The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson and Alex Scheffler

There are few contemporary picture books that truly deserve the title of ‘classic’ but where this iconic tale is concerned, there is little doubt it is worthy of this accolade. A seemingly defenceless little mouse takes a walk through a wood and encounters a host of forest creatures who each try to entice him into their lair to eat him for their supper. Yet this clever mouse manages to outsmart them all. Eye-catching illustrations combine with lyrical language to bring joy to children and adults alike. Try this book with even the most reluctant young readers as there is so much here for boys and girls to engage with.