Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler collaborate on first new Gruffalo picture book in over 20 years

This news signals the first new Gruffalo story since the publication of the award-winning modern classics The Gruffalo (1999) and The Gruffalo’s Child (2004) by Macmillan Children’s Books. The two stories have become a bestselling phenomenon and have touched the lives of children across the globe, with a total of over 18.2 million copies sold.

Macmillan Children’s Books is thrilled to be publishing this extraordinary new story, which sees the return of much-loved characters in a fresh and exciting adventure that has all the hallmarks of a Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler classic. The team at Macmillan plans for this highly-anticipated publication to be one of the biggest in its history, supported by a blockbuster marketing and publicity campaign. The launch will also harness the popularity of Julia and Axel’s iconic character to drive an international children’s reading and storytelling campaign in partnership with The National Literacy Trust and other charitable organisations across the globe, following an NLT report* earlier this year which revealed that only 1 in 3 children enjoy reading in their spare time, the lowest level since 2005.

With The Gruffalo translated into an incredible 113 languages and dialects, Macmillan Children's Books plans to make this new story the international publishing event of the decade. As part of this launch, Macmillan is inviting global publishing partners to work with charitable organisations to promote childhood reading. Following on from recent joint initiatives with The Gruffalo and The Gruffalo’s Child, the National Literacy Trust will be the lead charity partner in the UK, with Macmillan Children’s Books working in collaboration with the charity’s Early Words Matter campaign to empower children, families and their wider communities through substantial book donations, learning resources, community events and volunteer training.

Julia Donaldson said 'It’s always a challenge to write a sequel. Five years elapsed between publication of The Gruffalo and The Gruffalo’s Child, and now it will be more than twenty between The Gruffalo’s Child and the third book. I actually had the basic idea for the story a long time ago, but couldn’t think how to develop it. It was only when the NLT, whose work I’m very impressed by, used the first two books as part of their Early Words Matter programme that I was spurred on to get my idea out of the cupboard and see once and for all if I could turn it into a really satisfying story. To my surprise, I managed to do just that! I was of course delighted when Axel came on board, and am even more so now that I’ve seen the brilliant sketches he’s already done for the new book. I really hope that children – and adults too – will enjoy the new story, as I know what a wonderful experience shared reading can be.'

Axel Scheffler said 'Never say never - a lesson learnt for me who, whenever asked, denied the possibility of another visit to the deep dark wood. Till one day out of the blue there came a wonderfully clever and inspired new text by Julia. How does she do this? Could I decline? Of course not! As I have had to draw the odd Gruffalo and his daughter over the last 20 years, I’m not completely out of practice. I’m also very happy that the Gruffalos will get involved in some charitable activities to reach even more young readers with support from the NLT.'

Alison Ruane, Managing Director, Macmillan Children’s Books said: 'Macmillan Children's Books couldn't be happier to return to the deep dark wood with a brand new Gruffalo picture book for 2026 - the first in 20 years and a true landmark publishing event. We are so proud to publish Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, the UK’s number one author and illustrator, and continue to be inspired by the power of their storytelling in capturing the imaginations of children everywhere. Together with the National Literacy Trust, we will use today’s announcement to seek partners across a diverse range of sectors to join our mission to promote the joy of reading, with the Gruffalo at the heart.'

Jonathan Douglas, Chief Executive, National Literacy Trust said: 'Literacy changes everything, right from the very start. A child’s early grasp on language and first steps to build communication skills will set them up for life. Through our Early Words Matter campaign, our vision at the National Literacy Trust is for every child, wherever they grow up, to start school with language and communication skills ready to grow and learn. Reading and sharing stories is critical for shaping a child's early speech and language development and we can’t think of a better way to support families in igniting their children’s love of stories and reading than with the magic and influence of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s The Gruffalo. We are incredibly excited to be working with the team at Macmillan Children's Books to close the UK’s literacy gap and give more children from disadvantaged communities the tools they need to thrive.'

^{Header image: © Axel Scheffler 2025 - The Gruffalo © Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler 1999 - Macmillan Children's Books}