Julia Donaldson Books in Order - a Complete Guide
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Best known for her multi-award winning story, The Gruffalo, Julia Donaldson is a superstar in the world of children’s literature.
Now with more than 150 books to her name, Julia has worked with a variety of talented illustrators including Axel Scheffler, who illustrated The Gruffalo. Other collaborators include Nick Sharatt, Lydia Monks and David Roberts.
Between 2011 and 2013 Julia was named Children’s Laureate; a role which saw her champion children’s books, advocate for libraries and encourage a general love of reading and performing.
As well as writing books, Julia has also brought a number of shows to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. These include stage adaptions of The Gruffalo and Room on the Broom, which her husband Malcolm Donaldson also performed in.
With more than 150 titles to choose from, it can be difficult to know where to start reading. To help with this, I’ve compiled this complete guide to Julia Donaldson’s work, which includes all of her books in chronological order. I’ve also highlighted some of her most notable and popular works, which are a great place to start.
Enjoy!
A Squash and a Squeeze, 1993
Illustrated by Axel Scheffler
For ages 2 - 4
Synopsis:
‘A little old lady lives all by herself in her house but she's not happy - it's just too small, even for one. Whatever can she do?
The wise old man knows: bring in a flappy, scratchy, greedy, noisy crowd of farmyard animals. When she pushes them all out again, she'll be amazed at how big her house feels!’
Books and Crooks (Play), 1998
The Gruffalo, 1999
Illustrated by Axel Scheffler
For ages 1 - 5
Synopsis:
‘A mouse took a stroll through the deep dark wood.
A fox saw the mouse and the mouse looked good.
Walk further into the deep dark wood, and discover what happens when a quick-witted mouse comes face to face with an owl, a snake . . . and a hungry Gruffalo!’
Monkey Puzzle, 2000
Illustrated by Axel Scheffler
For ages 1 - 3
Synopsis:
“I've lost my mum!”
‘Where is Monkey's mummy? It's not too much fun being lost in the jungle, and little monkey wants his mum. A kindly butterfly is keen to help, but they don't seem to be having much luck but they don't seem to be having much luck and keep finding the wrong animals!
But eventually, they find... Dad! It's just as well that he knows exactly where mum is, and she's waiting with a well-deserved cuddle.’
Hide-and-Seek Pig (Tales from Acorn Wood), 2000
Postman Bear (Tales from Acorn Wood), 2000
Fox's Socks (Tales from Acorn Wood), 2000
Rabbit's Nap (Tales from Acorn Wood), 2000
Room on the Broom, 2002
Illustrated by Axel Scheffler
For ages 2 - 4
Synopsis:
‘How the cat purred and how the witch grinned,
As they sat on their broomstick and flew through the wind.
The witch and her cat fly happily over forests, rivers and mountains on their broomstick until a stormy wind blows away the witch's hat, bow and wand.
Luckily, they are retrieved by a dog, a bird and a frog, who are all keen for a ride on the broom.
It's a case of the more, the merrier, but the broomstick isn't used to such a heavy load and it's not long before… SNAP! It breaks in two! And with a greedy dragon looking for a snack, the witch's animal pals better think fast!’
The Smartest Giant in Town, 2002
Night Monkey, Day Monkey, 2002
The Snail and the Whale, 2003
The Dinosaur's Diary, 2003
One Ted Falls Out of Bed, 2004
The Gruffalo’s Child, 2004
Illustrated by Axel Scheffler
For ages 2 - 4
Synopsis:
‘The Gruffalo said that no gruffalo should
Ever set foot in the deep dark wood.
But one wild and windy night the Gruffalo's child disobeys her father's warnings and ventures out into the snow. After all, the Big Bad Mouse doesn't really exist . . . does he?’
The Giants and the Joneses, 2004
The Magic Paintbrush, 2004
The Wrong Kind of Bark, 2004
Brick-a-Breck, 2004
Bombs and Blackberries, 2004
The Head in the Sand: A Roman Play, 2004
Chocolate Mousse for Greedy Goose, 2005
Charlie Cook's Favourite Book, 2005
The Gruffalo Song and Other Songs, 2005
The Quick Brown Fox Club, 2005
Sharing a Shell, 2005
Spinderella, 2005
Illustrated by Sebastien Braun (originally illustrated by Liz Pichon in 2002)
For ages 3 - 6
Synopsis:
‘Spinderella the spider has a passion for football! She tries to play a match with her brothers and sisters but she doesn’t know how many spiders should be on each team.
