A guide to Julia Donaldson’s books and series

Illustrated by Axel Scheffler

Julia Donaldson's characters are loved around the world, and none more so than the Gruffalo. It has been more than two whole decades since the little mouse took a stroll through the deep dark wood, and millions of kids and adults around the world fell in love with the creature with terrible tusks and terrible claws. This new edition of the modern classic features a stunning redesigned cover and a beautiful finish. It’s the perfect gift for Gruffalo fans of all ages.

Discover more books and activities for children who love The Gruffalo.

This alternative advent calendar includes twenty-four mini books based on classics by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, all enclosed in a beautiful presentation case and tied up with a ribbon – the perfect present for kids to explore in the run-up to Christmas. With songs, rhymes, colouring, drawing and activity guides, there's plenty of festive family fun to be enjoyed! 

Walk further into the deep dark wood and discover what happens when a quick-witted mouse comes face to face with a fox, an owl, a snake . . . and a hungry gruffalo! Read the original much-loved classic story and join in the fun by lifting the flaps and sliding the tabs to change the scenes and bring the story to life. This stunning hardback gift edition of the classic story is perfect for little paws and is sure to delight parents and children alike.

Illustrated by Axel Scheffler

This bestselling story of a witch and her cat, and the medley of creatures that hitch a ride on her broom isn’t just for Halloween! The witch loses her hat, bow and wand which are returned by a dog, a bird and a frog, all eager for a ride on her broom. It’s the more the merrier until the broom snaps under its heavy load - and there’s a greedy dragon looking for a snack . . .

Illustrated by Axel Scheffler

A celebration of the joy of reading, Charlie Cook’s Favourite Book is a story about how anyone can find magic within the pages of a book. With Julia Donaldson’s trademark rhyming verse and Axel Scheffler’s illustrations, fans of The Snail and the Whale will love embarking on an adventure with Charlie Cook as he comes across aliens, frogs, monarchs and even Goldilocks!

Illustrated by Axel Scheffler

This Julia Donaldson book is a classic tale of friendship with one very scruffy, but very kind and much-loved giant. George doesn’t want to be the scruffiest giant in town, so when he sees a giant-sized clothes shop he decides it’s time for a smart new look. His new clothes make him the smartest giant in town, until some new friends need his help . . .

Illustrated by Axel Scheffler

Go on an adventure with this tiny snail and the great big grey-blue humpback whale. A little snail hitches a ride on the tail of a whale and feels so small in the vast world he sees. But when disaster strikes, it’s the tiny snail who saves the day. Julia Donaldson's characters will charm little ones in this story of friendship. 

Discover all The Snail and the Whale books featuring Axel Scheffler and Julia Donaldson's characters.

Illustrated by Axel Scheffler

Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s most recent creation, Zog is a studious but very accident-prone dragon who forges an unlikely friendship with a mysterious princess.

Twenty years after the original Room on the Broom was published, Who's on the Broom? is based on the original picture book and is the perfect interactive Halloween gift for tiny tots, introducing them to the witch and her magic broomstick trip with a host of animal friends. The easy-lift flaps will help babies and toddlers develop fine motor skills.

It's time to grab those wellies and head into the great outdoors with this fun activity book, featuring characters from four bestselling picture books by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler: The Snail and the Whale, The Gruffalo's Child, The Smartest Giant in Town and A Squash and a Squeeze. Explore nature together, with easy to follow guidelines and plenty of hints and tips to engage kids. 

Illustrated by Axel Scheffler 

It's snowing in wintery Acorn Wood, so Squirrel and her friends set out to build a snowman. But this is no easy feat, as they'll have to find everything they need to build it first! Discover this festive story with sturdy flaps on every spread and rhyming stories that are a joy to read aloud.

Illustrated by Axel Scheffler 

Badger is keen to start a band, and his friends want to join in. Bear plays piano and Tortoise plays trumpet, but does anyone else want to take part? Lift the flaps to find out, and join Badger and co for their important concert. With sturdy flaps and lilting rhymes, this story is a delight for both children and adults.

Illustrated by Axel Scheffler 

Mole has lost his spectacles. He searches all around his house, in the garden and even in Weasel's sweetshop, but he can't find them anywhere! Where could they be? With sturdy flaps on every spread and rhyming stories that are a joy to read aloud, Mole's Spectacles joins the bestselling Tales from Acorn Wood which have been delighting parents and children for over twenty years.

Illustrated by Axel Scheffler

Poor Rabbit is trying to get to sleep, but it is much too noisy! Follow the story together and lift the flaps to find out if she will ever get a moment's peace to sleep. This classic Julia Donaldson book makes for an ideal bedtime story for little ones.

Illustrated by Axel Scheffler

Join Pig and Hen for a game of hide-and-seek in Acorn Wood. Young readers will love lifting the flaps to help Pig search for Hen in this rhyming story of friendship and fun from Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler.

