The Gruffalo

AUTHOR: Julia Donaldson
ILLUSTRATOR: Alex Scheffler

From the Publisher:

Julia Donaldson’s trademark rhyming text and Axel Scheffler’s brilliant, characterful illustrations come together in this perfect read aloud—a perfect gift for any special occasion!

A mouse is taking a stroll through the deep, dark wood when along comes a hungry fox, then an owl, and then a snake. The mouse is good enough to eat but smart enough to know this, so he invents . . . the gruffalo! As Mouse explains, the gruffalo is a creature with terrible claws, and terrible tusks in its terrible jaws, and knobbly knees and turned-out toes, and a poisonous wart at the end of its nose. But Mouse has no worry to show. After all, there’s no such thing as a gruffalo. . . .

Leah’s Thoughts:

This clever little mouse has been a favorite in our house for years. The rhyming is spot-on, the pacing is perfect for reading aloud, and the twist at the end still makes us smile every time. It’s a story that celebrates wit over brawn, and I love how it invites kids to join in with the repeating lines.