The Gruffalo
Monster of the deep dark wood
2 books · 1999 to 2004First appears in The GruffaloJulia Donaldson writes rhyming picture books, many illustrated by Axel Scheffler, including The Gruffalo, Room on the Broom and Stick Man. She was Children’s Laureate from 2011 to 2013.
Best estimate, compiled from series guides, publisher descriptions and reviews where available, and from memory otherwise. Book level only, not chapter level. Minor includes cameos and brief references. Each book carries a confidence rating in its tooltip. Only her best-known picture books are charted.
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Where to start: The Gruffalo with The Gruffalo (1999); Zog with Zog (2010). There are 13 books in all, published from 1993 to 2016, across 3 series and groups.
The Julia Donaldson reading order: each series in publication order, with its lead characters. Where the story runs in a different order, switch to Story order. Crossover books are marked and listed under their main series. Use My books to track what you have read.
See the Julia Donaldson reading flowchart: every series side by side, with first appearances and crossovers.
Click a name to follow that character from book to book, or a book title to see its cast.
10 recurring and key characters, with the book each one first appears in.
Monster of the deep dark wood
2 books · 1999 to 2004First appears in The GruffaloClever little mouse
2 books · 1999 to 2004First appears in The GruffaloCurious young Gruffalo
1 book · 2004First appears in The Gruffalo’s ChildKeen young dragon
2 books · 2010 to 2016First appears in ZogPrincess who wants to be a doctor
2 books · 2010 to 2016First appears in ZogKind witch with a cat
1 book · 2001First appears in Room on the BroomStick trying to get home to his family
1 book · 2008First appears in Stick ManScruffy giant who gives his clothes away
1 book · 2002First appears in The Smartest Giant in TownLittle fish who tells tall tales
1 book · 2007First appears in TiddlerSuper-strong worm
1 book · 2012First appears in SuperwormIf you enjoy Julia Donaldson, try these writers, chosen for shared genres, settings and readership.