Julia Donaldson

Biography

Julia Donaldson, Children's Laureate 2011-2013, has written some of the world’s best-loved children’s books of the last 30 years, including the bestselling modern classic The Gruffalo illustrated by Axel Scheffler which, alond wiht The Gruffalo's Child, has been translated into 115 languages and dialects. Other distinguished illustrators with whom she has worked include Lydia Monks, Nick Sharratt, Rebecca Cobb, Emily Gravett, Helen Oxenbury, David Roberts and Charlotte Voake.

Her latest collaboration with illustrator Axel Scheffler is the No 1 bestseller Jonty Gentoo (Alison Green Books) which was also the winner of the 2025 British Book Award for Book of the Year: Children's Illustrated, while the most recent edition to their Tales from Acorn Wood series is Hare's New Dress (Macmillan). Christmas 2025 saw the animated adaptation of The Scarecrows' Wedding (Alison Green Books) being shown on the BBC.

In exciting news, it was announced that there will be a sequel to bestselling The Gruffalo and The Gruffalo's Child picture books, Gruffalo Granny will be published in September 2026 by Macmillan.

Julia's latest picture The Magic Feather (Macmillan, March 2026) has been illustrated by Catherine Rayner and is a rhyming fairy-tale adventure about the magic of nature and caring for our environment

Follow the Swallow (Farshore) illustrated by Thomas Docherty sees Chack the blackbird and Apollo the swallow go on a round-the-world adventure in a delightfully funny story about friendship and change.

Paper Chase (Scholastic) is Julia's third collaboration with Victoria Sandøy, in which she weaves a tale of friendship into the amazing story of how paper is made.

Last year Julia also teamed up again with Lydia Monks for the delightful The Tooth Fairy and the Crocodile (Macmillan). Their hilarious Princess Mirror-Belle series (Macmillan) is a delight for middle grade readers and has been dramatised by the BBC.

Her books have won many awards including the Blue Peter Award for Best Illustrated Book to Read Aloud for Room on the Broom (Macmillan), the WH Smith Children's Book of the Year for Zog (Scholastic), and the Scottish Royal Mail Award for What the Ladybird Heard (Macmillan). The TV films of The Gruffalo and Room on the Broom have been nominated for Oscars. She was awarded a CBE in the New Year's Honours List 2018. Julia lives in West Sussex.