Author’s No to Hollywood bid for the Gruffalo

GRUFFALO author Julia Donaldson turned down a Hollywood film offer for the much-loved book that has sold over 13 million copies.

Ms Donaldson, who used to live in Bearsden, East Dunbartonshire, said she feared movie executives would “take the Gruffalo and the mouse and just make up some ludicrous story” to expand her tale to film length.

In 2009 a short computeranimated TV film aired on BBC1 on Christmas Day and now animated versions of her stories have become a Christmas tradition.

Zog, a keen youngster learning how to be a dragon at school, has been announced as this year’s festive treat.

The 69-year-old author said: “I think it’s going to be really good, I’ve seen the storyboard for it.”