The Gruffalo http://www.fishpond.co.nz/Books/Gruffalo-Julia-Donaldson-Axel-Scheffler/9780142403877

By Julia Donaldson, Axel Scheffler

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Format:

Paperback, 26 pages

Other Information:

Illustrated

Release Date:

March 2006

A clever mouse uses his imagination to conjure up a vicious "gruffalo" to ruin the appetites of the hungry woodland animals he meets. Full color.

Reviews

PreS-Gr 3-To save himself from being eaten by a fox, an owl, and a snake, an enterprising mouse declares that he is having lunch with a monster whose favorite food just happens to be the animal who is at that moment threatening him. With each telling, the gruffalo becomes more menacing until all of the rodent's tormentors leave him unharmed. The mouse scoffs at them, for everyone knows "There's no such thing as a gruffal...." But a turn of the page reveals-you guessed it-a gruffalo, that thinks the mouse will "...taste good on a slice of bread." Undaunted, the rodent devises a plan to frighten the monster off. Young readers will love the humor in this preposterous story of a trick that backfires and the way the protagonist talks himself out of his difficulties. Best of all, they will relish being in on the joke as they join in the reading of the delightfully repetitious rhyming text. Scheffler's cartoonlike illustrations, rendered in watercolor, colored pencils, and ink, are large and well paced. Facial expressions contrast the animals' alarm with the jaunty nonchalance of the mouse. The double-page spread that reveals the gruffalo-terrible claws, black tongue, poisonous wart, purple prickles, and all-is just scary enough to tickle but not frighten youngsters. Serve this one for a rollicking good time.-Marianne Saccardi, Norwalk Community-Technical College, CT Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.

The eponymous character introduced by this British team owes a large debt to Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are. When Mouse meets Fox in the "deep dark wood," he invents a story about the gruffalo, described very much like Sendak's fearsome quartet of wild thingsÄ"He has terrible tusks, and terrible claws, and terrible teeth in his terrible jaws." The gullible fox runs away when Mouse tells him that the gruffalo's favorite food is roasted fox. "Silly old Fox!" says Mouse, "Doesn't he know?/ There's no such thing as a gruffalo!" Owl and Snake follow suit until, with a turn of the page, Mouse runs into the creature he has imagined. Quick-thinking Mouse then tells the monster, "I'm the scariest creature in this deep dark wood./ Just walk behind me and soon you'll see,/ Everyone for miles is afraid of me." Fox, Owl and Snake appear to be terrified of the tiny mouse, but readers can plainly see the real object of their fears. By story's end, the gruffalo flees, and Mouse enjoys his nut lunch in peace. Despite the derivative plot line, debut author Donaldson manipulates the repetitive language and rhymes to good advantage, supplying her story with plenty of scary-but-not-too-scary moments. Scheffler's gruffalo may seem a goofy hybrid of Max's wild things, but his cartoonlike illustrations build suspense via spot-art previews of the monster's orange eyes, black tongue and purple prickles until the monster's appearance in full. Ages 4-8. (June) Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.

Publisher:	Puffin Books
ISBN:	0142403873
EAN:	9780142403877
Dimensions:	26.77 x 19.96 x 0.41 centimeters (0.14 kg)

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Reviews

5.0 out of 5 based on 17 reviews. 5 of 5 Stars! – Customer review on 25/02/2009

It is such a shame that Fishpond does not allow for a great button when asked to do the rating, or even a fantastic button ... I would not be exagerating if I siad that this is by far my favourite children's book ever!! I am totally infatuated with this little creature. I am so enthused with it that I am planning a gruffalo birthday party at the end of October for my two children. I have discovered a whole beautiful, colourful Gruffaised world on the internet. I have discovered party invitations, cake recipies and decorating hints! It is clear that I am not the only fanatic! I can, without reservation, recommend this book, and its sequal, "The Graffalo's Child", it is colourful, entertaining and the kids just love it. I have also obtained the multi-media copy, and we played it on a trip from the outback to Perth over December .... the kids responded wonderfully to the delightful storytelling, and I have to say, we found it equally relaxing and enjoyable! They demanded to hear it over and over again! Needless to say ... we had a fantastic 15 hour trip! Thank you Julia and Axel... you have indeed created something that I pray will thrill children and parent alike for many years to come!! A must buy!!!!