anyone who hasn't read this yet. Let me just assure you: it's hilarious.
To my great delight, the story is told in verse! Combined with the cute illustrations, that was almost too adorable to bear.
This has instantly become one of my all-time favorite children's books!
November 28, 2018
I love, love, love this book. I'm a fan of stories where a little mousy guy gets its way against the most terrible odds, and this one it's just perfect in that and many other ways.
The little mouse, our protagonist, is smart and full of grit but he's also lucky and sweet and it's so cool to see him getting out of a bad situation just to run into a worst one to then manage to get out of that as well.
The illustrations are lovely, the rhymes are funny, the story it's interesting--as shown by my niece's little yelps of excitement each time a new nemesis appears--so I can't recommend this book enough.
Read it with your children before bed, read it to yourself after a long day... just read it and enojy, it doesn't matter when.
The little mouse, our protagonist, is smart and full of grit but he's also lucky and sweet and it's so cool to see him getting out of a bad situation just to run into a worst one to then manage to get out of that as well.
The illustrations are lovely, the rhymes are funny, the story it's interesting--as shown by my niece's little yelps of excitement each time a new nemesis appears--so I can't recommend this book enough.
Read it with your children before bed, read it to yourself after a long day... just read it and enojy, it doesn't matter when.
August 22, 2018
Foxes are supposed to be cunning, but it is the mouse who is cunning and manipulative. He or She manipulated all the predators fears against them to stay safe. That's pretty smart. I guess that's how you survive. I love that even the Gruffalo had fears. I guess being a mouse, the mouse has had to learn to live with fear.
It's an amazing story about bravery and finding the weakness of scary looking, bigger obstacles in life. Find that fear and use it against you.
Does the mouse offer a seminar? I need to learn a thing or two from it.
The kids enjoyed this. The nephew loved the gruffalo and the niece did too for different reasons. They both gave it 4 stars.
It's an amazing story about bravery and finding the weakness of scary looking, bigger obstacles in life. Find that fear and use it against you.
Does the mouse offer a seminar? I need to learn a thing or two from it.
The kids enjoyed this. The nephew loved the gruffalo and the niece did too for different reasons. They both gave it 4 stars.
November 19, 2019
A wonderful tale and movie about dealing with bullies. A must for kids!
April 5, 2025
‘The Gruffalo� by author Julia Donaldson and illustrator Axel Scheffler was a really marvellous read. I think it is the perfect picture book for younger readers to teach them several interconnected and complex strategies for coping in the world in which we find ourselves today. But the best part about ‘The Gruffalo� was the main theme about how to overcome fear by a unique mode of circumvention.
To know more, please buy your younger reader a copy of ‘The Gruffalo� and enter the world of the dark forest where a witty and shrewd mouse has a unique take on how to handle fearsome obstacles in life. Adults will also enjoy this juvenile classic gem and will chuckle to glory over the ending.
The illustrations were not outstanding or uniquely done, but they were done in the simplistic classic style that can still make contented reading, browsing, and mulling over for a younger reader. I could picture myself as a toddler just enjoying a book like ‘The Gruffalo� especially for the simplistic yet colourful and evocative enough illustrations. I’m a Tony Ross and Quentin Blake fan so I would have enjoyed the book even better if it was probably illustrated in their style.
That mouse reminded me so much of whatever I am not and whatever I wish I could have been if I could only have had more control over the monkey chatter in my mind over the years. I hope after reading this book, it will give me a cue to learn more about this wonderful virtue called forbearance. I also tend to have not a ‘fear� of people and dangerous situations, but a huge ‘temper� and ‘patience� issue when it comes to fear.
Using the instance in this amazing book as an example, if I was encountering predators back-to-back in a dark forest when I was on my way to work then rather than being fearful, I would lose my patience and my temper on the predators because of their absolute disregard to my time by trying to scare me. The predators in my life would then inadvertently flee from my presence, but in turn I would inadvertently make a spectacle of myself. I tend to fall into this trap over and over again and so maybe after reading this awesome book I’ll rectify my stance in tackling fearful situations in life.
Ingenious, fantastic, and marvellous! ‘The Gruffalo� is a contemporary classic par excellence and it receives 5 stars from me!
