The Gruffalo

The Gruffalo is the classic story of a clever mouse who strolls through a deep, dark wood-and avoids being eaten by inventing a terrifying creature called the Gruffalo. But what happens when the Gruffalo turns out to be real? Julia Donaldson's unforgettable rhyming verse and Axel Scheffler's expressive illustrations bring this suspenseful yet humorous story to life. With memorable characters and rhythmic repetition, this bestselling picture book delights young readers while nurturing language skills and imagination. The tale encourages creative problem-solving, prediction, and confidence, making it a classroom favourite and bedtime staple worldwide.

Educational Benefits:

• Boosts early literacy with rhyming text and repetitive language.
• Encourages imagination, inference, and narrative prediction.
• Introduces characterisation and story structure.
• Fosters confidence and language through oral retelling and performance.

Classroom Ideas:

• Act out scenes using role-play or puppets for drama and storytelling.
• Create story maps to follow the mouse's journey through the woods.
• Discuss character traits and explore how the mouse solves problems creatively.
• Use descriptive writing prompts: œInvent your own forest creature!

Information:

• Ages: 3 years and up
• Format: Picture Book
• Authors: Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler
• Translated: Over 27 languages worldwide