The Gruffalo
by Julia Donaldson
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Book Reviews of The Gruffalo
Book Review: A DFFBook Club title on sparklingadventures.com
Summary: 5 Stars
Full review at [...]
This month's DFF Book Club title of choice is The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson
with illustrations by Axel Scheffler. Last month I didn't know about this book. It's not one that I grew up with, it's not something I found in an op shop, and in fact, I don't actually own a copy (yet).
So what is it about this book that has won my heart in less than a month?
I was first introduced to The Gruffalo by our public library system. In scheduling the girls' activities, I signed them up for today's Gruffalo party, hosted at our local library. It was a free event, and I simply thought it would provide an afternoon's entertainment in the middle of the week.
In preparation for today's event and so that the girls would understand what the party was about, I decided to check out the book and read it to them in advance. I also borrowed Donaldson's The Gruffalo Song and other songs CD and book kit.
And we started listening to the songs and reading the book. Again and again. And again.
It wasn't a bad story -- a mouse walks through a forest, meets some bad characters and uses his wits to make up his friend the "Gruffalo" so he doesn't get eaten. Except that the Gruffalo turns out to be real -- and he wants to eat the mouse too!
But the clever, little mouse wins (of course).
The book is written in rhyme. It's repetitive. There are some great (very British) words and lots of alliteration thrown in, making it fun to read. I love it when the Gruffalo says, "Astounding." It's the sort of book that you could easily memorise. Or act out. Or both. How about turning it into a play? (Already been done.)
Really, I must be living under a rock. Either that, or I don't get out enough. Because I had never heard of The Gruffalo before. It turns out that this book is quite a worldwide sensation (or maybe that's just propaganda). The BBC even made it into a 30-minute animation, sticking very closely to the book's script.
The song on the CD enhanced our enjoyment of the book. Julia Donaldson sings her own songs, and her voice isn't crash hot, but it's passable. My estimation for her has also risen since I've seen some over her videos. She sings and performs well for the pre-school-aged crowd, and doesn't appear to mind the losing her dignity for the sake of the audience.
I really hate the over-marketing that cheapens a good book, but in this case I've been delighted with the song and the film that came from the story. I'd recommend both highly with the book.
And because I'm still not sure that it really is that well-known, I've hunted the best Youtube videos so you can see The Gruffalo for yourself!
To read this full review, please visit: [...]
Book Review: Must Look...Good Book
Summary: 5 Stars
One usually considers picture books to be written for children but Julia Donaldson definitely, definitely must have had bored parents in mind when she wrote these delightful tales, The Gruffalo and the The Gruffalo's Child. The twists and turns are clever to say the least and the humour will have you all giggling away!
The Gruffalo is definitely my 3 year old's favourite book and he knows much of it off by heart! The movie has extended the story a bit but still holds true to the original!
Must look....good books, most libraries should have copies of these modern classics, but you can't beat having your own copy for daily use. It deals with facing one's fears and finding original solutions in a very clever way. ]It also brings home the point that some fears are are imagined and not real. The Gruffalo's Child][[ASIN:B002UOZYYG The Gruffalo (2009) [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.2 Import - United Kingdom ]
Book Review: Brain over brawn
Summary: 5 Stars
An acquaintance with young children lent me this book, when he knew I was interested in writing children's stories myself. He said his children loved the book and, once I'd read it, I could see why. It's a beautifully illustrated tale, demonstrating how brain can overcome brawn, as a small mouse escapes the clutches of various, dangerous woodland animals by threatening them with a huge, hideous and apparently imaginary creature called the Gruffalo, only to then be met by the huge, hideous creature himself (perhaps another moral here i.e. be careful what you wish for, you may get it). So he is then required to exercise his ingenuity once more to escape becoming a tasty Gruffalo dinner. The rhyming verse appealed to the poet in me and, in my opinion, makes the story an ideal one to be read out loud to young children and aquaint them with new vocabulary. I wish I had come across this book sooner, when my niece and nephew were younger, because they would have loved it!Book Review: Impishly good humoured, great rhyme and matching illustrations
Summary: 5 Stars
Hugely enjoyable by both adult and children - a great one to read and laugh about. The illustrations always have something new in them to see and the rhymes are easily learned by the children because they are so funny and with great rhythm.
"A mouse took a stroll in the deep, dark Wood..." along the way he meets a fox, a snake and an owl. Because the mouse is clever he convinces them that he is going to meet a Gruffalo, of which the other animals have never heard of - but once they hear a Gruffalo's favourite food is respecitvely Roasted Fox, Scramble Snake and Owl Icecream - they aren't interested in eating the mouse. But then Mouse meets up with a real live GrufflOH! Mouse keeps his cool and even manages to fool him.
Glorious good fun from the team which bought you Room on the Broom and A Squash and a Squeeze - highly recommended reading!
Book Review: A classic of children's literature
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a classic children's picture book, up there with "Where The Wild Things Are" and "Goodnight, Moon." The story is enchanting, the pictures fascinating with lots to look at, and it's the kind of book that can be read dozens of times without either the child or the adult getting tired of it. I first heard of it on a visit to England, where it is famous on a par with Winnie-the-Pooh or classics like that. They even present it as a play, which travels around to cities every year. My little boy has loved it since he was two -- he's five now. He especially loves the way the mouse bamboozles all the other animals with tales of the supposed Gruffalo's favorite dishes, such as "owl ice cream." Every child should have this book!