Latest news with #JuliaDonaldson
Glasgow Times
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Glasgow Times
'Much-loved' Gruffalo trail near Glasgow has reopened
Children in East Dunbartonshire can once again enjoy the magic of the Gruffalo story with the return of the much-loved trail at Kilmardinny Nature Reserve. A collection of seven carved wooden characters from the iconic children's book by Julia Donaldson have once more taken up residence in the park at Kilmardinny Loch near Bearsden. The characters will also appear on a new carved wooden seat. The Gruffalo Trail was first introduced in 2012 and became a popular attraction for children and the young-at-heart. The carvings were removed from the park in 2023 due to weather damage. 'Much-loved' Gruffalo trail near Glasgow has reopened (Image: SALLY G) The reinstatement of the trail has been commissioned and installed by the Council's Streetscene Technical Support team. Councillor Paul Ferretti, convener of the Place, Neighbourhood and Corporate Assets committee, welcomed their return and was joined by children from Bearsden Early Years Centre to officially open the Gruffalo Trail. The kids were happy to see the trail reopened (Image: SALLY G) Councillor Ferretti said, 'I am delighted to see The Gruffalo Trail return to Kilmardinny Loch. It was previously a much-loved feature which attracted visitors from East Dunbartonshire and beyond, and I'm sure that will be the case again. 'The Trail brings another element of enjoyment to this picturesque area by providing a wonderful, free activity for families.' The carvings include a large Gruffalo, Gruffalo's Child, Little Brown Mouse, Fox, Owl, Snake and Frog.
The Guardian
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
‘We think Princess Pearl is a feminist icon': readers' favourite Julia Donaldson books
Last week, Stuart Heritage ranked his 15 favourite books by Julia Donaldson, and readers have responded with their own opinions, along with memories of reading her beloved stories to their children. Here are some of the most popular picks from the Gruffalo author's gigantic oeuvre. Monkey Puzzle is my three-year-old daughter's favourite book. She's bilingual, and – for this book specifically – she always wants me to read it in Arabic. So it's 'La, la, la!' instead of 'No, no, no!', otherwise she doesn't like it (and she lets me know about it). Her Arabic is much better because of this book, at least when it comes to animal-related vocabulary. We went to a zoo the other day, and she referred to the elephant's trunk in perfect (Sudanese) Arabic – a proud parenting moment for me. Affa, Glasgow My son is multisensory-impaired, he has nystagmus and unilateral hearing loss, and has always loved stories as somewhere that he can completely immerse himself. Julia Donaldson's have always appealed and, though it's difficult to know how much of the detail in the illustrations he can see, he loves to point out the characters or items of interest. Monkey Puzzle is often revisited, and if there's a part that I misread then it will be corrected. He particularly loves naming all of the animals after I have read the 'No, no, no!' part and we will often repeat these to each other in the day and laugh. I know that this is something that will always bring a smile to his face. William, East Sussex Fifteen years later I can recite The Gruffalo word for word. My son insisted on me reading it to him at bedtime every night for the best part of a year! If I ever go on Mastermind it would be my specialist subject! UncleKarlM My daughters are now 14, 17, and 20. Julia and Axel [Scheffler]'s books are as indelibly imprinted in my memory as the Ladybird books I read as a nipper in the 70s. When the animated version of The Gruffalo was broadcast for the first time I sat us all down excitedly to watch (they were still of an age where they would mostly listen to anything I had to say) – within seconds I was in bits. All those years of reading it to them, but it was like someone was reading it to me. Very embarrassing. stripsidebob My children used to give