The Gruffalo has been crowned Britain’s favourite bedtime story, according to new research. The much-loved monster beat classics such as The Tiger Who Came to Tea, The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Paddington Bear to take the top spot.
Alice in Wonderland, The Three Little Pigs and Peter Pan also featured in the top ten, showing that traditional tales remain popular with families.
The poll, commissioned by the charity Guide Dogs, found that storytime remains a key part of British home life. A quarter of parents said they read to their children every night, while 97% of parents and grandparents described the ritual as a cherished bonding moment. Almost nine in ten (88%) named it the best part of their day.
However, the study also revealed that 43% of adults with vision impairments have felt excluded from sharing storytime with their children or grandchildren. Many rely on audiobooks (68%), magnifiers (40%) or others reading on their behalf (33%).
Guide Dogs is expanding its CustomEyes Books service to produce large print editions for adults with sight loss, allowing them to personalise font type, size, spacing and colour. The service features more than 6,000 titles and costs the same as standard editions.
Becky, 42, from Preston, who has albinism-related sight loss, said the service transformed family evenings. She said: “Storytime has always been a very special part of our day... Having books we can all enjoy together has made such a difference.” Kerry Bevan, head of support services at Guide Dogs, added: “Bedtime stories are about more than words on a page - they’re about connection, imagination and family tradition.”
