Just think, it could have been known as a ‘snargleglow’. But as you well know, the author reached instead for the word ‘gruffalo’ – and here’s the very first time she scribbled it, right there in her notebook. It’s a treat to glimpse inside the workings of an author, playing with words and rhymes, and also that of the illustrator.

It’s on display as part of the exhibition Julia and Axel: Thirty Years of Favourite Stories at The Lowry, until 1 January 2024.