DONALDSON, Julia

"I opened a book and in I strode. Now nobody can find me"

Britain’s best-selling author as of January 2025, Julia Donaldson is best known for her rhyming children’s stories. She was brought up in London in a house full of music, language and poetry. At the university of Bristol, she studied Drama and French and spent her year abroad busking in Paris with her later husband Malcolm. Donaldson would go on to compose many more songs and take part in The Bristol Street theatre while working for Michael Joseph Publishers in London.

In the 1970s her songs began to be used for the BBC children’s show Play Away, and some of her songs, including A Squash and a Squeeze, were recorded for BBC albums. In 1991 Methuen asked her if her song A Squash and a Squeeze could be made into a picture book for children. The final product, illustrated by Axel Scheffler, was the beginning of a partnership between the two in creating classic children’s stories including The Gruffalo, Room on the Broom, The Snail and the Whale, and many more. Donaldson has also written a book for teenagers which won the 2011 Nasen award as well as phonics books and plays for the classroom, and she performs often at public events, inviting children to take part in the stories.

She has been awarded an MBE and CBE and has won numerous prizes for her children’s literature, including being made the Children’s Laureate 2011-2013.

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