Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s 'Gruffalo Granny' breaks records as the fastest selling picture book of all time

Selling 227,169 copies in its first three days on sale, the title secured the duo’s first overall number one spot and established itself as the fastest-selling picture book in publishing history. It marks Pan Macmillan’s fastest-selling title of all time and records the biggest first-week sales for any book since Prince Harry’s memoir Spare in 2023. 

Building on a nationwide multi-channel PR and marketing campaign, publication week included a flagship British Library event broadcast live into 6,000 schools across the UK and a sold-out public signing at Waterstones Piccadilly’s new pop-up space.

Celebrations also gathered momentum with a royal storytelling session in the ancient woodland of the National Trust’s Speke Hall in Liverpool to support the National Year of Reading 2026. Her Majesty The Queen joined local families alongside Dame Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler to highlight how everyday storytelling sparks childhood play and conversation, featuring interactive activities developed with the National Literacy Trust and a surprise appearance from the Gruffalo himself.

Alison Ruane, Managing Director – Macmillan Children’s Books said:

"Our hearts are so full seeing the extraordinary response to Gruffalo Granny and we couldn’t be more delighted for Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. Thank you to everyone who has supported this landmark publication, including our wonderful charity partners for helping us widen access to every child, and our retail and bookselling partners for their incredible enthusiasm and support nationwide. Above all, thank you to readers across every generation who have given Gruffalo Granny such a warm welcome. Setting a historic new record for a children's picture book is a proud moment for all of us at Macmillan Children’s Books, but achieving this during the National Year of Reading makes it extra special." 

To ensure Gruffalo Granny reaches as many young readers as possible, Macmillan Children’s Books has teamed up with 10 major charities across the UK and Ireland, including an industry-first partnership with three leading disability organisations to launch three accessible formats alongside the standard print edition. For children with vision impairment, specialized formats include a custom braille edition created with the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), an accessible PDF via RNIB Bookshare, and a bespoke audio-tactile edition created with Living Paintings and sponsored by MCB. Additionally, a British Sign Language (BSL) video translation was produced in collaboration with the National Deaf Children’s Society and made available to watch online.

As part of the campaign, 140,000 Gruffalo titles - including 75,000 copies of Gruffalo Granny - are being gifted directly to children and families in various ways, from supporting children who live in residential care, donating to women and children's shelters, children’s hospitals, and working with a foundation that ensures children growing up in poverty can still celebrate their birthdays with a book.  

The world of the Gruffalo remains a global phenomenon, with The Gruffalo and The Gruffalo’s Child publishing achieving combined sales of 45 million copies worldwide.