Gruffalo Granny, the new children's book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, has been hailed as the "children's book of the year" after flying off shelves in its first days on sale.
Waterstones said the third instalment in the Gruffalo series racked up more sales on its first day than the pair's previous book, Jonty Gentoo, managed in its entire first week. Rival High Street chain The Works said it had ordered in extra stock to keep up with demand.
Gruffalo Granny was released on Thursday, more than 20 years after the last Gruffalo sequel, The Gruffalo's Child, was published in 2004. That book followed the original story, The Gruffalo, which came out in 1999 and became one of the best known children's picture books in Britain, later adapted into an animated television film.
Lucy Jakes, children's buyer at Waterstones, said the response to Gruffalo Granny from customers and booksellers had been "nothing short of sensational."
She said it was the chain's biggest pre-order of the year so far and the most hotly anticipated children's book it had seen in years, adding that the pre-publication hype had already translated into "phenomenal sales." Jakes said it was "fair to predict it will be the biggest children's book of the year."
Bookshops report buzz over new release
Jakes said there was a "real atmosphere of excitement" in Waterstones shops over the book, with booksellers creating eye-catching and creative displays. She said it felt as though "the only way is up for Gruffalo Granny."
A spokesman for The Works said Gruffalo Granny had "got off to a flying start" at the chain, with shoppers across the country snapping up the latest addition to the series. The spokesman said demand had been so strong that further stock was already on the way, to help more families get hold of a copy.
A long-running children's favourite
The spokesman added that there seemed to be "always room for one more Gruffalo story on the bookshelf," with the new book already proving a hit with families.
Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler have collaborated on numerous children's picture books beyond the Gruffalo series. Donaldson served as the UK's Children's Laureate between 2011 and 2013, while Scheffler's illustrations have become closely associated with the character since the first book's publication in 1999.
