Who Is This Creature With terrible Claws? (The Gruffalo - Julia Donaldson)

Member Name: debmercury

Product:	The Gruffalo - Julia Donaldson
Date:	08/03/08 (239 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Funny , Clever, Charming and Rhyming

Disadvantages: Squeaky, Growly Voice Needed

The Gruffalo
Who Is This Creature With terrible Claws?

The Gruffalo is written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler. It is a fantastic children's book with amazing illustrations. The gruffalo is used in nurseries, playgroups and schools.

Julia Donaldson is best known for her prize-winning picture books, but she began her career as a singer and a songwriter, and even spent time busking round Italy and France. She continues to perform her stories, songs and plays to sell out audiences and is the most celebrated writer for young children in britain today.

Axel Scheffler is a star of children's book illustrations. His many books have been published in over 30 countries and he has brought to life characters as varied as a dim-wited butterfly, a scruffy giant, an intrepid snail and a Ticklemetoo not to mention a gruffalo or two.

The Story

"A mouse took a stroll through the deep dark woods. A fox saw the mouse and the mouse looked good."

Walk further into the deep dark wood, and discover what happens when the quick-thinking mouse comes face to face with an owl, a snake and a hungry gruffalo.

But who is this creature with terrible claws
And terrible teeth in his terrible jaws?
He has knobbly knees and turned-out toes
And a poisonous wart at the end of his nose
His eyes are orange, his tongue is black;
he has purple prickles all over his back.

Julie donaldson is one of my favourite childrens book writers. The Gruffalo is funny, clever, charming and rhyming which children love.

Illustrations are amazing, humourous, well drawn with lots of things going on in ther background.

All the children I look after love this book and want me to read it over and over. When reading it I use a squeaky voice for the mouse, a deep growling voice for gruffalo, a hissing voice for snake and a twit twoo voice for owl, as you do.

The Gruffalo was the UK's bestselling book of the year 2000 and has gone on to sell over one million copies in 31 editions worldwide-including German(Der Gruffelo), Italian(A Spasso Col Mostro) and even hebrew(Trofoti)translations.

The Gruffalo has won the Smarties Gold Award in 1999 and the Blue Peter best book to read aloud.

The Gruffalo is a great book for children between 2-7 years.

The Gruffalo is published by Macmillan RRP £5.99. Although I have seen it for £3.99 at bargain bookstores. Also available in board book format for younger children.

Thanks for reading may also be on other review sites.

Summary: Fantastic Children's Book