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Everyone's favorite troublemaker celebrates Christmas

December 22, 2009 by Lori Calabrese · View Comments 

Cover of Horrid Henry's Christmas

Cover of Horrid Henry's Christmas

When you receive your first copy of Horrid Henry, you’ll automatically become a fan. Horrid Henry is such a mischievous character, you can’t help but love him or love to hate him.

Horrid Henry’s adventures continue in Horrid Henry’s Christmas and you can only imagine the amount of trouble Henry can get in during the holidays. Each Horrid Henry book contains four stories and, in this helping, Henry sabotages the Christmas play; tries to do all his Christmas shopping without spending any of his allowance; has to endure the worst Christmas dinner ever; and attempts to ambush Santa Claus (to get more presents, of course).

In his attempt to ambush Santa, Henry knows Santa needs his help when Santa keeps messing up his Christmas requests. I personally loved Henry’s letter to Santa. “I want loads and loads and loads of cash, to make up for the puny amount you put in my stocking last year…” Since ‘Santa is getting old and doddery,’ Henry figures he has no choice and has to ambush Santa. He sets up traps in his room and waits for Santa to arrive, but nothing’s ever easy for Henry and he might have to wait until next year to clue the old man in!

Horrid Henry’s Christmas isn’t your typical feel-good Christmas book, but it’s sure to delight even the toughest scrooge. Horrid Henry never disappoints and your young readers will enjoy finding this under the tree right next to a mega-sized Waterblaster or Space Howler.

Additional Information:
Reading level: Ages 7-10
Paperback: 112 pages
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky (September 1, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 140221782X
ISBN-13: 978-1402217821
Source of review copy: Publisher

Disclosure: Some of the books I review are received from publishers , PR agencies, and authors, but it does not sway my opinion of the book. I maintain affiliate accounts with Amazon and Barnes & Noble. If you purchase a book through one of my links, I will receive a small commission (at no cost to you). You can support this site by originating your purchase via these links and I appreciate your support of Lori Calabrese Writes!

Filed under Christmas, Holiday books, Middle Grade · Tagged with , , ,

Horrid Henry FREE Books Giveaway!

October 6, 2009 by Lori Calabrese · View Comments 

That’s right, the mischievous Horrid Henry is up to his old tricks again in two new books. I really enjoyed the previous books and was looking forward to checking out Henry’s new adventures–after all, he’s just so troublesome, you can’t resist.

Who is Horrid Henry you might ask? If you’re unfamiliar with the series, it chronicles the adventures of Horrid Henry, his little brother Perfect Peter, his neighbor Moody Margaret, his school pals Rude Ralph, Lazy Linda, Aerobic Al, Brainy Brian, their teacher Miss Battle-Axe and a host of other comic foils for this young terror.

In Horrid Henry’s Underpants, Henry gets an unwelcomed gift from his Great Aunt Greta, who’s convinced he’s a girl. Even though she’s been told ten billion times his name is Henry, not Henrietta, his Great Aunt always sends a Walkie-Talkie-Teasy-Weasy-Burpy-Slurpy Doll, or a Princess Pamper Parlor, or even Baby Poopie Pants. But this time, she’s really done it. Henry rips open his present and stares in horror at a pair of frilly pink lacy underpants! But things really get exciting when Henry stumbles out of bed half-asleep, grabs the lacy underwear hidden in his drawer and unknowingly, in a rush slips them on.

It all sinks in when Henry is sitting in class and feels something scratchy. Horrid Henry is mortified. Not to mention the game of depantsing that Horrid Henry had recently started on the playground. Horrid Henry does his best to scheme a new pair of underwear to no avail, but what will happen when he finds out that it’s P.E. day? Any story about underwear is sure to crack a smile on even the most reluctant readers, and chances are they’ll love to read the other three stories about the kid we all hate to love, or love to hate! In addition to the underpants story, young readers find out how Horrid Henry negotiates about eating vegetables, competes with Perfect Peter over which of them is sickest, and hits on a brilliant way to write thank-you letters.

Additional Information:
Reading level: Ages 7-10
Paperback: 112 pages
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky (September 1, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1402238258
ISBN-13: 978-1402238253

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Don’t you hate it when you have a babysitter beautifully trained and for some reason they won’t come back? In Horrid Henry and the Scary Sitter, Henry’s mom learns it’s not easy to find someone to babysit more than once for Horrid Henry. “What do you think I’m crazy?” one babysitter asks. When the door opens and the biggest, meanest, ugliest, nastiest-looking girl walks in, Henry howls, “Go home, you witch!” Gee–I can’t possibly understand why nobody wants to babysit Henry!

