Julia Donaldson developed her rhyming skills writing songs about the places she and her friends went busking around Europe. Then as a song-writer for Children’s TV in the 1970s.

It was only in 1991 when a published asked if one of those songs could be turned into a Children’s book that her publishing career began. Her second book, The Gruffalo, is based on a Chinese proverb about a Tiger, but that was too hard to rhyme and the Gruffalo was born.

17 million copies and two sequels later (the most recent, Gruffalo Granny out last week!) and the Gruffalo alone must be responsible for millions of children’s starting journeys into reading. Let alone her other Children’s books and the Songbird Phonics series.

Discuss her life, reading to young children or which is your class’ favourite of Donaldson’s books.

-Bill