Illustrated by Axel Scheffler

Guaranteed to make you and your little ones laugh out loud, this rhyming story about Fox’s hunt for his favourite socks is bound to become a firm favourite with kids and grown-ups alike.

Illustrated by Axel Scheffler

Learn about the joy of letter writing in this classic lift-the-flap story. Postman Bear is writing letters to his friends, but what could they be about? Read the story to discover what Bear’s big surprise is!

Illustrated by Axel Scheffler

Meet a cat that wants to learn to cook in this brand new addition to Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler's best-selling Tales from Acorn Wood series. With its fun rhyming story, lift-the-flap surprises, and exciting adventure for little ones to follow, Cat's Cookbook will make a great addition to any preschooler's bookshelf. 

What the Ladybird Heard at Christmas is the latest title in this beloved series and the perfect book to read with little ones during the festive run-up. In a big old house, the ladybird is visiting her friend the spider for the festive season. But those two bad men, Hefty Hugh and Lanky Len, are up to no good again. The clever little ladybird has overheard their devious plan - to steal the children's Christmas presents, and she has a cunning plan to make sure they don't get away with it! 

Lydia Monks’ bright, bold illustrations and Julia Donaldson’s trademark rhymes combine in the What the Ladybird Heard picture book series. Following the story of a crime-fighting ladybird and her animal friends, these books would make an excellent gift for children who love The Gruffalo and Room on the Broom. Fans of the Ladybird will love these books and activities based on What the Ladybird Heard. 

Push, pull and slide the moving mechanisms to follow the ladybird and all the animals on the farm in this brilliant board book based on the bestselling classic picture book What the Ladybird Heard.

When the little spotty ladybird hears Lanky Len and Hefty Hugh's plan to steal the fine prize cow, she makes a clever plan, and all the animals join in to help stop the thieves! Move the push, pull and slide mechanisms on every spread to join in too and bring the story to life.

With a short, simple rhyming text based on the original story, What the Ladybird Heard: A Push, Pull and Slide Book is the perfect introduction for preschoolers to the What the Ladybird Heard series by Julia Donaldson and Lydia Monks, and a great gift for little fans of the bestselling picture book.

Based on Julia Donaldson and Lydia Monks' bestselling picture book, What the Ladybird Heard on Holiday, preschool children will love lifting the large card flaps to find all their favourite characters. With bright and colourful illustrations and a flap to lift on every page, this interactive board book is packed full of favourite zoo animals and is perfect for little fingers!

Illustrated by Lydia Monks

When Josephine leaves the shop after buying some new running shoes, she realises she’s being followed by a bear with a backpack. Luckily for Josephine, her new shoes are anything but ordinary – these are magic shoes! This magical adventure by Julia Donaldson and Lydia Monks is a story you'll read together again and again.

Illustrated by Lydia Monks

Ideal for children aged 5–7 who are starting to read more independently, this chapter book series by Julia Donaldson and Lydia Monks follows the adventures of the magically mischievous Princess Mirror-Belle. The Princess Mirror-Belle books are also available as audiobooks, narrated by Sophie Thompson. Younger readers can also enjoy the picture book, Princess Mirror-Belle and the Dragon Pox.

Illustrated by Lydia Monks

Sugarlump the rocking horse longs to explore the outside world, and his wish is granted with the arrival of a magical unicorn who turns him into a real horse. But, after trotting round the farm, galloping at the racetrack and dancing at the circus, Sugarlump learns that you should be careful what you wish for. Luckily the unicorn is there to grant him one last wish . . .

Illustrated by Lydia Monks

Julia Donaldson and Lydia Monks’ story of a bunny who loves to write entertaining poems and his quest to find someone who will love them as much as he does is as heartwarming as it is funny. This special tenth-anniversary edition, complete with a shiny foil cover, never-before-seen artwork and a special letter from Julia Donaldson is the perfect introduction to the classic tale for new readers. 

The Singing Mermaid is looking for fame and a fortune, so she signs up with Sam Sly's circus. But the mean circus owner keeps her trapped in a tank, and she yearns to return to her home under the waves. With sparkling rhyming verse by treasured author Julia Donaldson and bright illustrations by Lydia Monks,The Singing Mermaid i both children and their parents.

Illustrated by David Roberts

This laugh-out-loud pirate adventure is perfect for fans of the much-loved Tyrannosaurus Drip. The Troll is dreaming of a tasty goat to eat, but all he's got for supper is boring old fish! Hank Chief and his pirate crew love fish, but without a decent recipe their dinner is just as slimy and soggy as The Troll's. If they could find their buried treasure they could pay for a ship's cook, but they've sailed to the wrong island. Again . . .