Even worse, she can’t count the goals! Luckily for Spinderella, her Hairy Godmother has a plan…’
Wriggle and Roar, 2005
Crazy Mayonnaisy Mum, 2005
Princess Mirror-Belle, 2005
Princess Mirror-Belle and the Magic Shoes, 2005
Princess Mirror-Belle and the Flying Horse, 2005
The Princess and the Wizard, 2006
Room on the Broom and Other Songs, 2006
Rosie's Hat, 2006
Hippo Has a Hat, 2006
Play Time! A Selection of Plays, 2006
Follow the Swallow, 2007
Tiddler, 2007
Tyrannosaurus Drip, 2007
One Mole Digging a Hole, 2008
Stick Man, 2008
Illustrated by Axel Scheffler
For ages 2 - 4
Synopsis:
‘Stick Man lives in the family tree
With his Stick Lady Love
and their stick children three.
But it's dangerous being a Stick Man.
A dog wants to play with him, a swan builds her nest with him. He even ends up on a fire!
Will he ever get back to the family tree in time for Christmas? Perhaps Santa can help...’
Toddle Waddle, 2009
What the Ladybird Heard, 2009
Tabby McTat, 2009
Illustrated by Axel Scheffler
For ages 2 - 5
Synopsis:
‘Me, you and the old guitar.
How perfectly, perfectly happy we are.
MEEE-EW and the old guitar.
How PURRRR-fectly happy we are!
Tabby McTat is purr-fectly happy, singing along all day with Fred the busker. But when Fred gives chase to a thief, the two are separated. Will they ever find each other again?’
The Troll, 2009
Running on the Cracks, 2009
Cave Baby, 2010
Zog, 2010
Illustrated by Axel Scheffler
For ages 2 - 5
Synopsis:
‘Madam Dragon ran a school, many moons ago.
She taught young dragons all the things that dragons need to know.
Zog, the biggest dragon, was the keenest one by far.
He tried his hardest every day to win a golden star.
Zog is the keenest dragon in school. He's also the most accident-prone, flying into trees and even setting his own wing on fire.
Luckily, a mysterious little girl always comes by and patches up his bumps and bruises.
But will she be able to help him with his toughest test: capturing a princess?’
Freddie and the Fairy, 2011
The Rhyming Rabbit, 2011
The Highway Rat, 2011
Illustrated by Axel Scheffler
For ages 2 - 4 years
Synopsis:
‘Give me your buns and your biscuits!
Give me your chocolate eclairs!
For I am the Rat of the highway,
and the Rat Thief never shares!
Life is not safe for the other animals, as the villainous Highway Rat gallops along the highway, stealing their food.
Clover from a rabbit; nuts from a squirrel - he even steals his own horse's hay. Will he finally meet his comeuppance, in the form of a cunning duck?
The Gruffalo's Child and Other Songs, 2011
Jack and the Flumflum Tree, 2011
Goat Goes to Playgroup, 2012
The Singing Mermaid, 2012
Superworm, 2012
Illustrated by Axel Scheffler
For ages 2 - 5
Synopsis:
‘Superworm is super-long. Superworm is super-strong.
Watch him wiggle! See him squirm! Hip, hip, hooray for SUPERWORM!
Super-long and super-strong, Superworm is always on hand to help animals and insects in need. From rescuing Baby Toad from a busy road or fishing Beetle out of a well – do not fear, Superworm is here!
But who will come to Superworm's rescue, when he’s captured by the wicked Wizard Lizard and Crow? Luckily, all of Superworm’s friends have a cunning plan...’
The Paper Dolls, 2012
The Snake Who Came to Stay, 2012
Mr Birdsnest and the House Next Door, 2012
Sugarlump and the Unicorn, 2013
The Further Adventures of the Owl and the Pussy-cat, 2013
The Flying Bath, 2014
The Scarecrows' Wedding, 2014
Illustrated by Axel Scheffler
For ages 2 - 5
Synopsis:
‘Two scarecrows are planning the perfect wedding and set off to find everything on their list.
