If not Julia Donaldson in 2026, then who?

[Scarydinosaurs]

I love the Julia Donaldson BBC adaptations (and I wish they had done The Singing Mermaid!) but if they are going to choose a new author, then who would be good?

I love the “Worst Princess” picture book and think it would adapt really well for television.

Another good option would be the “Ten little…” series, personal favourite: Ten Little Robots.

If they went for a classic, the “Peace at Last” stories about the Large Family are lovely.

What would you like to see turned into BBC cartoons at Christmas time?

They couldn't do The Singing Mermaid because they're only doing the ones that Axel Scheffler illustrated. Shame as that one (and What the Ladybird Heard) would be great as a TV adaptation! I also love The Paper Dolls and The Everywhere Bear (I know I'm not answering your OP as I'm just naming other Julia Donaldson stories 🤣)

Hairy Maclary

I didn’t realise that about the illustrations! I will stop holding out hope for The Singing Mermaid then!

She really would be a hard act to follow. Her stories are so clever and funny, and heartwarming without being too twee.

Maybe the Cats poems (Mcavity etc) would be a good cheap option as they are surely out of copyright now?

There’s a new Gruffalo book out this year, isn’t there?

They haven’t done A Squash and a Squeeze yet either.

They haven’t done one of my favourites yet, The Smartest Giant in Town plus the new ones she has written- Jonty Gentoo and The Baddies and there’s the new Gruffalo out next year too so she has some more material to come.

I also think What the Ladybird Heard would make a great one so it’s a shame they’re only covering the Scheffler ones.

They already have 10 little… on Sky kids!

This with bells on. My teens would adore this!

There are very old cartoons of this, I had on VHS as a child in the 90s, and you can watch them on YouTube now :)

@Pipsquiggle absolutely second this. Hairy maclary is becoming more popular in the UK. They recently had the hairy maclary trail at discover childrens story centre. Then if course there is the follow up slinky malinki.
Personally I would like to see an adapted older children's books series with the original illustrations.

Percy the park keeper, or the Jill Murphy books. I doubt the large family would be aired today, great illustrations, five minutes peace is a good story but the rat have some quite outdated ideas.

Smartest Giant irrationally annoys me because of scarf and giraffe.

I do not appreciate having to be posh

But you can quickly get Julia Donaldson fever.

Before we broke up someone exclaimed ‘what a good idea!’ in relation to a suggestion. I had to stop myself adding ‘said Zog.’

Forgot about monkey puzzle too.

Why do they only do the ones illustrated by Axel Sheffler?

Sue Hendra. I want Supertato!

The Baddies would be a great one!

I really dislike the Smartest Giant in Town though. The messaging is really off imo - you can be kind without being a pushover who dresses in rags!

That’s on CBeebies 👍🏻

It's on CBeebies already! along with a really annoying theme tune

It will be something to do with the IP rights

Like the username!

Burglar Bill!

My DS loves the books but absolutely hates the cartoon. The characters don’t look the same so I think it’s that plus it’s just a bit garish and Supertato’s voice is rubbish. Adaptations of more of her books would be great- Barry the Fish with Fingers, Cake, Norman the snail, Keith the cat etc.

My eldest is only just 3 and we still have lots of Julia Donaldson books yet to discover. Of the ones we’ve read so far, I’d love to see Monkey Puzzle on screen.

As for other authors, it would be lovely to see Chris Haughtin’s illustrations brought to life - Don’t Worry, Little Crab and Well Done Mummy Penguin are both favourites in our house

My son adores those “ten little” books but I really don’t like them. Some of the later ones are just awfully badly written with forced rhyming etc. I don’t think they would translate into good cartoons but maybe I’m wrong.

I'd love for someone to do Cops and Robbers. Fantastic book, DC are now far too old for it but still love us to read it for bedtime once in a while.

Burglar Bill is a wonderful book. Alan Ahlberg died recently so an adaptation of his book would be a tribute to his work for children’s literature. I also love Paper Dolls by Julia Donaldson. It is such a brilliantly comforting way to teach children about death.
In fact lots of the Ahlberg books would make excellent adaptations. What about Peepo? Or Each Peach?
We are going on a Bear Hunt was a recent Christmas adaptation and it is a Michael Rosen book. So the BBC does not deal exclusively in Julia Donaldson..

There’s already a TV series of Ten Little… on Sky Kids