To know more, please buy your younger reader a copy of ‘The Gruffalo� and enter the world of the dark forest where a witty and shrewd mouse has a unique take on how to handle fearsome obstacles in life. Adults will also enjoy this juvenile classic gem and will chuckle to glory over the ending.
The illustrations were not outstanding or uniquely done, but they were done in the simplistic classic style that can still make contented reading, browsing, and mulling over for a younger reader. I could picture myself as a toddler just enjoying a book like ‘The Gruffalo� especially for the simplistic yet colourful and evocative enough illustrations. I’m a Tony Ross and Quentin Blake fan so I would have enjoyed the book even better if it was probably illustrated in their style.
That mouse reminded me so much of whatever I am not and whatever I wish I could have been if I could only have had more control over the monkey chatter in my mind over the years. I hope after reading this book, it will give me a cue to learn more about this wonderful virtue called forbearance. I also tend to have not a ‘fear� of people and dangerous situations, but a huge ‘temper� and ‘patience� issue when it comes to fear.
Using the instance in this amazing book as an example, if I was encountering predators back-to-back in a dark forest when I was on my way to work then rather than being fearful, I would lose my patience and my temper on the predators because of their absolute disregard to my time by trying to scare me. The predators in my life would then inadvertently flee from my presence, but in turn I would inadvertently make a spectacle of myself. I tend to fall into this trap over and over again and so maybe after reading this awesome book I’ll rectify my stance in tackling fearful situations in life.
Ingenious, fantastic, and marvellous! ‘The Gruffalo� is a contemporary classic par excellence and it receives 5 stars from me!
March 9, 2017
The Gruffalo, by Julia Donaldson is a cute rhyming story about a mouse and a gruffalo.
We loved the combination of the sly little mouse and gullible gruffalo.
"My favorite food!" the gruffalo said.
"You'll taste good on a slice of bread!"
"Good?" said the mouse. "Don't call me good!
I'm the scariest creature in this deep dark wood.
Just walk behind me and soon you'll see,
everyone is afraid of me."
The illustrations are detailed and interesting. Overall, its a charming little story children will enjoy.
4****
We loved the combination of the sly little mouse and gullible gruffalo.
"My favorite food!" the gruffalo said.
"You'll taste good on a slice of bread!"
"Good?" said the mouse. "Don't call me good!
I'm the scariest creature in this deep dark wood.
Just walk behind me and soon you'll see,
everyone is afraid of me."
The illustrations are detailed and interesting. Overall, its a charming little story children will enjoy.
4****
September 4, 2019
With Julia Donaldson's 1999 picture book (and in my opinion already a classic) The Gruffalo, aside from the author's sweetly and humorously (not to mention rhythmically rollicking and yes just asking to be read aloud) poetic text and Axel Scheffler's delightful and visually stunning accompanying illustrations (which are not only wonderfully colourfully expressive and as such a perfect mirror to and for Donaldson's engaging verses, especially how Axel Scheffler has drawn the little mouse main protagonist, it sweetly and nostalgically reminds me visually of one of my very favourite German cartoons from when I was a young child, namely Die Sendung mit der Maus), for me The Gruffalo as a unit is actually not just a fun and engaging picture book romp. For indeed, The Gruffalo also shows both with Julia Donaldson's verses and Axel Scheffler's accompanying artwork the importance and even the at times necessity of both bravery and cleverness when dealing with possible dangers, bullies, nasties and monsters, as the little mouse bravely ventures into the forest and cleverly keeps itself safe from potential predators by telling a fantastical tale of the forest monster known as the Gruffalo (and later, when the Gruffalo actually turns out to not be a fantastical imaginary beast after all, but a very real and bona fide monster, how the mouse, instead of simply being frightened and capitulating then makes the Gruffalo actually believe that it, that the little mouse is in fact a big, bad and frightening animal, bravely manipulating both the Gruffalo and the forest animals to keep its diminutive self safe from harm, from being consumed as a meal or a snack).
August 17, 2017
Another delightful rhyming story from the pen of Julia Donaldson with brilliant accompanying illustrations by Axel Scheffler.
Donaldson and Scheffler are a formidable team (although not quite rivalling that of Dahl and Blake) and this is undoubtedly one of their classics.
The Gruffalo is a great character and creation loved by adults and children alike. Although well adapted for television and stage versions - nothing can compare to the original story and illustrations.
