The Gruffalo facts for kids
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The first edition
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| Author | Julia Donaldson |
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| Illustrator | Axel Scheffler |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's fantasy |
| Publisher | Macmillan |
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Publication date
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23 March 1999 |
| Pages | 32 |
| ISBN | 0-333-71093-2 |
| OCLC | 59379845 |
| Followed by | The Gruffalo's Child |
The Gruffalo is a very popular children's book. It was written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler. The story is about a clever mouse who takes a walk in a big, dark wood.
This book has sold over 13 million copies around the world. It has won many awards for children's books. The Gruffalo has even been turned into plays on West End and Broadway. There is also an animated film based on the book, which was nominated for an Oscar!
The book was first published in the United Kingdom in 1999. It was released by Macmillan Children's Books. The first version was a hardback book with 32 pages. Later, a paperback and a board book version were also made. The story is about 700 words long and is written using rhyming words. It's meant for young readers, usually from three to seven years old.
Contents
The Gruffalo Story: A Clever Mouse's Adventure
The story follows a small mouse as he walks through a forest. He meets several hungry animals: a fox, an owl, and a snake. Each animal wants to eat the mouse.
To escape, the smart mouse invents a scary creature called a "gruffalo." He tells each animal that he is going to have a meal with his gruffalo friend. The mouse describes the gruffalo's scary features, like terrible tusks and a poisonous wart. The fox, owl, and snake get scared and run away. The mouse thinks to himself that there's no such thing as a gruffalo.
But then, the mouse is surprised to meet a real gruffalo! This gruffalo looks exactly like the one the mouse made up. The gruffalo wants to eat the mouse.
Again, the mouse uses his quick thinking. He tells the gruffalo that he, the mouse, is the scariest animal in the forest. The gruffalo laughs but agrees to follow the mouse. As they walk, they meet the fox, owl, and snake again. Each animal sees the gruffalo and runs away in fear. The gruffalo is very impressed by how scared the other animals are of the mouse.
The mouse then tells the gruffalo that he is going to eat him. The gruffalo gets scared and runs away too. The mouse is finally safe and enjoys a nut in the quiet forest.
The idea for The Gruffalo came from an old Chinese folk tale. In that story, a fox uses the fear of a tiger to scare other animals. Julia Donaldson couldn't find a good rhyme for "tiger," so she created the word "gruffalo" instead.
Awards and Special Mentions
The Gruffalo has won many important awards. In 1999, it won the gold award in the 0–5 years category of the Nestlé Smarties Book Prize. It was the best-selling picture book in the UK in 2000.
The book also won the Nottingham/Experian Children's Book award in 2000. It received the Blue Peter Best Book To Read Aloud award as well. The audio version of the book won the Best Children's Audio award. In 2010, a survey by Booktime, a UK charity, found that The Gruffalo was children's favorite book.
Gruffalo Trails and Sculptures
Because the book is so popular, special "Gruffalo trails" have been created. The Dean Heritage Centre in the Forest of Dean, England, has a Gruffalo trail. It was made with permission from Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler.
In Bearsden, where Julia Donaldson used to live, Gruffalo sculptures were made. These sculptures are found around Kilmardinny Loch. They were created using natural materials, like a beech tree trunk for the largest one.
Worldwide Popularity and Translations
The Gruffalo has sold over 13 million copies worldwide. It has been translated into 59 different languages. This shows how much children and families all over the world love the story.
Different Versions and Products
The book was first sold as a large paperback in 1999. A smaller, sturdier board book version came out in 2002. An audiobook version was released in 2002, narrated by Imelda Staunton. There was also a jigsaw book version published in 2004. You can even buy the book packaged with a gruffalo soft toy.
A song called "The Gruffalo song" was released with the audiobook. It was also sold as a separate CD single.
Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler wrote a sequel to the book called The Gruffalo's Child. This book came out in 2004. It tells the story of the gruffalo's daughter, who is warned by her father about the scary mouse. The Gruffalo's Child won the "Best Children's Book" award in 2005.
Many Gruffalo-themed woodland walks have been created in Great Britain. These include trails at Kilmardinny Loch in Bearsden and Mount Vernon Park in Glasgow. There are also trails at Ardkinglas in Argyll and Whinlatter Forest Park in Cumbria.
A special wheeled suitcase for children, shaped like the Gruffalo, is made by Trunki. This idea was shown on the TV show Dragons' Den but was not chosen by the judges.
Donaldson and Scheffler have worked together on many other books. Sometimes, the Gruffalo makes a small appearance in these other stories. For example, he is a Christmas tree decoration in Stick Man. He is also a drawing by a child in The Snail and the Whale and a fish in Tiddler.
In 2019, a special UK 50p coin was made featuring "The Gruffalo."
How The Gruffalo Was Adapted
The Gruffalo Film
The book was made into a 27-minute animated film. It was shown on BBC One in the UK on Christmas Day 2009. Famous actors lent their voices to the characters. Robbie Coltrane was the Gruffalo, and James Corden was the mouse. Helena Bonham Carter narrated the story as a squirrel.
The film was animated in Germany. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Short Film (Animated) in 2011. It was also nominated for a BAFTA award in 2010.
The Gruffalo on Stage
The Gruffalo story has also been adapted for the theatre. The Tall Stories theatre company first performed it in 2001. This play has been performed in the West End in London for many years. It has also toured around the UK and other countries. The play was even performed at the Sydney Opera House in Australia.
Another theatre company, Meneer Monster, created a Gruffalo play in the Netherlands. This play toured around the Netherlands and Belgium. In 2014, Meneer Monster also made a South African version of the play.
The Gruffalo Ride
Chessington World of Adventures, a theme park, has a ride called 'The Gruffalo River Ride Adventure'. This ride uses the same water system that was used for an older ride called The Bubbleworks.
The Gruffalo in Other Media
The book has appeared in the TV show Doctor Who. In the episode "The Hungry Earth" from series 5, a character reads The Gruffalo to his son.
Images for kids
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One of the scenes on the Gruffalo Trail, Forest of Dean
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Gruffalo Sculpture, Kilmardinny Loch
See also
In Spanish: El Grúfalo para niños
