The Gruffalo: Difference between revisions
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The [[protagonist]] of ''The Gruffalo'' is a mouse. The story of the mouse's walk through the woods unfolds in two phases; in both, the mouse uses cunning to evade danger. |
The [[protagonist]] of ''The Gruffalo'' is a mouse. The story of the mouse's walk through the woods unfolds in two phases; in both, the mouse uses cunning to evade danger. |
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On his way the mouse encounters several dangerous animals (a fox, an [[owl]], and a snake). Each of these animals, clearly intends on eating the mouse, invites him back to their home for a meal. The cunning mouse declines each offer. To dissuade further advances, he tells each animal that he has plans to dine with his friend, a gruffalo, whose favourite food happens to be the relevant animal, and describes the features of the gruffalo's monstrous anatomy. Frightened that the gruffalo might eat it, each animal flees. Knowing the gruffalo to be fictional, the mouse gloats |
On his way the mouse encounters several dangerous animals (a fox, an [[owl]], and a snake). Each of these animals, clearly intends on eating the mouse, invites him back to their home for a meal. The cunning mouse declines each offer. To dissuade further advances, he tells each animal that he has plans to dine with his friend, a gruffalo, whose favourite food happens to be the relevant animal, and describes the features of the gruffalo's monstrous anatomy. Frightened that the gruffalo might eat it, each animal flees. Knowing the gruffalo to be fictional, the mouse gloats thus: |
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: ''Silly old fox/owl/snake, doesn't he know?'' |
: ''Silly old fox/owl/snake, doesn't he know?'' |
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Revision as of 16:15, 4 October 2011
 First edition cover | |
| Author | Julia Donaldson |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Axel Scheffler |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's fantasy |
| Publisher | Macmillan |
Publication date | 23 March 1999 |
| Publication place | United Kingdom |
| Pages | 32 |
| ISBN | 0-333-71093-2 |
| OCLC | 59379845 |
| Followed by | The Gruffalo's Child |
The Gruffalo is a children's book by writer and playwright Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Axel Scheffler, that tells the story of a mouse's walk in the woods. The book has sold over 10.5 million copies, has won several prizes for children's literature, and has been developed into plays on both the West End and Broadway.
The Gruffalo was initially published in 1999 in the United Kingdom by Macmillan Children's Books (ISBN 0-333-71093-2) as a 32-page hardback edition, was followed six months later by a paperback edition, and subsequently by a small-format board book edition. It was penned for readers aged three to seven, and is about 700 words long. It is written in rhyming couplets, featuring repetitive verse with minor variance.
Plot
The protagonist of The Gruffalo is a mouse. The story of the mouse's walk through the woods unfolds in two phases; in both, the mouse uses cunning to evade danger.
On his way the mouse encounters several dangerous animals (a fox, an owl, and a snake). Each of these animals, clearly intends on eating the mouse, invites him back to their home for a meal. The cunning mouse declines each offer. To dissuade further advances, he tells each animal that he has plans to dine with his friend, a gruffalo, whose favourite food happens to be the relevant animal, and describes the features of the gruffalo's monstrous anatomy. Frightened that the gruffalo might eat it, each animal flees. Knowing the gruffalo to be fictional, the mouse gloats thus:
- Silly old fox/owl/snake, doesn't he know?
- there's no such thing as a gruffalo!
After being quit of the last animal, the mouse is shocked to encounter a real gruffalo – with all the frightening features the mouse thought that he was inventing. The gruffalo threatens to eat the mouse, but again the mouse is cunning: he tells the gruffalo that he, the mouse, is the scariest animal in the forest. Laughing, the gruffalo agrees to follow the mouse as he demonstrates how feared he is. The two walk through the forest, encountering in turn the animals that had earlier menaced the mouse. Each is terrified by the sight of the pair and runs off – and each time the gruffalo becomes more impressed with the mouse's apparent toughness. Exploiting this, the mouse threatens to eat the gruffalo, which flees.