me belly laughs all the time. One of my favourites was when my son was four and I was reading The Gruffalo to him and his older cousin who was visiting. I got to the bit just before the real Gruffalo appears and he stopped me and said earnestly to his cousin: 'There's a Gruffalo along in a minute.' Like most things that cause a complete collapse this probably doesn't sound funny to other people but I was laughing so much I couldn't speak for five minutes. WithoutPurpose I think The Paper Dolls is an amazing book; definitely my No 1. It touches on so many themes: imagination, loss, memories, cruelty, play and the way traditions are passed down through generations. Such a talented combination of author and illustrator to cover all of that in a relatively low number of words and a few pages. Most importantly, it's still simple and entertaining enough for little ones to understand and enjoy. Both my kids are too old for it now, but I've kept a copy, and hope to be able to read it to grandkids one day. ProfyleNeim Sign up to Bookmarks Discover new books and learn more about your favourite authors with our expert reviews, interviews and news stories. Literary delights delivered direct to you after newsletter promotion Paper Dolls never fails to move me to tears, absolute heartbreaker. Like a flash-forward to the kids leaving home. Had to stop reading it coz they kept asking me if I was all right. JosephFrady My son absolutely loves this book. When he watches the animation he just laughs and laughs. We listen to the soundtrack in the car, too, and he greets people saying: 'Stand and deliver!' which is both hilarious and mortifying. Susannah Mohammed Our two-year-old, Phoebe, loves all of the Julia Donaldson books but her favourite is Zog. From a very young age she loved the illustrations of the brightly coloured dragons and all of Zog's mishaps. We think Princess Pearl is a feminist icon for challenging traditional stereotypes about what girls can do and she has inspired our daughter to want to be a doctor and look after people (and dragons) when she grows up. Amy Peck, Chelmsford
Time Out
17-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
The Smeds and The Smoos
This review is from 2023. Kids' theatre company Tall Stories has been touring its stage version of 'The Gruffalo' for over 20 years now – it's almost the same age as Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler's iconic picture book. Though the company has dipped its toes in other waters, there's no denying that it has found a niche: the other shows in its current repertoire are a version of 'Gruffalo' sequel 'The Gruffalo's Child' (returning to the West End this Christmas!), plus Donaldson and Scheffler's much-loved 'The Snail and the Whale' and 'The Smeds and the Smoos'. Directed by Toby Mitchell, latest show 'The Smeds…' has been knocking around in touring form for a year or so but finally makes its West End debut this summer. And it's very charming, in a predictable way. Tall Stories is ruthlessly efficient at the whole 'take a bedtime story that you can read in five minutes and stretch it to an hour' thing. An opening reference to '2001: A Space Odyssey' is a hoot, there are some nice songs from John Fiber and Andy Shaw, and Barney George's sets and Yvonne Stone's puppets do a decent job of channelling Scheffler's eccentric, cuddly vision of space, as feuding tribes of aliens – the red Smeds and the blue Smoos – set out on a galactic odyssey to find their youngsters Bill and Janet, who have eloped together. Though it can't really compete in visual pizazz with the BBC's recent animated version, it is pretty much a faultless exercise in modestly budgeted kids' stage adaptation. Personally, I can't help but wish Tall Stories demonstrated a bit more audacity: their take is very much What You Expect, and the Kubrick gag at the start is basically as off-piste as it gets. But it absolutely does the trick: kids who love the book will surely love the play, and if you were already considering taking your little ones to 'The Smeds and the Smoos', you absolutely should.
