Julia Donaldson’s Gruffalo to return in new story next year

LONDON (Reuters) - Julia Donaldson's Gruffalo, the globally popular children's character, will return in a new storybook next year, publisher Macmillan Children’s Books said on Thursday, marking the fearsome but easily fooled monster's first fresh adventure in more than 20 years.

Donaldson's two earlier stories, "The Gruffalo" and "The Gruffalo’s Child", have together sold over 18.2 million copies globally, delighting children and parents alike with their lyrical couplets and colourful illustrations.

Donaldson said she was inspired to write the as-yet untitled third Gruffalo story after seeing how the National Literacy Trust (NLT) charity had used the previous tales in their work encouraging young children to read.

"I actually had the basic idea for the story a long time ago, but couldn’t think how to develop it," Donaldson said in the press release announcing the forthcoming book.

"It was only when the NLT … used the first two books as part of their Early Words Matter programme that I was spurred on to get my idea out of the cupboard and see once and for all if I could turn it into a really satisfying story.

"To my surprise, I managed to do just that!"

Illustrator Axel Scheffler, whose instantly recognisable artwork brought the characters to life, said he could not turn down the opportunity to work on the new tale, despite having previously denied the possibility of a new Gruffalo book.

"One day, out of the blue, there came a wonderfully clever and inspired new text by Julia. How does she do this? Could I decline? Of course not!" he said

"As I have had to draw the odd Gruffalo and his daughter over the last 20 years, I’m not completely out of practice."

(Reporting By Susanna Twidale; editing by William James and Freya Whitworth)