From The Gruffalo to Tabby McTat: Julia Donaldson’s TV adaptations… from best to worst | television

TThey are now as much a part of Christmas Day schedules as the King’s boring speech and the bewilderingly popular Mrs Brown’s Boys special. The cartoon adaptations of picture books by author Julia Donaldson and illustrator Axel Scheffler have become a feel-good seasonal institution.

It’s a cozy tradition that started with The Gruffalo in 2009 and has since become a festive item, taking pride of place on BBC One on Christmas afternoon. The voice cast is always impressively A-list, with Rob Brydon the only constant. The quietest film for kids this year is The Scarecrow’s Wedding, making it 13 entries in the canon and counting. But what is the Christmas cracker of all time? We’ve ranked them all from worst to best…

13. Smids and Smoos (2022)

We know what we want from Julia Donaldson’s creativity: cute animals, magical environments, and cheerful bedtime stories with gentle morals. What we don’t particularly want is a Romeo and Juliet love story between a pair of different-colored aliens from feuding families. Especially ones told in BFG sub-bullshit language. And Smeds and Snooze, more like.

12. Highway rat (2017)

A sweet-toothed mouse turns into a masked bandit and steals sugary candy, but he gets his comeuppance in the end. Despite David Tennant voicing the terrified pest, this is Pixar’s Poundstretcher. The flirtatious bunny is a whimsical flourish, as if the filmmakers are recalling their childhood admiration for the Cadbury caramel bunny. Furthermore, the buck-toothed mouse looks more like a beaver. important.

11. Zog and the Flying Doctors (2020)

This sequel to the superior Zog series sees the clumsy orange dragon and the reckless knight Sir Gadbot attempt to rescue an ambitious princess who has been trapped in her uncle’s treacherous castle. As a feminist take on fairy tales, it lacked plot twists and seemed like reheated festive leftovers. Daniel Ings replaces Kit Harington as Gadbot, while Mark Bonnar appears as the bumbling Rhino. The mythical creature may have predicted his performance in The Celebrity Traitors.

10. Tabi maktat (2023)

This little drama about a hitchhiker and his singing cat is a rare Donaldson story set in London, rather than the bucolic countryside. Jodie Whittaker narrates, while Sope Dirisu and Susan Wokoma are adorable as the loveable cats. However, the twin capital is somewhat similar to Richard Curtis from the book.

9. toddler (2024)

Last year’s offering was “Finding Nemo” with tartar sauce and a slice of lemon. An underwater saga about a little fish with a big imagination who always tells tall tales to justify his lateness to going to marine school. When Tiddler is lost in the wide open ocean, he is saved through his own storytelling. Stunning underwater sequences, as well as some recognizable cameos, but it’s a predictable fish line. It may also make adult viewers feel guilty about this fish dish during Christmas lunch.

8. Superworm (2021)

“I see him squirming! I see him squirming! Hail to the Superworms!” A heroic tale about a long, powerful ringworm who goes on to save the day. Well, until he gets a little full of himself, starts ignoring his friends and gets captured by the evil Lizard Wizard. Cute Anthropomorphism – Earthworms don’t have eyes, guys! — is quickly forgiven, thanks to the narration provided by Academy Award winner Olivia Colman and Matt Smith as our slippery hero.

7. Scarecrow wedding (2025)

This year’s entry into the Christmas canon is a Worzel Gummidge-adjacent issue about two beleaguered turnip heads planning their wedding. That is, until a smooth-talking love rival puts them in mortal danger. Jesse Buckley and Domhnall Gleeson are charming as the straw-stuffed suitors, while Sophie Okonedo narrates. Small complaint: A crab randomly appears on a farm that is clearly inland. Sure, it’s not a wildlife documentary, but give us some credit. We may be euphoric and fall into a carbohydrate coma but we are not stupid.

6. Gruffalo baby (2011)

In this sequel, the Gruffalo’s willful daughter ignores her father’s warnings and ventures into the deep, dark forest in search of the legendary Big Bad Mouse. A stylish reversal of the original plot, with a worthwhile message about overcoming your fears and listening to parental advice. It loses some points for being a bit cynically bland, not to mention its plot twist that defies the laws of physics. It is restored because of its snowy atmosphere and wonderful air glow.

5. Zog (2018)

Not to be confused with the Irish doll twins Zig and Zag from the planet Zog. This is the unfolding story of an eager student of the Dragon School, desperate to learn how to fly, roar, and breathe fire. If only he wasn’t prone to accidents. When Zog forms a friendship with Princess Pearl, who dreams of becoming a doctor when she grows up, he discovers his true purpose. Slyly funny, devastatingly funny and full of nuance, with a voice cast including Lenny Henry, Tracey Ullman, Kit Harington (relishing his Game of Thrones character) and Patsy Ferran who steals the show. Puts the “OG” in Zog.

4. Snail and whale (2019)

A brave sea snail befriends a cute humpback whale and rides his caudal fin on an around-the-world adventure. Who hasn’t dreamed of that? An enchanting story of an unlikely friendship with real danger and a thrilling air strike rescue. Successfully narrated by Diana Rigg, it is visually beautiful, featuring sequences worthy of the Blue Planet, while offering aquatic wisdom about compassion and environmental awareness. Fat in both cases.

3. Room on the broom (2012)

This cold-blooded classic sees a kindly witch inviting a group of animals to jump on her broom, much to the annoyance of her jealous cat. A wonderful ode to friendship, family and inclusivity. The scenes in which they all take to the sky are surprisingly exhilarating. The stylish voice cast includes Gillian Anderson, Sally Hawkins, Simon Pegg, and Timothy Spall. No wonder he received an Oscar nomination. Feelings of Wallace and Gromit. Compliments don’t come much higher than that.

2. Stick man (2015)

Another total banger with a real Christmas edge, hence its high profile. This Homeric epic follows a happy-go-lucky father’s quest to return to his “family tree” in time for Christmas. Martin Freeman brings the spirit to the wooden stick, while Hugh Bonneville voices Santa and Jennifer Saunders narrates. The climactic scene on the sleigh is downright spine-tingling. You’ll never look at a stick the same way again. Well, you will. But not for a few hours after the credits roll.

1. The Gruffalo (2009)

The original, the best, that spawned an entire genre of Donaldsonvision. An entertaining story of a mouse wandering through the forest in search of an acorn, outsmarting the predators that try to eat it. how? By casually announcing that he is going to meet a monster. But like any Christmas bean, there’s no such thing as a Gruffalo. Is there? This is compounded by the fact that three of the star voices – Robbie Coltrane, John Hurt and Tom Wilkinson – are no longer with us. They were joined by James Corden and Helena Bonham Carter. It could only have been made better by good casting Mark Ruffalo and Janeane Garofalo.

The Scarecrow’s Wedding airs on BBC One and BBC iPlayer at 3.10pm on Christmas Day.