Julia Catherine DonaldsonMBE (born 16 September 1948) is an English writer, playwright and performer, and the 2011–2013 Children's Laureate. She is best known for her popular rhyming stories for children, especially those illustrated by Axel Scheffler, which include The Gruffalo, Room on the Broom and Stick Man. She originally wrote songs for children's television but has concentrated on writing books since the words of one of her songs, "A Squash and a Squeeze", were made into a children's book in 1993. Of her 184 published works, 64 are widely available in bookshops. The remaining 120 are intended for school use and include her Songbirds phonic reading scheme, which is part of the Oxford Reading Tree.
Early life
Donaldson (née Shields) was born in 1948 and brought up in Hampstead, London, with her younger sister Mary. The family occupied a Victorian three-storey house near Hampstead Heath. Her parents, sister and their pet cat Geoffrey lived on the ground floor, an aunt and uncle on the first floor and her grandmother on the second floor.
Donaldson's parents, James (always known as Jerry) and Elizabeth, met shortly before the Second World War, which then separated them for six years. Jerry, who had studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Oxford University, spent most of the war in a prisoner-of-war camp where his knowledge of German earned him the position of interpreter. Elizabeth, also a good German speaker with a degree in languages, meanwhile did war work in the Wrens.
The Gruffalo is a children's book by writer and playwright Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Axel Scheffler, that tells the story of a mouse, the protagonist of the book, taking a walk in a European forest. The book has sold over 13million copies, has won several prizes for children's literature, and has been developed into plays on both the West End and Broadway.
The Gruffalo was initially published in 1999 in the United Kingdom by Macmillan Children's Books (ISBN 0-333-71093-2) as a 32-page hardback edition, was followed six months later by a paperback edition, and subsequently by a small-format board book edition. It was penned for readers aged three to seven, and is about 700 words long. It is written in rhyming couplets, featuring repetitive verse with minor variance.
Plot
The protagonist of The Gruffalo is a mouse. The story of the mouse's walk through the woods unfolds in two phases; in both, the mouse uses cunning to evade danger.
On his way the mouse encounters several dangerous animals (a fox, an owl, and a snake). Each of these animals, clearly intending to eat the mouse, invites him back to their home for a meal. The cunning mouse declines each offer. To dissuade further advances, he tells each animal that he has plans to dine with his friend, a gruffalo, a monster-like hybrid that's half grizzly bear and half buffalo, whose favourite food happens to be the relevant animal, and describes the features of the gruffalo's monstrous anatomy. Frightened that the gruffalo might eat it, each animal flees. Knowing the gruffalo to be fictional, the mouse gloats thus:
Directed by Jakob Schuh and Max Lang, the film was produced by Michael Rose and Martin Pope of Magic Light Pictures, London, in association with the award winning Studio Soi in Ludwigsburg, Germany, who developed and created the film.
9.8 million people watched the UK premiere on BBC One, Friday 25 December 2009 and the film went on to receive both an Academy Award
and a BAFTA nomination.
It was screened in US theaters, distributed by Kidtoon Films. In December 2012, the film and its sequel The Gruffalo's Child premiered on television in the United States on PBS Kids Sprout.
Plot
A mother red squirrel tells a story to her son and daughter about a mouse who takes a walk through the woods in search of a nut. Encountering three predators who all wish to eat him - first a fox, then an owl, then a snake - the plucky mouse uses his wits to survive. He lies to each one that he is meeting a monster with terrible features (calling his imaginary creature a ‘Gruffalo’), says that its favourite food is whichever animal he is speaking to at the time, and that he is meeting the Gruffalo "right here". Each predator then panics and runs away.
The Detective Dog by Julia Donaldson. Children's story audiobook, kids read-aloud.
When a crime needs solving, there's only one dog for the job! Beautifully illustrated by Sara Ogilvie.
