Gruffalo's Granny released after 20-year wait
The third Gruffalo book, The Gruffalo's Granny, is out now, adding a new character to the series.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
The Gruffalo's Granny, the third book in the beloved children's series, has been published after a wait of more than 20 years. Written by Dame Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler, the new story introduces the Gruffalo's mother, who comes to stay with the Gruffalo and his daughter. The pair venture into the deep dark wood to find something for the hungry granny to eat, encountering a fox, an owl and a snake along the way.
The book was launched with readings to children, and the author and illustrator gave interviews about the creative process. Scheffler said the main challenge was drawing a female, older Gruffalo, so he gave her grey fur, a walking stick and a broken tusk. Donaldson said the idea had been germinating for a long time, and that having nine grandchildren may have spurred her on. The new character took only an hour to create.
The original Gruffalo, first published in 1999, has sold more than 18 million copies worldwide and been translated into over 100 languages. The new book has already attracted many pre-orders. During interviews, both Donaldson and Scheffler discussed the threat of AI to their work, with Scheffler saying he felt "a bit robbed" after seeing AI-generated images using his drawings. They also defended the level of danger in their stories, arguing that children's literature needs jeopardy.
Donaldson said she has an idea for another book, but not in the Gruffalo series, and Scheffler said he had learned never to say never about a sequel. For now, readers can enjoy the latest adventure from the deep dark wood.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | Channel 5 | Channel 4 | ITV |
|---|---|---|---|
| The new book is called The Gruffalo's Granny and features the Gruffalo's granny coming to stay. | |||
| AI-generated images using the creators' drawings are a threat to creative activities. | · | · | |
| Axel Scheffler was shown AI-generated images using his Gruffalo drawings without permission. | · | · | |
| The author has no plans for a sequel in the Gruffalo series. | · | · | |
| The Gruffalo series has been translated into more than 100 languages. | · | · | |
| The Gruffalo series has sold over 18 million copies worldwide. | · | · | |
| The Gruffalo was first published in 1999. | · | · | |
| The Gruffalo's first two books have sold over 18 million copies and been translated into more than 100 languages. | · | · | |
| The idea for the new Gruffalo book was prompted by the National Reading Trust wanting to use the Gruffalo as a mascot. | · | · | |
| The new book has received many pre-orders. | · | · | |
| The new book is the third in the Gruffalo series. | · | · | |
| The new Gruffalo book was released 22 years after the last Gruffalo book. | · | · |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
Channel 4's interview went deeper into the creative and ethical issues around the book, including the threat of AI to illustrators and the role of danger in children's stories. It also highlighted the global success of the series and the ambivalent nature of the Gruffalo character.
- “I feel a bit robbed, yes.”
- “He's not evil. He's hungry. He just wants to eat.”
The lunchtime bulletin treated the release as a light, celebratory news item, focusing on the book's popularity, pre-orders and the author's personal connection to the story. It included a brief reading and a reporter's summary.
- “There have been a lot of pre-orders already, so people were buying something that they didn't even know what was in it, so that's unusual.”
- “It's a bit like when there's a little seed in the ground, you're never quite sure when it's going to germinate.”
5 News gave the story a playful, interactive treatment, with a live speed-drawing challenge for Axel Scheffler and a discussion of the granny's design. It also touched on the author's childhood memories and the National Year of Reading.
- “I don't think she watches television.”
- “She only does books.”
- “It's the National Year of Reading and it's so lovely to hear you reading for us.”
The evening bulletin reported from a launch event with children, emphasising the book's release and its place in the series. It highlighted the sales figures, the speed of creating the new character, and the author's plans for a non-Gruffalo book.
- “22 years after the last Gruffalo book was released”
- “The new character only took an hour to create.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.