The Gruffalo

Outline

The Gruffalo (1999) tells the story of a clever little mouse walking through a deep, dark wood. To scare off a fox, an owl, and a snake who want to eat him, he invents a terrifying monster called the Gruffalo, only to meet a real one. Julia Donaldson’s rhyming tale, illustrated by Axel Scheffler, celebrates quick thinking and has become one of the best-loved picture books of modern times.

• A small, clever mouse walks through a deep, dark wood where a fox, an owl and a snake want to eat him.
• The mouse scares off each predator by inventing a terrifying monster called the Gruffalo.
• His invented monster turns out to be real, and the mouse has to think quickly again.
• The story celebrates quick thinking, confidence and creativity as ways to handle danger.
• Julia Donaldson wrote it in rhyme, and Axel Scheffler illustrated it, which helped make it a much-loved picture book.

Julia Donaldson is a British children’s author, playwright, and performer who served as the UK Children’s Laureate from 2011 to 2013. She is known for rhyming stories, many illustrated by Axel Scheffler. Her books include The Gruffalo, Room on the Broom, Stick Man, and Zog.