Music: Youth
Musician: @iksonmusic
published: 05 Jan 2021
Storytime for kids read aloud - Monkey Puzzle by Julia Donaldson
Storytime for kids! Today's storytime is Monkey Puzzle by Julia Donaldson. Children will love listening to this heart warming story read aloud with bright colourful pictures. See if your child can answer the special question at the end!
If you enjoyed this storytime, subscribe to Storytime For Kids to see more of your favourite books read aloud.
If your little one liked this book, you can buy your own copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Monkey-Puzzle-Julia-Donaldson/dp/1509812490/ref=asc_df_1509812490/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=310783995501&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=1352498802450080259&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1007247&hvtargid=pla-406163935873&psc=1&th=1&psc=1
published: 20 Feb 2021
Spinderella by Julia Donaldson, Read aloud book for kids, Tale Story for kids and babies
Spinderella is yet another fascinating story for children written by Julia Donaldson. This tale tells us about a small spider called Spinderella and how she wanted to learn to count. When there is a will, there is a way... Who but her Hairy Godmother helps her to find a way to learn the numbers and then use them practically in her everyday life.
published: 03 Jan 2019
A Squash and a Squeeze by Julia Donaldson. Children's story. Audiobook. Read-aloud.
kids story book, read aloud audio book Julia Donaldson
"Wise old man, won't you help me, please? My house is a Squash and a squeeze". A goat on the bed and a cow on table tapping out a jig!
published: 11 Sep 2020
Superworm Loves to Show-off! @GruffaloWorld : Compilation
Gruffalo World is the official YouTube channel for all things Gruffalo, Room on the Broom, Stick Man, The Highway Rat, Zog, Snail & The Whale, Zog and the Flying Doctors and Superworm! Featuring exclusive clips created especially for children.
► Click here to watch our specials! https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer
► Click to Subscribe to Gruffalo World! http://smarturl.it/TheGruffalo
o Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MagicLightPics
o Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/magiclightpics/
o Twitter: https://twitter.com/magiclightpics
o Shop: https://gruffaloshop.com/
Gruffalo World - Welcome to the Gruffalo World official channel!
Gruffalo World is produced by multiple Oscar® nominated Magic Light Pictures
#MagicLightPictures
published: 19 Mar 2022
Storytime for Kids Read Aloud: Stickman by Julia Donaldson
Today's storytime is Stickman by Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler. Listen to the story read aloud in English with colourful illustrations.
Subscribe to Storytime for kids for more childrens books read aloud https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKzeIlHfVNOmgYi9bkXqg-g?sub_confirmation=1
Buy your own copy of Stickman by clicking here https://www.amazon.co.uk/Stick-Man-Julia-Donaldson/dp/1407170716/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=stickman+book&qid=1651670918&sr=8-1
#storytimeforkids #kidsbooksreadaloud
published: 04 May 2022
The Smartest Giant in Town - Julia Donaldson audiobook. Children's story book read-aloud
Julia Donaldson kids story book, audio book read aloud.
With smart trousers, shirt, stripy tie and shiny shoes, George is the smartest Giant in Town. But on his travels, he meets various animals who desperately need his help.... and his clothes!
Music: Youth
Musician: @iksonmusic
published: 25 Aug 2020
Charlie Cook's Favourite Book - by Julia Donaldson. Children's story. Audiobook (read-aloud)
Curl up in a cosy chair and let Charlie Cook's Favourite Book become your favourite too! A glorious celebration of books and reading!
published: 29 Aug 2020
Room on the Broom - Julia Donaldson.. Children's Story. Audiobook - read-aloud.
The witch had a cat and a very tall hat... Join the witch and her new friends on their travels.. Will they escape the dragon? Colourful read-aloud.
Music: Youth
Musician: @iksonmusic
Storytime for kids! Today's storytime is Monkey Puzzle by Julia Donaldson. Children will love listening to this heart warming story read aloud with bright colou...
Storytime for kids! Today's storytime is Monkey Puzzle by Julia Donaldson. Children will love listening to this heart warming story read aloud with bright colourful pictures. See if your child can answer the special question at the end!
