The Gruffalo
by Julia Donaldson
★ Top 5 book of 2000 · #4 on Best Books of 2000
This British picture book by Julia Donaldson, with illustrations by Axel Scheffler, tells of a mouse taking a walk in the woods. It has sold over 13 million copies, won several children's literature prizes, and inspired stage shows and an Oscar-nominated film.
Best for: Families looking for a picture book about a mouse's woodland walk
The Gruffalo is #4 on BookWard's Best Books of 2000, out of 45 2000 books that cleared our data bar.
What The Gruffalo is about
A small, clever mouse is walking through a deep, dark wood, and everyone he meets seems to fancy him for dinner. A fox, an owl and a snake each offer him a meal, and each invitation is a trick. The mouse answers with a trick of his own: he invents a fearsome creature called a Gruffalo, complete with sharp teeth and claws, to frighten the hungry animals away. Then he comes across a creature who looks just as he described. Julia Donaldson tells it in bouncing rhyming couplets with repeating verses that children soon join in on, and Axel Scheffler's pictures add to the fun. It celebrates wit over strength and works well as a read-aloud for young children.
The Gruffalo on the Best Books of 2000
The Gruffalo came out in 2000. Of the 45 books first published in 2000 that met BookWard's data bar, it ranks #4 on our Best Books of 2000 list.
Why it made the list: 1,086 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 4.3 out of 5 (88 ratings); 49 are reading it right now. The list ranks each year’s books on how many readers have picked them up, how highly readers rate them, and how many are reading them right now.
It earns Reader favorite.
Nearby on the 2000 list
- The 48 Laws of Power Robert Greene, #2
- Because of Winn-Dixie Kate DiCamillo, #3
- Life of Pi Yann Martel, #5
- Esperanza Rising Pam Muñoz Ryan, #6
See all Best Books of 2000 Best books by year
More years: Best Books of 1999 Best Books of 2001.
The numbers behind it
- Readers: 856 want to read it, 49 are reading it now and 181 have read it, according to Open Library.
- Ratings: 4.3 out of 5 from 88 Open Library ratings.
| Signal | This book (0 to 100) | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Reach | 87 | 55% |
| Reader love | 100 | 25% |
| Being read right now | 87 | 20% |
Questions about The Gruffalo
When was The Gruffalo published?
The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson was first published in 2000.
Was The Gruffalo one of the best books of 2000?
The Gruffalo is #4 on BookWard's Best Books of 2000, out of 45 2000 books that cleared our data bar. 1,086 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 4.3 out of 5 (88 ratings); 49 are reading it right now.
Why is The Gruffalo on the Best Books of 2000 list?
1,086 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 4.3 out of 5 (88 ratings); 49 are reading it right now.
More of the best books of 2000
- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire J. K. Rowling, #1
- The 48 Laws of Power Robert Greene, #2
- Because of Winn-Dixie Kate DiCamillo, #3
- Life of Pi Yann Martel, #5
- Esperanza Rising Pam Muñoz Ryan, #6
- Rich Dad's Guide to Investing Robert T. Kiyosaki, #7
See the full Best Books of 2000, the Top 100, or new books on Rising.
How we know
This page uses public data: Open Library reader counts and ratings, and Wikipedia page views for recent years. The description is paraphrased from real source text. Rankings reflect reading interest, not quality or sales, and can be affected by data gaps. Lists update monthly.
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