The Gruffalo's Child [DVD]

The story picks up a few years after the previous adventure, The Gruffalo, and as the title suggests, things have moved on. For The Gruffalo now has a daughter, and this time, it’s she who heads off on a whole new adventure, albeit one very much in keeping with the style and energy of the first.

Delightfully animated, with a real sense of detail, and with a strong voice cast featuring the likes of Helena Bonham-Carter, Tom Wilkinson and John Hurt, The Gruffalo’s Child is a wonderful family treat. It’s rare to find a production that can appeal to different generations so effortlessly, but this might be it. Funny, exciting, and not outstaying its welcome, what’s particularly impressive is how closely it retains the feel, warmth and look of the source material, too.

Its core audience will remain the young, as you might expect, but the wise casting, and the production values, are just a few of the reasons why the proverbial children of all ages might appreciate it, too. As good as The Gruffalo? Perhaps not. But The Gruffalo’s Child runs things close, and is set to be enjoyed time and time again. --Jon Foster