If you enjoyed this storytime, subscribe to Storytime For Kids to see more of your favourite books read aloud.
If your little one liked this book, you can buy your own copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Monkey-Puzzle-Julia-Donaldson/dp/1509812490/ref=asc_df_1509812490/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=310783995501&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=1352498802450080259&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1007247&hvtargid=pla-406163935873&psc=1&th=1&psc=1
Storytime for kids! Today's storytime is Monkey Puzzle by Julia Donaldson. Children will love listening to this heart warming story read aloud with bright colourful pictures. See if your child can answer the special question at the end!
If you enjoyed this storytime, subscribe to Storytime For Kids to see more of your favourite books read aloud.
If your little one liked this book, you can buy your own copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Monkey-Puzzle-Julia-Donaldson/dp/1509812490/ref=asc_df_1509812490/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=310783995501&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=1352498802450080259&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1007247&hvtargid=pla-406163935873&psc=1&th=1&psc=1
Spinderella is yet another fascinating story for children written by Julia Donaldson. This tale tells us about a small spider called Spinderella and how she wan...
Spinderella is yet another fascinating story for children written by Julia Donaldson. This tale tells us about a small spider called Spinderella and how she wanted to learn to count. When there is a will, there is a way... Who but her Hairy Godmother helps her to find a way to learn the numbers and then use them practically in her everyday life.
Spinderella is yet another fascinating story for children written by Julia Donaldson. This tale tells us about a small spider called Spinderella and how she wanted to learn to count. When there is a will, there is a way... Who but her Hairy Godmother helps her to find a way to learn the numbers and then use them practically in her everyday life.
kids story book, read aloud audio book Julia Donaldson
"Wise old man, won't you help me, please? My house is a Squash and a squeeze". A goat on the bed and a co...
kids story book, read aloud audio book Julia Donaldson
"Wise old man, won't you help me, please? My house is a Squash and a squeeze". A goat on the bed and a cow on table tapping out a jig!
kids story book, read aloud audio book Julia Donaldson
"Wise old man, won't you help me, please? My house is a Squash and a squeeze". A goat on the bed and a cow on table tapping out a jig!
Gruffalo World is the official YouTube channel for all things Gruffalo, Room on the Broom, Stick Man, The Highway Rat, Zog, Snail & The Whale, Zog and the Flyin...
Gruffalo World is the official YouTube channel for all things Gruffalo, Room on the Broom, Stick Man, The Highway Rat, Zog, Snail & The Whale, Zog and the Flying Doctors and Superworm! Featuring exclusive clips created especially for children.
► Click here to watch our specials! https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer
► Click to Subscribe to Gruffalo World! http://smarturl.it/TheGruffalo
o Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MagicLightPics
o Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/magiclightpics/
o Twitter: https://twitter.com/magiclightpics
o Shop: https://gruffaloshop.com/
Gruffalo World - Welcome to the Gruffalo World official channel!
Gruffalo World is produced by multiple Oscar® nominated Magic Light Pictures
#MagicLightPictures
Gruffalo World is the official YouTube channel for all things Gruffalo, Room on the Broom, Stick Man, The Highway Rat, Zog, Snail & The Whale, Zog and the Flying Doctors and Superworm! Featuring exclusive clips created especially for children.
► Click here to watch our specials! https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer
► Click to Subscribe to Gruffalo World! http://smarturl.it/TheGruffalo
o Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MagicLightPics
o Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/magiclightpics/
o Twitter: https://twitter.com/magiclightpics
o Shop: https://gruffaloshop.com/
Gruffalo World - Welcome to the Gruffalo World official channel!
Gruffalo World is produced by multiple Oscar® nominated Magic Light Pictures
#MagicLightPictures
Today's storytime is Stickman by Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler. Listen to the story read aloud in English with colourful illustrations.
Subscribe to Storyti...
Today's storytime is Stickman by Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler. Listen to the story read aloud in English with colourful illustrations.
