These teachers' notes are based on the 10 stories in the collection Horrid Henry’s Evil Enemies, and the 10 stories in Horrid Henry Rules the World. The specific activities based on individual stories are followed by general activities, which can be carried out with any stories in these anthologies or the other Horrid Henry books.
These notes written by lecturer and writer Nikki Gamble for Orion Children's Books.
Horrid Henry series overview
This series of episodic stories feature the anti-hero Horrid Henry, who attracts trouble as surely as jam attracts wasps. Henry’s character owes much to the tradition of the naughty child in children’s literature and comics. There are echoes of Dennis the Menace and Minnie the Minx and some similarities with William Brown (Just William), though in the latter case chaos is caused by well-meaning but ill-conceived plans that end in disaster. Henry also has something in common with the likeable tricksters of folktales (Anansi, Brer Rabbit, Reynard) and like them he often comes out on top…. but not always. Henry’s brother Perfect Peter is the ideal foil for Henry’s antics and he too has his antecedents in characters like the Dennis the Menace’s adversary, Cedric. Most readers will be attracted to Henry’s lively personality in spite of his unacceptable behaviour.
Francesca Simon says, ‘I often describe the Horrid Henry books as westerns for kids. Henry is an outlaw, who behaves dreadfully, yet often triumphs. Just as adults like reading about people who go against convention, so kids get a thrill from a child who always acts on impulse and never worries about the consequences. Henry is pure ego, while Perfect Peter is an exaggerated version of the impeccably behaved child parents think they want.’ Love Reading for Kids
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