Daily Mirror
17-06-2025
- Daily Mirror
'I visited Chessington with my toddler and there's one thing no one tells you'
My family and I embarked on a little adventure to Chessington World of Adventures and it turned out to be the perfect short break for our young family. Although a lot of parents might think it's a waste to go with a young child as they probably can't go on most rides, for us it was the best two days. With my two-year-old in tow, we were invited to stay at the Chessington Safari Hotel in one of the delightfully themed Room on the Broom rooms. We arrived on a Saturday afternoon, greeted by the warm and welcoming staff at the Safari Hotel. The hotel itself is designed with families in mind, and the theming is exceptional. Our Room on the Broom room was straight out of a storybook, with wall art, soft furnishings, and a witch above our bed. It's inspired by Julia Donaldson's beloved tale that my toddler is obsessed with. My daughter was so excited from the moment we walked in to the hotel - then we entered the room and she was jumping up and down when she saw the witch's hat and broomstick on the wall. Not only that, we were greeted with a little gift in the room, including the popular book, Freddo chocolate bar and the dragon cuddly toy. To top it off, our room had the incredible view of Safari animals, we could see Zebras literally outside our room which was so exciting for all of us. We spent the first day settling in and exploring the hotel. There's a fun kids' play area in the reception and plenty of space for little ones to stretch their legs or even watch TV. In the early evening, we joined the toddler mini disco downstairs. Watching my two-year-old bop along to familiar tunes with other little ones was a highlight in itself. The disco was well-organised, not too loud, and full of energy, which was just perfect for her age. She did not want to leave! Even days later she spoke about it and said "I went to the disco with my friends at Chessington". Clearly a core memory made. After all that dancing, we were ready for some food. Rather than eating in the hotel restaurant, we opted for a local meal just outside the resort. There are a few nearby spots that offer a quieter dining experience if you want a little break from the hustle and bustle. It was nice to have a relaxed dinner before returning to the hotel to get a good night's sleep. Day two began bright and early. Staying at the Safari Hotel comes with the amazing perk of early entry into the park, which meant we could beat the crowds and get on some rides before the queues built up. But first, we of course headed down to breakfast. The hotel breakfast buffet was a dream, especially when catering to toddlers. From fluffy pancakes and fresh fruit to full English fry-ups and continental pastries, there was something for everyone. My little one happily munched her way through mini croissants, strawberries, and a small bowl of scrambled eggs. It really set us up for the day ahead. At 0.9 metres tall, my two-year-old was able to go on a surprising number of rides. So, at 9am our first stop was the Room on the Broom experience, which was just a few steps away from the hotel and a gentle start to our theme park day. It brought the book to life in a wonderfully immersive way, with animatronics, lights, and gentle movement. The great part was there was absolutely no queue. Next up was the Gruffalo River Ride Adventure, a water-based ride that's also suitable for toddlers. It's dark in places and can be a little bit scary, but the familiar story and music kept my two-year-old completely engaged. The ride ends with a gentle splash which she loved! From there, we made our way to the Elmo's Flying Jumbos ride. This was really cute, it's a cheerful, spinning ride where kids get to sit in colourful flying elephants - what more could a toddler ask for? She squealed with delight as we gently flew up and down and loved going high up! On to her absolute favourite - the truck ride, where she got to "drive" a safari-style truck that goes around a mini course. It gave her the feeling of being behind the wheel, and she beamed with pride. She pointed out every lion, giraffe, and zebra she spotted and kept asking to go back on it! The Banana Boat ride was another big hit; the movement was gentle enough for her to enjoy but fun enough to give her a little thrill. Of course, no trip to Chessington is complete without visiting the zoo and SEA LIFE centre. The zoo is home to lions, tigers, gorillas, and more, but the monkeys were a firm favourite for my toddler. At SEA LIFE, she was mesmerised by the glowing tanks filled with colourful fish, rays, and even small sharks. There's a tunnel that goes underneath one of the tanks, creating an immersive underwater experience, and her little face lit up in amazement and she was trying to spot 'Nemo'. By the end of the day, she was completely worn out - in the best possible way. All in all, our weekend at Chessington World of Adventures was everything I had hoped for: family-friendly, full of age-appropriate fun, and sprinkled with just enough magic to keep our two-year-old excited. The combination of a thoughtfully themed hotel, early access to the park, and a wide range of toddler-suitable attractions made it an ideal mini getaway for us. We're already planning our next visit! To find out more you can visit Chessington's website.
Yahoo
16-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Parents: what is your child's favourite Julia Donaldson book?
From The Stick Man to The Gruffalo, Julia Donaldson's characters have enchanted children and parents the world over. We've ranked our top 15 Julia Donaldson books – but which ones do children like? We would like to hear from parents about their child's favourite, and why.
