By Francesca Halliwell
LONDON, Sept 10 (Reuters) – As the latest instalment in the Gruffalo series reached bookshelves on Thursday, author Julia Donaldson and illustrator Axel Scheffler reflected on more than two decades of collaboration, saying the enduring popularity of their beloved monster had exceeded anything they imagined when they first created him.
Donaldson, whose Gruffalo books have sold more than 18.2 million copies worldwide, said she tries not to dwell on how many children listen to her stories at bedtime, joking that the thought would keep her awake at night.
“Gruffalo Granny”, the first new Gruffalo story in more than 20 years, follows the Gruffalo and his daughter as they prepare for a visit from her Granny, whose huge appetite sends them in search of a meal. The mouse they capture plots its escape, while they plan to serve it for dinner.
Speaking at the book’s launch in London, Donaldson said the idea may have been influenced by her own family life. “I’ve got nine grandchildren, and in this story, it ends up with the grandmother telling stories to the grandchild, so maybe that was at the back of my mind,” she said.
Scheffler, who has illustrated several Donaldson books including “Room on the Broom” and “Stick Man”, said he had never expected there would be another Gruffalo sequel, despite the original book having been translated into 113 languages and dialects.
The pair said their decades-long partnership has thrived because they work largely independently, joking that limited contact during the creative process may be the secret to their success.
As to whether they might make another sequel in future, Donaldson and Scheffler suggested clumsy dragon “Zog” could be a candidate for another outing, despite having already spawned one follow-up story.
With a National Literacy Trust report published earlier this year finding that just over one in three children in the UK enjoys reading in their spare time, Scheffler said he hopes their books encourage children to read and be creative.
Donaldson said she is heartened by letters from young readers who write stories of their own and remains optimistic about the future of books. “I started writing because of the books and poems that I read as a child, so it’s nice to think of it as a kind of chain going through the generations,” she said.
“I love reading. I think it’s one of the greatest pleasures there is, so I just feel it will last.”
(Reporting by Francesca Halliwell; Editing by Nia Williams)
