The Gruffalo

Good grief, what on earth do I think I'm doing telling you to go and buy a book that, by rights, should be woven into every parent's psyche as soon as they leave the hospital with their new bouncing bundle of joy. Surprisingly enough, though I'd always had this book on "the list" of books to grab for Charlotte's mini library, I never quite got round to getting a copy. But with Amazon selling it for a piffling £2.99 there's really no excuse. This was a library copy and you could tell it was a book that had received a lot of attention over the years as it was pretty much battered and bashed but intact all the same. 

The Gruffalo is a beautiful little tale of how brain power can win out over brawn, and how a clever little mouse manages to avoid being on the menu of various creatures living in a deep dark wood. Naturally there's a twist, and the tale is deliciously written in rhyme with plenty of repetition to make sure your children remember it and cherish it. 

Julia Donaldson seems to be the goddess of toddler books, and Axel Scheffler's detailed illustrations perfectly compliment the narrative. Utterly sublime. 

Charlotte's best bit: The poisonous wart on the end of the Gruffalo's nose and / or Owl Ice Cream.

Daddy's favourite bit: "Oh help! Oh no! It's a Gruffalo!"