But wicked cigar-smoking scarecrow, Reginald Rake, has other ideas and almost ruins their special day. Harry O'Hay must become a hero before he and Betty O'Barley can have the wedding of their dreams.’
What the Ladybird Heard Next, 2015
The Detective Dog, 2016
Illustrated by Sara Ogilvie
For ages 3 - 5
Synopsis:
‘Peter’s dog Nell has an amazing sense of smell. Her ever-sniffing nose is always hard at work solving mysteries and finding all Peter’s lost toys. But Nell has other talents too…
When she’s not cracking cases, Nell goes to school with Peter and listens to the children read.
But one day Peter and Nell arrive at school to find all the books have disappeared! Who could have taken them, and why? Luckily, Detective Dog Nell, with help from the whole class, is ready to sniff out the thief!’
Princess Mirror-Belle and Prince Precious Paws, 2016
Zog and the Flying Doctors, 2017
Illustrated by Axel Scheffler
For ages 2 - 4
Synopsis:
‘Meet the Flying Doctors - a dragon, knight and girl.
Their names are Gadabout the Great, and Zog, and Princess Pearl.'
Princess Pearl, Sir Gadabout and their trusty 'air ambulance', Zog the dragon fly around tending a sunburnt mermaid, a distressed unicorn and a sneezy lion.
But should princesses really be doctors? Pearl's uncle, the King, doesn't think so - until he himself falls ill, and only Pearl knows how to cure him.’
The Everywhere Bear, 2017
The Ugly Five, 2017
Animalphabet, 2018
What the Ladybird Heard on Holiday, 2018
The Cook and the King, 2018
The Smeds and the Smoos, 2019
Illustrated by Axel Scheffler
For ages 2 - 5
Synopsis:
‘By a loobular lake on a far-off planet
There lived a young Smed, and her name was Janet.
Not far away, on a humplety hill,
There lived a young Smoo by the name of Bill.'
The Smeds (who are red) never mix with the Smoos (who are blue).
So when a young Smed and Smoo fall in love, their families strongly disapprove.
But peace is restored and love conquers all in this happiest of love stories.There’s even a gorgeous purple baby to celebrate!’
The Hospital Dog, 2020
Illustrated by Sara Ogilvie
Ages 3 - 5
Synopsis:
‘After their breakfast and a swim in the sea, Dot and her owner Rose jump on the bus to the hospital.
Dot loves visiting the children of Wallaby Ward and they’re always pleased to see her too; from a crying baby to a bored teenager – a pat, a stroke and a cuddle with Dot cheers everyone up.
But the work of the hospital dog doesn’t stop there and when one of her patients is in trouble, it’s up to Dot to save the day!
Cat's Cookbook (Tales from Acorn Wood), 2021
Squirrel's Snowman (Tales from Acorn Wood), 2021
The Baddies, 2022
Badger's Band (Tales from Acorn Wood), 2022
Mole's Spectacles (Tales from Acorn Wood), 2022
The Oak Tree, 2023
For ages 3 - 6
Illustrated by Victoria Sandøy
Synopsis:
‘A thousand years ago, a tiny acorn fell to the ground. As the years pass, it grows… and GROWS into an enormous oak tree!
As the centuries sweep by, children play games around the tree. Families dance about it. A fleeing king even hides inside its hollow trunk!
The tree gives food and shelter to a host of animals, from squirrels and badgers to birds and beetles. After a thousand years, the ancient tree finally falls in a storm - but a new acorn sprouts, and the cycle of life begins all over again.’
Dormouse Has a Cold (Tales from Acorn Wood), 2023
Frog's Day Out (Tales from Acorn Wood), 2024
Frog's Day Out (Tales from Acorn Wood), 2024
Gozzle, 2025
Illustrated by Sara Ogilvie
For ages 3 - 5
Synopsis:
‘It's springtime. Bear has woken up hungry and finds a lost egg outside his cave. Breakfast? No!
Out hatches Gozzle, a very sweet little gosling who is convinced that Bear must be her daddy – and that she should be able to climb, dig and eat honey just like him.
Follow Bear on his journey from reluctant carer to parent in this heartwarming and joyous picture book about what home and family truly mean.’
New Gruffalo Story to Come in 2026
Information to be announced!
Do you have a favourite Julia Donaldson book? Leave a comment and let me know.