After more than two decades since its debut, the beloved Gruffalo will return in a newly announced book, prompted by author Julia Donaldson’s desire to address falling rates of children’s reading engagement.
The eagerly anticipated title is slated for release in 2026 and will mark the third installment in the acclaimed series, following the original 1999 bestseller and its 2004 sequel, The Gruffalo’s Child.
Donaldson revealed the story’s concept originated years ago, but she was ultimately motivated to write it by the National Literacy Trust (NLT), which has incorporated the previous Gruffalo books into its Early Words Matter initiative.
According to NLT research, only 35% of children aged eight to 18 reported enjoying reading in their leisure time in 2024—a historic low since the charity began monitoring the trend in 2005.
This figure marks the lowest enjoyment level on record, highlighting mounting concerns about literacy among today’s youth.
The new Gruffalo story arrives at a moment when many original fans will be able to share the book with a new generation, continuing the tradition with their own children.
The original Gruffalo tale follows a resourceful mouse navigating the dangers of the deep, dark wood, outsmarting predators and ultimately encountering the Gruffalo itself.
The sequel, The Gruffalo’s Child, sees the protagonist’s offspring embark on a quest to find the legendary “big, bad mouse”.
“Writing a sequel is always a challenge,” said Donaldson. “There were five years between The Gruffalo and The Gruffalo’s Child, and now more than 20 between The Gruffalo’s Child and this third story.
“I conceived the seed of the idea some time ago, but struggled with how to expand it.
“It was only after seeing the NLT use the original books in their Early Words Matter programme—a cause I greatly admire—that I was encouraged to revisit my initial concept and finally develop it into a satisfying narrative. Much to my surprise, it came together!”
Donaldson also shared her pleasure at illustrator Axel Scheffler’s decision to return for the project. “I truly hope children—and adults as well—enjoy the new story, given the joy of shared reading,” she said.
The publisher, Macmillan Children’s Books, described the coming release as “a fresh and exciting adventure with all the distinctive qualities of the Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler partnership.”
The first two Gruffalo books have achieved sales of 18 million copies worldwide, according to Macmillan.
Jonathan Douglas, Chief Executive of the NLT, emphasised that “reading and sharing stories is vital for a child’s early speech and language development.”
Since their publication, the Gruffalo books have inspired a range of spin-off material, including acclaimed animated adaptations, with the first such project earning an Academy Award nomination.
Donaldson, author of over 200 books, reflected last year to the BBC on The Gruffalo’s tremendous impact, while noting that it often overshadows her other works.
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