THE GRUFFALO

My son was nearly 30 before he admitted that he'd always been terrified by the Muppets poster I put up in his bedroom - and I thought it was so jolly!

I started reading Gruffalo to my eldest GS at 3 months- I'm sure they enjoy the rhythm of being read to very early. I could recite it by GC 3. I have read it to all the others too & am waiting for the new GS to be old enough to be read to ( he is only newborn).
We have all Julia's books & they are firm favourites- Tiddler, Room on a Broom & Gruffalo's Child in particular. I am always pleased when they choose a JM book for me to read for them- you can get such good voices for her characters. I was very shocked to hear Gruffalo on TV with a Robbie Coltrane Scottish accent as I had always made him more of a gruff Neddy Seagoon.

I would recommend it for any child- it can be made very funny & not scarey at all. Now when I read the Hobbit to my boys Gollum terrified them- what a cruel Mum!! I think children quite like to be a bit scared as long as they are being cuddled at the same time.

I was wondering if I should have posted it
Not in front of the children - please don't use the link to try to get DGC to sleep!

rosequartz SiL showed me that book - it rang so many bells

Julia Donaldson has written some wonderful books for children. My three GC love The Singing Mermaid.

Deedaa

That reminded me of this https://www.google.co.uk/#q=nonnie+hazlehurst+go+to+sleep

Saw her in a great series on Australian TV last year and didn't recognise her as the same person. We missed the final two episodes - why don't they bring some of the better Australian tv over to the UK (admittedly some of it is terrible).

Oh yes I "won" a copy of that from GN. Made a brilliant stocking filler for SIL!!

I bought GS2 a Gruffalo's Child costume for Christmas and he looked SO adorable! GS1 loved Going on a Bear Hunt, but went through a long spell when we weren't allowed to look at the page where they found the bear because it was so scary. For some reason he didn't mind the pages where they were being chased by the bear!
We took him to stage shows of The Gruffalo and The Bear Hunt and he loved them both.
There is a lovely parody for parents (can't remember the author) called We're All Going on a Bar Hunt!

Oh yes, we have Room on the Broom trails here, must investigate that in the summer holidays!

Room on the Broom is by the same author and also completely fabulous.

Yes, The Gruffalo, Going on a Bear Hunt (perhaps nearer the age of 2, it is VERY scary!!)

The Owl Babies is a lovely book too and DGD2 likes filling in the final line on each page for me! ('I want my Mummy' said Bill.)

And he is dead ringer for my grand-dog Basil a lurcher/poodle cross!

Hairy McLairy of Donaldson's Dairy is a real treat too.

It's a wonderful book - and film and socks and pyjamas and all the other spin offs. The verse and rhythm of the language is superb and the tale is a classic of a weaker creature outwitting bigger and stronger ones found in traditional stories the world over. The Gruffalo's Child is brilliant too.

I agree with Soutra. My 17 month old grandson loves The Gruffalo and thoroughly enjoyed the recent Gruffalo trails in the forest. The Sound Book will be just right for a one year old.

Why should it not be suitable? My DGSs knew it off by heart as well as the best know nursery rhymes! Bear Hunt is another that they knew almost as soon as they could talk after countless repetitiobs at bedtime! I have to admit I do not know t he "SoundBook" you mention but trust me ANYTHING Gruffalo-related is going to be popular!