Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler talk to Richard Ovenden

Author Julia Donaldson and illustrator Axel Scheffler discuss their longstanding collaboration on children’s classics such as The Gruffalo in conversation with Bodley’s Librarian Richard Ovenden and receive the Bodley Medal for outstanding contribution to children’s books.

Donaldson and Scheffler first began collaborating more than 30 years ago when a song written by Donaldson, A Squash and a Squeeze, was published with illustrations by Scheffler.  The success of the book made Donaldson realise she could turn to writing and a collaboration was born that led to classics such as The Gruffalo, Room on the Broom and Stick Man. The Gruffalo has sold more than 13.5 million copies and won several awards, including the Nestlé Smarties Book Prize. It has been adapted into plays and an animated film. Donaldson and Scheffler’s latest collaboration is Jonty Gentoo, winner of The British Book Awards 2025.

What is the secret of their collaboration and how do they work together? How important is the marriage of words and illustrations in picture books for young children? And what do they think about getting children hooked on to books and reading at a very young age?

First presented in 2002, previous recipients of the Bodley Medal at the festival have included Peter Carey (2012), Hilary Mantel (2013), Nicholas Hytner (2014), Ian McEwan (2015), Mary Beard (2016), William Boyd (2017), Claire Tomalin (2018), Kazuo Ishiguro (2019), Zadie Smith (2022), Colm Tóibín (2023), Ali Smith (2024) and Don McCullin (2025). 

Presented by the Bodleian Libraries.