Donaldson and Scheffler are a formidable team (although not quite rivalling that of Dahl and Blake) and this is undoubtedly one of their classics.
The Gruffalo is a great character and creation loved by adults and children alike. Although well adapted for television and stage versions - nothing can compare to the original story and illustrations.
April 28, 2017
Delightful!
I've heard of this book, and my kids have seen the cartoon on Netflix, yet we hadn't read the book until recently, when my sister gave it to my youngest. We love Donaldson's Room on the Broom, and this is more of the same. Tight, elegant rhymes, a fun story, and great pictures. Now we need The Gruffalo's Child!
I've heard of this book, and my kids have seen the cartoon on Netflix, yet we hadn't read the book until recently, when my sister gave it to my youngest. We love Donaldson's Room on the Broom, and this is more of the same. Tight, elegant rhymes, a fun story, and great pictures. Now we need The Gruffalo's Child!
Read
August 31, 2011This book tells the tale of a scary Gruffalo,
is he real, is he pretend, nobody knows.
A sly little mouse describes him so true,
other animals listen intently, their ears fixed like glue.
Through the deep dark woods does little mouse go,
announcing his meeting with the fierce gruffalo.
His aim is to put off predators leering in the woods,
who all want to eat little mouse, they surely would.
A fox comes along, thinking of his meal for the day,
little mouse is quick to react, as he starts to say,
"Those terrible tusks, and terrible toes,
with terrible teeth in his terrible jaws.
He has knobbly knees and turn out toes,
and a poisonous wart at the end of his nose.
His eyes are orange, his tongue is black,
he has purple prickles all over his back!"
Little mouse uses his tricks to leer off owl and snake,
proud of himself for thinking he’s invented a fake!
Through the woods little mouse continues to go,
unaware that round the corner stands the big Grufallo!
As little mouse sees him, heartbeats he can feel,
The Grufallo isn’t pretend, he is in fact real!
Little mouse continues his tricks and uses the beast,
to scare off the animals who wanted him for their feast.
Little mouse sat alone, amazed at his luck,
as he nibbles into a brown, delicious sweet nut.
is he real, is he pretend, nobody knows.
A sly little mouse describes him so true,
other animals listen intently, their ears fixed like glue.
Through the deep dark woods does little mouse go,
announcing his meeting with the fierce gruffalo.
His aim is to put off predators leering in the woods,
who all want to eat little mouse, they surely would.
A fox comes along, thinking of his meal for the day,
little mouse is quick to react, as he starts to say,
"Those terrible tusks, and terrible toes,
with terrible teeth in his terrible jaws.
He has knobbly knees and turn out toes,
and a poisonous wart at the end of his nose.
His eyes are orange, his tongue is black,
he has purple prickles all over his back!"
Little mouse uses his tricks to leer off owl and snake,
proud of himself for thinking he’s invented a fake!
Through the woods little mouse continues to go,
unaware that round the corner stands the big Grufallo!
As little mouse sees him, heartbeats he can feel,
The Grufallo isn’t pretend, he is in fact real!
Little mouse continues his tricks and uses the beast,
to scare off the animals who wanted him for their feast.
Little mouse sat alone, amazed at his luck,
as he nibbles into a brown, delicious sweet nut.
December 26, 2015
Description: This is a rhyming story of a mouse and a monster. Little mouse goes for a walk in a dangerous forest. To scare off his enemies he invents tales of a fantastical creature called the Gruffalo. So imagine his surprise when he meets the real Gruffalo.
4* The Stick Man
5* The Gruffalo
March 9, 2017
This is a totally awesome book. My children read it at school and they really loved it. And of course we bought the book and we saw the movie.
And then we read the book again again and again :-)
It is a clever story about a little mouse and a scary (not really) monster, the Gruffalo. The intelligent sourceful little mouse manipulated the bigger animals who wanted to eat him. He made them think that he is scarier than Gruffalo. Thus, he should not be eaten.
The little mouse though that Gruffalo is a made up monster, but he was wrong. Surprise!
And then we read the book again again and again :-)
It is a clever story about a little mouse and a scary (not really) monster, the Gruffalo. The intelligent sourceful little mouse manipulated the bigger animals who wanted to eat him. He made them think that he is scarier than Gruffalo. Thus, he should not be eaten.