Subscribe to Storytime for kids for more childrens books read aloud https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKzeIlHfVNOmgYi9bkXqg-g?sub_confirmation=1
Buy your own copy of Stickman by clicking here https://www.amazon.co.uk/Stick-Man-Julia-Donaldson/dp/1407170716/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=stickman+book&qid=1651670918&sr=8-1
#storytimeforkids #kidsbooksreadaloud
Today's storytime is Stickman by Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler. Listen to the story read aloud in English with colourful illustrations.
Subscribe to Storytime for kids for more childrens books read aloud https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKzeIlHfVNOmgYi9bkXqg-g?sub_confirmation=1
Buy your own copy of Stickman by clicking here https://www.amazon.co.uk/Stick-Man-Julia-Donaldson/dp/1407170716/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=stickman+book&qid=1651670918&sr=8-1
#storytimeforkids #kidsbooksreadaloud
Julia Donaldson kids story book, audio book read aloud.
With smart trousers, shirt, stripy tie and shiny shoes, George is the smartest Giant in Town. But on his...
Julia Donaldson kids story book, audio book read aloud.
With smart trousers, shirt, stripy tie and shiny shoes, George is the smartest Giant in Town. But on his travels, he meets various animals who desperately need his help.... and his clothes!
Music: Youth
Musician: @iksonmusic
Julia Donaldson kids story book, audio book read aloud.
With smart trousers, shirt, stripy tie and shiny shoes, George is the smartest Giant in Town. But on his travels, he meets various animals who desperately need his help.... and his clothes!
Music: Youth
Musician: @iksonmusic
The witch had a cat and a very tall hat... Join the witch and her new friends on their travels.. Will they escape the dragon? Colourful read-aloud.
Music: Yout...
The witch had a cat and a very tall hat... Join the witch and her new friends on their travels.. Will they escape the dragon? Colourful read-aloud.
Music: Youth
Musician: @iksonmusic
The witch had a cat and a very tall hat... Join the witch and her new friends on their travels.. Will they escape the dragon? Colourful read-aloud.
Music: Youth
Musician: @iksonmusic
Storytime for kids! Today's storytime is Monkey Puzzle by Julia Donaldson. Children will love listening to this heart warming story read aloud with bright colourful pictures. See if your child can answer the special question at the end!
If you enjoyed this storytime, subscribe to Storytime For Kids to see more of your favourite books read aloud.
If your little one liked this book, you can buy your own copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Monkey-Puzzle-Julia-Donaldson/dp/1509812490/ref=asc_df_1509812490/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=310783995501&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=1352498802450080259&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1007247&hvtargid=pla-406163935873&psc=1&th=1&psc=1
Spinderella is yet another fascinating story for children written by Julia Donaldson. This tale tells us about a small spider called Spinderella and how she wanted to learn to count. When there is a will, there is a way... Who but her Hairy Godmother helps her to find a way to learn the numbers and then use them practically in her everyday life.
kids story book, read aloud audio book Julia Donaldson
"Wise old man, won't you help me, please? My house is a Squash and a squeeze". A goat on the bed and a cow on table tapping out a jig!
Gruffalo World is the official YouTube channel for all things Gruffalo, Room on the Broom, Stick Man, The Highway Rat, Zog, Snail & The Whale, Zog and the Flying Doctors and Superworm! Featuring exclusive clips created especially for children.
► Click here to watch our specials! https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer
► Click to Subscribe to Gruffalo World! http://smarturl.it/TheGruffalo
o Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MagicLightPics
o Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/magiclightpics/
o Twitter: https://twitter.com/magiclightpics
o Shop: https://gruffaloshop.com/
Gruffalo World - Welcome to the Gruffalo World official channel!
Gruffalo World is produced by multiple Oscar® nominated Magic Light Pictures
#MagicLightPictures
Today's storytime is Stickman by Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler. Listen to the story read aloud in English with colourful illustrations.
