I had to include The Gruffalo because it was my first favourite book. I struggled to read aloud during primary school, often stuttering, which made reading in class a painful experience. That all changed when my parents bought me The Gruffalo. Its witty rhymes gave it a song like quality, and due to its repetitive structure I was comfortable reading it out loud, I can even remember the story and some quotes from it to this day. The words had their own rhythm which helped them flow off my tongue, and the characters had such distinctive voices I often was compelled to imitate them. Reading aloud suddenly became fun rather than frustrating. I will always be grateful to Julia Donaldson as she helped make reading enjoyable and gave me a much-needed confidence boost.