Illustrated by David Roberts

This brilliantly funny story about accepting and celebrating difference is perfect for little dinosaur fans. When a placid duckbill dinosaur's egg ends up in a tyrannosaurus rex's nest, there's no end of confusion! Tyrannosauruses are supposed to be fierce, but the poor baby dinosaur just wants a peaceful life chomping on water weed. This fun rhyming adventure by Julia Donaldson is wonderfully illustrated by David Roberts.

If your little ones love Tyrannosaurus Drip, they'll adore these activities featuring David Roberts and Julia Donaldson's characters from the book.  

Illustrated by David Roberts

A laugh-out-loud picture book from Julia Donaldson, illustrated by David Roberts, The Cook and the King is the story of a hungry, but very fussy king and his search for the perfect cook. This deliciously funny cooking adventure is sure to become a firm favourite with children and adults alike. 

From Julia Donaldson and award-winning illustrator Yuval Zommer, comes a charming minibeast twist on the ugly duckling story.

Crawling through the garden, the little Woolly Bear Caterpillar wonders what kind of moth she will become. Bonny and bright, stunning and smart, but not kind, the other caterpillars laugh at the small, plain Woolly Bear. There is one thing that they are sure of: Woolly Bear could never be as beautiful as them! But could one little caterpillar be about to undergo a truly terrific transformation?

Illustrated by Sara Ogilvie

Join detective dog Nell as she solves the mystery of the missing books in this bestselling story by Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Sara Ogilvie. With bright, vibrant illustrations and lots of rhymes you can read together, The Detective Dog is guaranteed to become a firm favourite for children of all ages.

Illustrated by Sarah Ogilvie.

The Hospital Dog is a big-hearted tale about a very special, very brave dog. This heart-warming picture book is also available as a paperback.

After their breakfast and a swim in the sea, Dot and her owner Rose jump on the bus to the hospital. Dot loves visiting the children of Wallaby Ward and they’re always pleased to see her too; from a crying baby to a bored teenager – a pat, a stroke and a cuddle with Dot cheers everyone up. But the work of the hospital dog doesn’t stop there and when one of her patients is in trouble, it’s up to Dot to save the day!

In this stunning book about colours full of gorgeous, breathtaking landscapes, with amazing flaps to lift and holes to peep through, follow a little girl as she paints her own adventure with her bright blue tree frog companion. With luscious green trees to climb and red hot air balloons to sail away in, children will delight in the rhyming text and vibrant artwork while learning about different colours.

Illustrated by Sharon King-Chai

With Sharon King-Chai’s beautiful bold illustrations, peep-through pages and Julia Donaldson’s trademark rhythmic writing, this award-winning collaboration is a non-fiction children’s book to be treasured forever. Packed with facts about a huge array of animals, you’ll read Animalphabet together for years to come.

Illustrated by Sharon King-Chai

This Julia Donaldson book is stunningly illustrated by Sharon King-Chai. It is a fun, interactive counting book with peep-through pages, fold-out flaps and bright, beautiful artwork. Little ones will love comparing the creatures, exploring their habitats and learning the proper names for all the baby animals.

Illustrated by Catherine Rayner

A gorgeous picture book by Julia Donaldson and award-winning illustrator Catherine Rayner, The Go-Away Bird is a tale of friendship and working together, written in Julia’s trademark rhyming verse.

One by one, the other birds fly into her tree, wanting to talk or to play, but the Go-Away bird just shakes her head and sends them all away. But then the dangerous Get-You bird comes along, and she soon realizes that she might need some friends after all . . .

When a hairy mammoth takes a baby on a ride through the moonlit landscape, they see a sabre-toothed tiger, a leaping hare, a laughing hyena and a big brown bear. But where are they going? This Julia Donaldson book is full of wonder, mischief and beautiful illustrations by Emily Gravett. 

This Julia Donaldson book is full of farmyard fun and is illustrated by Anna Currey in her classic style. Old Macdonald is taken aback when he finds an old teapot while cleaning and out pops a genie! He wishes for a wife, who wishes for a baby. The baby wishes for a dog, who wishes for a cat, who wishes for a mouse and soon the farmyard is very noisy and very crowded! 

Illustrated by Axel Scheffler. 

Grab your wellies and get outside with The Gruffalo Spring and Summer Nature Trail. Full of fun spring and summer outdoor activities and hundreds of stickers, this is a brilliant book for all the family.

Get ideas for all your outdoor family adventures with The Gruffalo and Friends Outdoor Activity Book. Based on best-loved Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler stories including Monkey Puzzle, Room on the Broom and Charlie Cook's Favourite Book, all of the activity ideas in the book have been developed by nature play specialists Little Wild Things. With easy step-by-step instructions, adaptations for different ages and stages, and ideas for every type of weather, all you'll need to do is pack a picnic, grab your wellies and start exploring!