Rabid Rebecca has heard all about Henry and roars her fiery dragon’s breath, forcing Henry to go to bed at 7 o’clock. No one goes to bed at 7 o’clock. Not even toddlers! When Henry attempts to sneak downstairs for a drink of water, he’s busted, but Rabid Rebecca doesn’t rip his head off–because she’s afraid of a spider. Henry negotiates staying up late and watching his favorite show if he catches the spider and Rebecca agrees. But when Henry catches the spider, Rebecca orders him to bed again. Henry now knows his secret weapon and once again has a babysitter beautifully trained. But I doubt she’ll be coming back! In addition to encountering the worst babysitter in the world, the other stories have Henry traumatizing his parents on a long car trip; going trick-or-treating at Halloweeen (with disastrous results); and emerging victorious from a raid on Moody Margaret’s Secret Club.

Francesca Simon has done it again and Horrid Henry causes more trouble than ever in these new books. It’s refreshing to see a series whose main character is a trouble-maker–because if we can’t laugh at books, then what can we laugh at?

HORRID HENRY GIVEAWAY!


If you want to check out the series for yourself, I’m giving away a copy of
Horrid Henry’s Underpants
Horrid Henry and the Scary Sitter
and
Horrid Henry and the Mummy’s Curse

What do you have to do?

There’s a little Horrid Henry in all of us, so leave a comment below, telling us the worst thing you, a friend, or acquaintance did as a kid. Of course that person can certainly remain anonymous. (ex: putting gum in somebody’s hair, mooning out of a bus window, etc…) And let’s keep it Rated PG!

  • There will be three winners and each winner will win one of the above books (randomly selected)
  • For contact purposes, if you are a non-blogger or your email is not accessible in your blog profile, please leave a valid email address within the comment section.
  • Contest is open to US only
  • Contest ends on Sunday, October 11, 2009 at 11:59 PM EST.
  • Winners will be chosen at random and announced on Monday, October 12, 2009.

Filed under Children's Book Reviews, Middle Grade · Tagged with , ,

Horrid Henry causes mischief in the U.S.

June 30, 2009 by Lori Calabrese · View Comments 

Horrid Henry has recently struck the blogosphere with full force. Everywhere I turn, I spot a blog post highlighting this series penned by Francesca Simon and illustrated by Tony Ross,which was why it was time for me to check out these proclaimed “laugh-out loud” stories for myself.

Horrid Henry is currently the top-selling chapter book series in the U.K. and Henry has even made his way into a popular animated TV show based on the books and will have his own video game. Just like the Beatles, it was only a matter of time before Horrid Henry stepped ground on U.S. turf.

Each book offers 4 short, easy-to-read chapters that will appeal to early readers. In the first book in the series, Horrid Henry and the Mega-Mean Time Machine, Horrid Henry builds a time machine from a box and tricks his brother, Perfect Peter, into believing it really does send him into the future.

In my favorite book of the series, Horrid Henry’s Stinkbomb, Horrid Henry uses all his tricks to win the school reading competition. While his teacher sounds a lot like the teacher in Charlie Brown (blah blah blah blah blah), Horrid Henry is drawing pictures until he hears the magic word, Prize! Everyone has two weeks to read as many books as they can for the school reading competition. Horrid Henry slumps in his chair because reading was hard, heavy work. He wonders why they couldn’t ever do fun competitions, like whose tummy could rumble the loudest! But no! Henry scowls at the contest, until he finds out the prize is a family ticket to a brand new theme park. Of course Horrid Henry vows to win the competition, but waits until the last minute. He’s forced to devise a plan that will have the competition in the bag, but the prize turns out to be something different than what he expected. The writing is very clever, the humor will have you laughing your pants off, and I firmly believe these books are so popular because there’s a little Horrid Henry in each of us. Who hasn’t doodled while in class, scowled at a school assignment, and tried to upstage a sibling?

Horrid Henry’s behavior may be atrocious, but who doesn’t love reading about characters who get into hot water? They’re often very entertaining and it rings true with the Horrid Henry series. You’ll enjoy reading how Henry uses a stinkbomb as a toxic weapon in his war with Moody Margaret; goes on a sleepover; and has the joy of seeing his teacher in hot water with the principal.

Ross’s illustrations bring Horrid Henry’s mischievious side to life with his devilish looks and slanted eyebrows.

For more information, teacher’s guides, games, to receive a free copy and enter the Horrid Henry Contest, visit Sourcebooks, Inc.

Horrid Henry is also coming to a Borders Bookstore (hopefully) near you for a Book tour, so check out the schedule here.

Visit the official Horrid Henry website.

Filed under Children's Book Reviews, Middle Grade · Tagged with ,