Subscribe to Storytime for kids for more childrens books read aloud https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKzeIlHfVNOmgYi9bkXqg-g?sub_confirmation=1
Buy your own copy of Stickman by clicking here https://www.amazon.co.uk/Stick-Man-Julia-Donaldson/dp/1407170716/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=stickman+book&qid=1651670918&sr=8-1
#storytimeforkids #kidsbooksreadaloud
Julia Donaldson kids story book, audio book read aloud.
With smart trousers, shirt, stripy tie and shiny shoes, George is the smartest Giant in Town. But on his travels, he meets various animals who desperately need his help.... and his clothes!
Music: Youth
Musician: @iksonmusic
The witch had a cat and a very tall hat... Join the witch and her new friends on their travels.. Will they escape the dragon? Colourful read-aloud.
Music: Youth
Musician: @iksonmusic
Julia Catherine DonaldsonMBE (born 16 September 1948) is an English writer, playwright and performer, and the 2011–2013 Children's Laureate. She is best known for her popular rhyming stories for children, especially those illustrated by Axel Scheffler, which include The Gruffalo, Room on the Broom and Stick Man. She originally wrote songs for children's television but has concentrated on writing books since the words of one of her songs, "A Squash and a Squeeze", were made into a children's book in 1993. Of her 184 published works, 64 are widely available in bookshops. The remaining 120 are intended for school use and include her Songbirds phonic reading scheme, which is part of the Oxford Reading Tree.
Early life
Donaldson (née Shields) was born in 1948 and brought up in Hampstead, London, with her younger sister Mary. The family occupied a Victorian three-storey house near Hampstead Heath. Her parents, sister and their pet cat Geoffrey lived on the ground floor, an aunt and uncle on the first floor and her grandmother on the second floor.
Donaldson's parents, James (always known as Jerry) and Elizabeth, met shortly before the Second World War, which then separated them for six years. Jerry, who had studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Oxford University, spent most of the war in a prisoner-of-war camp where his knowledge of German earned him the position of interpreter. Elizabeth, also a good German speaker with a degree in languages, meanwhile did war work in the Wrens.
Uhh.. yeah He just sits, and watches the people in the boxes Everything he sees he absorbs and adopts it Heeeeee mimics and he mocks it Really hates the box but he can't remember how to stop, it Uhh, so he continues to watch it Hoping that it'll give him something that he can box with Or how the locksmith, see the box as, locked in the box Ain't got the combination to unlock, it That's why he watch-es, scared to look away Cause at that moment, it might show him What to take off the locks with So he chained himself to the box, took a lock and then he locked it Swallowed the combination and then forgot, it As the doctors jot it all down, with they pens and pencils The same ones that took away his voice And just left this instrumental, like that And he never lies (he never lies, he never lies, uhh) And he never lies (uhh, he never lies, he never lies, no) And he never lies (he never lies) Cause he never said anything at all He just sits, and listens to the people in the boxes Everything he hears he absorbs and adopts it Anything not coming out the box he blocks it See he loves to box and hope they never stop it Anything the box tell him to do, he does it Anything it tell him to get, he shops and he cops it He protects the box, locks it in a box when he goes to sleep, but he never sleeps Cause he stays up to watch it, scared to look away Cause at that moment, it might get stolen And that's the last of the boxes So he chained himself to the box, took a lock and then he locked it Swallowed the combination and then forgot, it As the doctors jot it all down, with they pens and pencils The same ones that took away his voice And just left this instrumental, like that (Anything at all..) He never lies Uhh, and you can't tell me just who you are You buy new clothes just to hide those scars You built that roof just to hide those stars Now you can't take it back to the start And you can't tell me just who you are You buy new clothes just to hide those scars You built that roof just to hide those stars Now you can't take it back to the start (Anything at all.. anything at all..) Uhh, and you can't tell me just who you are You buy new clothes just to hide those scars You built that roof just to hide those stars Now you can't take it back to the start And you can't tell me just who you are You buy new clothes just to hide those scars You built that roof just to hide those stars