The Gruffalo & The Gruffalo’s Child

Gruffalo is big, strong and very distinctive! Though many fear him, believing him to be dangerous, Gruffalo is actually a very honest and impressionable beast who is easily tricked. Much unlike the other woodland predators, he isn't sly or manipulative, he's just very hungry and it just so happens that mice are Gruffalo's favourite food.

Further into his life, Gruffalo becomes a proud father, with all the concerns and responsibilities that it brings. Loving his daughter, he strives to protect her from the dangers that lurk in the woods. After all, his encounter with Mouse and the thought of ‘Gruffalo crumble’ are not too distant a memory.

Ever the adventurer, Gruffalo’s Child is curious and courageous, eager to learn more about the world around her. Growing up very quickly, she seeks independence and wants to lead her own path of exploration, without the constant supervision of her father, Gruffalo.

Gruffalo’s Child bravely sets out on a night-time quest to find the Big, Bad Mouse. Upon realising that the legend is true, her bravery weakens, and she runs home to the comfort and protection of her loving dad.

Mouse is a clever and creative optimist, yet being new to the deep, dark wood, he is oblivious to its predator inhabitants.

During his unexpected and unnerving encounter with Fox, Mouse uses his instinct and imaginative story-telling abilities to invent the Gruffalo in a bid to intimidate the menacing stranger. To his own surprise, Mouse’s wild description of the beast works and he escapes unharmed. He later uses this tale with increasing confidence as he comes face to face with Owl and Snake.

Much like the crafty Mouse, Mother Squirrel is intuitive and accustomed to avoiding the dangers of the wilderness and its predators.

Being a loving and providing mother, her daily errand is to venture into the woods to collect nuts and other woodland home essentials for her family. Mother Squirrel is at ease within her habitat and loves telling her children legendary stories of creatures from the deep dark wood, drawing on her rich imagination to conjure up a magical world.

Fox thinks of himself as a charmer. He’s not the brightest of his kind but is perfectly capable of enticing his prey with trickery and deceit, making him one of the most cunning creatures in the deep dark wood.

That is, of course, until he meets Mouse. Outwitted in their first encounter, Fox becomes fearful of the ‘fictitious’ Gruffalo, soon revealing his inner coward. He leaves in a panic, allowing Mouse to carry on about his day.

Owl is a wise old bird. Being the big-headed and rather self-absorbed schlump that he is, he is a tougher, more authoritative predator than Fox.

Despite looking visibly past his prime and a little frail around the edges, Owl is still murderous by nature and doesn’t need to overthink the attack when pursuing his next meal. That is again, until he is bested by Mouse. The rodent’s refusal to have tea with Owl is a major insult to one so vain.

Slippery and sly by nature, Snake is a cold-hearted eating machine. His predatory instinct and brutish approach to hunting is much more direct than that of Fox and Owl.

Snake doesn’t need to charm or demonstrate authority; he goes straight for the kill. His invitation to Mouse to come to feast with him is entirely rhetorical: Mouse has no choice whatsoever. It is only when Snake’s curiosity of the Gruffalo gets the better of him and his spineless streak is exposed.