When Julia Donaldson penned the cherished children’s tale The Gruffalo over 20 years ago, she did not anticipate its success.
“I had no expectation it would be published, let alone become popular,” Donaldson shared with As It Happens host Nil KÓ§ksal.
At that time, the narrative felt somewhat grim for children’s books, telling the story of a clever mouse fabricating tales about a terrifying monster to evade being devoured by predators in “the deep, dark woods.”
Additionally, rhyming stories were not the trend in 1999, according to Donaldson.
“So it really did break the mold, I believe,” Donaldson remarked.
Now, 26 years after the unexpected triumph of The Gruffalo, Donaldson and her illustrator partner, Axel Scheffler, have reunited for Gruffalo Granny, the third — and probably final — addition to the beloved series, following 2004’s The Gruffalo’s Child.
“I don’t foresee writing another Gruffalo book,” she stated.
Granny has an ‘enormous appetite’
The latest tale depicts the original Gruffalo and his offspring preparing a feast for Gruffalo Granny, who is visiting and is known for her “enormous appetite.” The clever mouse from the initial story finds itself once again on the menu.
According to Donaldson, writing Gruffalo Granny felt similar to crafting The Gruffalo all those years ago.
“I don’t really think about my audience too much. My focus is on the story itself,” she explained. “While writing the book, I am completely absorbed in making it as good as I envision.”
Gruffalo Granny is the third installment in the beloved children’s book franchise about monsters in the ‘deep, dark woods.’ (Pan Macmillan/Publishers Group Canada)
However, the launch and promotion of this new edition have been on an entirely different scale, she noted.
“It has been quite different, actually quite amazing,” she said.
The publisher, Pan Macmillan, introduced the character of Gruffalo Granny by projecting an illustration onto the British Library in London this past September.
Within only 10 days of its release, it became the best-selling book in the U.K. for 2026 across all genres and age groups, according to NielsenIQ BookScan’s Official Top 50.
“We’ve been outperforming all the adult titles, which is immensely gratifying,” Donaldson remarked.
With 227,169 copies sold within the first three days, it is also now recognized as the U.K.’s fastest-selling picture book ever, according to the publisher.
“This speaks volumes about the lasting charm that Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler create together, and how cherished this family of characters has become,” Alison Ruane, managing director of Macmillan Children’s Books stated in a press release.
“Adults who enjoyed the original Gruffalo are now sharing Gruffalo Granny with their children, and many grandparents are purchasing it for their grandchildren as well. We are incredibly proud to be part of this.”
Children’s book author Julia Donaldson, left, and illustrator Axel Scheffler are the creative team behind the Gruffalo books. (Urszula Soltys/Publishers Group Canada)
While Donaldson believes her journey with the Gruffalo series has come to an end, her career as a children’s author is far from over. Her upcoming book, Winnifred Duck, is set for release early next year,
Illustrated by Jim Fields, it tells the true tale of a cargo ship container that encountered rough weather in the North Pacific and released 28,000 rubber ducks destined for China into the sea. These toys later washed ashore worldwide, providing scientists with valuable insights about ocean currents.
“As soon as I learned about that story, I knew I had to write a book about it,” Donaldson expressed.