The little mouse though that Gruffalo is a made up monster, but he was wrong. Surprise!
December 24, 2015
Have just bought this and all the toys to go with it for my little nephew. Hope he's going to like it as much as I did!
August 7, 2024
⁀� ★★★★.75
🎀
This taught me how to read
🎀
This taught me how to read
May 8, 2018
Ha ha ha. It was really great. this is my new favorite children’s book. :D
August 24, 2018
This is a wonderful book for kids! I loved the illustrations, and the story is so smart. Would make a great gift or a nice first book to someone who's just learning how to read.
April 24, 2020
Great story! You can watch Michelle Obama reading The Gruffalo here and then add it to your reading challenge:
July 21, 2022
This is the story of a clever rat and his adventure.This is also the story of roasted fox, owl ice-cream, scrambled snake and gruffalo crumble. so so funny!
February 25, 2018
قصة طريفة عن فأر ذكي. استطاع أن يتغلب على كل الحيونات التي حاولت افتراسه بحيله الذكية.
أجمل ما في القصة أنها تشجع الأطفال على حل المشاكل بطرق مبتكرة بدلا من الهروب منها.
أجمل ما في القصة أنها تشجع الأطفال على حل المشاكل بطرق مبتكرة بدلا من الهروب منها.
September 28, 2022
We watched the short film, which is exactly the text in the book with the illustrations by Axel brought to life, probably 30 times when my son was small. Delightful!
November 22, 2014
Popular kids books are powerful vehicles of merchandise.
Take The Hungry Caterpillar (as just one example) - you can buy the book, the cardboard book, the cloth book, the colouring book, the pop-up book, the touch-and-feel book, the finger-puppet book, the audio book, the baby 'development toy', the plushy toy, the 'big apple' toy, the play floor tiles, the bedspread, the toothbrush, the body-wash, the bubble-bath, the playroom stickers, the height chart, the calendar, the garden water toy, the memory game, the seat-belt strap covers, the baby vests, the kids t-shirts, the welly-boots, the backpack, the lunchbox, the pencil case... that's just off the top of my head - I'm sure there's more!
I remember that book from my own childhood, and I don't find this grating - it's sweet, it's unisex, the art style is lush and I don't mind seeing it splashed around.
But I was 15 when The Gruffalo was published... listening to Rage Against The Machine and lamenting the over-commercialised tat we peddle to our children... To my teenage self, The Gruffalo was just another hook to get parents buying their kids more crap: a symbol of a broken system. Obviously, I never read it - but I was aware there was a TV adaptation made (with much fanfare) and a sequel book, etc.
The Gruffalo has become a 'standard' (one of those books every kid should have...) and I was surprised to find how much I liked it!
The rhythm and rhyme is perfect - it's heavily structured, but flows naturally, so even the most stilted beadtime-story reader is guided smoothly into a sing-song cadence. The story itself is clever and fun. The art style is very modern and clean - a touch generic for me (which is why it doesn't get 5 stars) - but overall The Gruffalo is a great bedtime story, and certainly one of Fin's favourites.
We have the paperback and the noisy-hardback - the one where you press the buttons for Gruffalo's growl, or Owl's hoot, etc. We also have a Gruffalo flannel... but aside from that we've avoided any more of the merch!
We also have many of Donaldson & Scheffler's other books - and I'm pleased to say that they're consistently good. The Gruffalo's Child, Room on the Broom, The Smartest Giant in Town, A Squash and a Squeeze, Charlie Cook's Favourite Book, and Superworm all have my little boy's seal of approval.
After this I read: The Gruffalo's Child
Take The Hungry Caterpillar (as just one example) - you can buy the book, the cardboard book, the cloth book, the colouring book, the pop-up book, the touch-and-feel book, the finger-puppet book, the audio book, the baby 'development toy', the plushy toy, the 'big apple' toy, the play floor tiles, the bedspread, the toothbrush, the body-wash, the bubble-bath, the playroom stickers, the height chart, the calendar, the garden water toy, the memory game, the seat-belt strap covers, the baby vests, the kids t-shirts, the welly-boots, the backpack, the lunchbox, the pencil case... that's just off the top of my head - I'm sure there's more!
I remember that book from my own childhood, and I don't find this grating - it's sweet, it's unisex, the art style is lush and I don't mind seeing it splashed around.
