Bottom line:: The Gruffalo's Child is a sequel to The Gruffalo, based on the books by Julia Donaldson, and is a captivating animated tale that kids and parents can enjoy.
MPAA Rating: GGenre: Children's animated
Guide Age Recommendation: 2+
Runtime: 40 minutes
The Gruffalo's Child - Overview
In this sequel story to The Gruffalo, by Julia Donaldson, it's the Gruffalo's child's turn to take a stroll through the deep, dark woods. The Gruffalo's child is curious, and she's looking for the big, scary mouse. She meets owl, snake and fox as she journey's through the beautiful snowy forest, and she bravely soldiers on to find the one creature her father has warned her about. Could the big scary mouse really exist?
The Gruffalo's Child - Guide Review for Parents
My children and I were mesmerized by the original DVD The Gruffalo, and the sequel boasts a similar mystical soundtrack and expert narration by Helena Bonham Carter. The animation of the night time forest blanketed in snow provides a beautiful setting that perfectly complements the slightly suspenseful story. I watched The Gruffalo's Child with a group of children ranging from ages 18 months to 9 years, and every one of them stayed riveted to the screen the entire time.
The suspenseful music and lovely animation actually add to the story, making the DVD just as good as the book and a perfect way to complement reading the book. You can also ask kids to compare the movie to the book and see if there are any similarities or differences. With a great story as a solid foundation, both the book and the movie lend themselves to a wonderful experience for kids and further learning activities can easily be found or created if parents want to expand on the educational aspects like the rhyming, storytelling and characters. Watching movies or reading books like The Gruffalo's Child can be a great tool to develop kids' communication and literacy skills.
This DVD is aimed at young children; however, the suspenseful music and the mouse's dramatic attempts at scaring off the Gruffalo's child could be frightening for some very young children. Every child is different in how they react to things on TV, so if your child tends to get nervous during suspenseful shows, make sure to watch this one with her the first time just in case.
More About The Gruffalo
- The Gruffalo - Movie Review
- The Gruffalo - Book Review
- Gruffalo Story Sack (crafts and activities to go with the book)
- Gruffalo gift box and diorama (pictures and instructions)
- More Movies Based on Books for Preschoolers
