The Gruffalo

The Gruffalo
by: Julia Donaldson

The Gruffalo was a book that was prominently displayed in almost every bookshop in Australia when we lived there.  It came in every imaginable configuration, including with stuffed Gruffalo and mouse toys.  I read the book in the store several times and thought, 'Hey, this sounds a little scary...perhaps later?'  Several friends recommended it, but still I waffled, thinking my poor, sweet, delicate boy might be frightened.

Hah!  I'll eat my words right now.  We arrived back in the US, flashed our newly minted library cards, and took "The Gruffalo" home with us.  After three renewals, nine weeks checked our,  "The Gruffalo" was a fast favorite of my son and he was loathe to return it.  In fact, Gruffalo Crumble and Scrambled Snake are regular items on our menu around here (think mac and cheese and scrambled eggs).   The story of the clever and fearless mouse isn't nearly as scary as I made it out to be and like all good children's books the repetitive nature of the prose is appealing to kids who like to anticipate.

Recommended Age (Publishers Weekly):  4-8