The story is based on a traditional Chinese folk tale of a fox that borrows the terror of a tiger. Donaldson was unable to think of rhymes for "tiger" so invented one for "know" instead.[1]
Recognition
The Gruffalo won the gold award (in the 0–5 years category) of the 1999 Nestlé Smarties Book Prize. It was the UK's best-selling picture book of 2000, won the 2000 Nottingham/Experian Children's Book award, and the Blue Peter Best Book To Read Aloud award. The audio version won the Best Children's Audio award in the Spoken Book Awards.[2] In November 2009 the book was voted "best bedtime story" by listeners of BBC Radio 2.[3] In a 2010 survey by UK charity Booktime, the book came first in a list of children's favourite books.[4]
Translations
The Gruffalo has sold over 3.5 million copies in 31 editions worldwide. Translations include Irish, Scottish Gaelic, French (Gruffalo), Estonian (Grühvel), German (Der Grüffelo), Lithuanian (Grufas), Italian (A spasso col mostro), Polish, Russian, Slovene (Zverjasec), Spanish (El Grúfalo), Hebrew (Trofoti), Dutch (De Gruffalo), and Turkish (Tostoraman).[5]
Versions and products
The book was initially sold as a small (roughly A5) board book, and later as a larger (roughly A4) paperback version. An audio book version, narrated by Imelda Staunton, was released in 2002, and a jigsaw book version (ISBN 1-4050-3496-3) was published in 2004. The book is also sold packaged with a gruffalo soft toy. At some point in the print run of the hardcover paper page book, the dialogue was subtly changed. There are two different ISBN numbers for the book. However, the older ISBN number that relates to the original text is no longer available.[citation needed]
The "Gruffalo song" was released with the audiobook, as a standalone CD single, and on a musical CD with other songs from Donaldson's books.[citation needed]
Donaldson and Scheffler's sequel, 2004's The Gruffalo's Child (which tells the story of the gruffalo's child, warned by its parent of the terrifying mouse) won the "Best Children's Book" award in the 2005 British Book Awards.
A ridable wheeled Gruffalo children's suitcase is manufactured for Trunki; the case had been featured as a pitch idea on the entrepreneur game show Dragons' Den- and[citation needed] rejected by the show's judges.
Donaldson and Scheffler have collaborated on many other titles; some feature cameos from the gruffalo in other guises.[citation needed]
Film
The book has been adapted into a 30-minute animated film,[6] which was broadcast on BBC One in the UK on 25 December 2009.[7] This new version features Robbie Coltrane in the title role and James Corden as the mouse as well as Helena Bonham Carter as the mother squirrel narator and Rob Brydon as the Snake.[8] The production was animated at the award winning Studio Soi[9] in Germany and produced through Magic Light Pictures.[10] The film also has the voices of John Hurt as the Owl and Tom Wilkinson as the Fox. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Short Film (Animated) on 25 January 2011. The film was also nominated for a BAFTA in 2010.[11]
Theatre
The Gruffalo has been adapted for the stage by Tall Stories theatre company. The production has visited the West End for the last five years and can be seen at the Lyric Theatre, London this Christmas. The Tall Stories Production has also toured the UK and internationally, including performances at Sydney Opera House in September 2011.
Appearances
The book appears in Doctor Who (series 5) episode 8 "The Hungry Earth": it's the book that Moe is reading to his son and that he's reading himself before the "strange event" happens.
References
- ^ [1][2]
- ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A13729746
- ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/shows/jeremy-vine/bedtime-stories/
- ^ "Gruffalo tops list of children's favorite books". BBC News. 18 October 2010. Retrieved 19 October 2010.
- ^ Published by Popcore, 2007; translation by Yildirim Türker.
- ^ "Gruffalo to menace Christmas TV". BBC. 22 June 2009. Retrieved 27 December 2009.
- ^ "The Gruffalo, Christmas Day, BBC1, 5.30 pm". Daily Mirror. UK. 24 December 2009. Retrieved 27 December 2009.
- ^ "The Gruffalo BBC One Christmas special". BBC. 22 June 2009. Retrieved 27 December 2009.
- ^ Studio Soi
- ^ Magic Light Pictures – The Gruffalo
- ^ "The Gruffalo Oscar nomination". Licensing Today Worldwide. 28 January 2011. Retrieved 20 February 2011.
Further reading
- Julia Donaldson video podcast, the author discusses The Gruffallo on scottishbooktrust.com
- news story about the Tall Stories production at Sydney Opera House
- The Gruffalo creator Julia Donaldson reveals the story behind Britain's best-loved bedtime story By JENNY JOHNSTON, Daily Mail, 1 January 2010
External links
- gruffalo.com, the book's website
- the author's website
- nimax theatres, what's on, a link for tickets to the Christmas season in the West End
- Tall Stories, the website of the theatre company who have adapted the book for the stage.
- Really Useful Group's page on their film version of the play
- ESL resources for primary school teachers.
- Who would love a Gruffalo?, Giles Wilson, BBC News Magazine, 22 October 2010