But I was 15 when The Gruffalo was published... listening to Rage Against The Machine and lamenting the over-commercialised tat we peddle to our children... To my teenage self, The Gruffalo was just another hook to get parents buying their kids more crap: a symbol of a broken system. Obviously, I never read it - but I was aware there was a TV adaptation made (with much fanfare) and a sequel book, etc.
The Gruffalo has become a 'standard' (one of those books every kid should have...) and I was surprised to find how much I liked it!
The rhythm and rhyme is perfect - it's heavily structured, but flows naturally, so even the most stilted beadtime-story reader is guided smoothly into a sing-song cadence. The story itself is clever and fun. The art style is very modern and clean - a touch generic for me (which is why it doesn't get 5 stars) - but overall The Gruffalo is a great bedtime story, and certainly one of Fin's favourites.
We have the paperback and the noisy-hardback - the one where you press the buttons for Gruffalo's growl, or Owl's hoot, etc. We also have a Gruffalo flannel... but aside from that we've avoided any more of the merch!
We also have many of Donaldson & Scheffler's other books - and I'm pleased to say that they're consistently good. The Gruffalo's Child, Room on the Broom, The Smartest Giant in Town, A Squash and a Squeeze, Charlie Cook's Favourite Book, and Superworm all have my little boy's seal of approval.
After this I read: The Gruffalo's Child
November 1, 2017
I hadn't read this book since my childhood, loved it!
Great opportunities to look at rhyme and rhythm with children. The repetitive line of 'there's no such thing as Gruffalo' would be lovely for EAL children to join in too. You could also explore Donaldson's use of alliteration with children. Children could create more animals for the mouse to meet and their own rhymes for them. In science, children could look at the different habitats in which the animals live in.
Good morals about not having to be the biggest to be the best. That you shouldn't judge from what you see, as the Gruffalo wasn't scary. Also not to believe everything you hear.
Great opportunities to look at rhyme and rhythm with children. The repetitive line of 'there's no such thing as Gruffalo' would be lovely for EAL children to join in too. You could also explore Donaldson's use of alliteration with children. Children could create more animals for the mouse to meet and their own rhymes for them. In science, children could look at the different habitats in which the animals live in.
Good morals about not having to be the biggest to be the best. That you shouldn't judge from what you see, as the Gruffalo wasn't scary. Also not to believe everything you hear.
November 8, 2015
اولین بار انیمیشنش را دیدم. انیمیشن کوتاهی بود. داستان به نظرم حیرت انگیز بود. داستان را شب برای پسرم از حفظ گفتم. قدم به قدم. همانطوری که توی انیمیشن دیده بودم. پلک نمی زد. وقتی موش قصه به گروفالوی خیالی رسید داشت سکته می کرد:)
وقتی دیدم کانون ترجمها� کرده خریدمش. پریشبه� برایش خواندم و جالب اینک� هنوز برایش هیجان انگیز بود. تجربه� خنده و تعجب و کمی ترس را همزمان به بچهه� دادن کار سختی است. از موج کتابه� و اسباب بازیه� و کارته� و چیزهای دیگری که توی وب در موردش هست معلومه که محبوب بچههاس�.
وقتی دیدم کانون ترجمها� کرده خریدمش. پریشبه� برایش خواندم و جالب اینک� هنوز برایش هیجان انگیز بود. تجربه� خنده و تعجب و کمی ترس را همزمان به بچهه� دادن کار سختی است. از موج کتابه� و اسباب بازیه� و کارته� و چیزهای دیگری که توی وب در موردش هست معلومه که محبوب بچههاس�.
August 25, 2024
Despite the lead character a rather scary looking monster, this is a fun bedtime read geared at younger children. The story is told through rhyme, as we meet various animals who cross paths with the giant Gruffalo.
With beautifully unique illustrations, this is a perfect gift for young readers.
With beautifully unique illustrations, this is a perfect gift for young readers.
May 31, 2018
شاید بیرب� باشه، اما این کتاب من رو یاد یک ترس بزرگم انداخت. اکثر اوقات فانتزی میساز�. به زبان دیگه، توهم میزن� و هی با خودم فکر میکن�. بعد هی میگم� نه واقعی نیست. واقعی نیست. فکرای توست. و ترس اینکه واقعا به واقعیت بپیوندن،...
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