The Gruffalo is a popular children's book written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler. It tells the story of a clever mouse who walks through a forest and encounters various predators, including a fox, an owl, and a snake. To avoid being eaten, the mouse invents a tale about a fearsome creature called the Gruffalo. As the story unfolds, the mouse describes the Gruffalo's terrifying features, such as its terrible tusks and terrible claws. To the mouse's surprise, it actually meets a real Gruffalo, but cleverly convinces it that he is the fiercest creature in the woods. The tale highlights themes of wit and bravery.