Horrid Henry
Template:Short descriptionTemplate:About Template:Italic title Template:Use British English Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox media franchise Horrid Henry is a children's book series by Francesca Simon and illustrated by Tony Ross. It has been adapted for television, film<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and theatre.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
History
Following the birth of her son Joshua in 1989,<ref name="Real Inspiration">Template:Cite news</ref> Francesca Simon was asked by Judith Elliott, an editor at Orion Books, to write a story about a horrid child.<ref name="HowWe">Template:Cite new</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> She also wanted to write about sibling rivalry and families where one child was considered "perfect" and the other "horrid".<ref name="Q&A">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="HenryLivePDF">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Exclusive Chat">Template:Cite news</ref> Inspiration also came from Cain and Abel, Oedipus Rex, Seinfeld, and Simon's own childhood, growing up in California the eldest of four siblings (including her sister Anne), desperately wanting to be an only child. They lived in small houses with confined spaces, with their father Mayo writing upstairs and telling them to be quiet.<ref name="What Makes">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Real Inspiration"/> Simon also stated that she would be perfect and work hard at school, but be horrid and slam doors at home, describing herself as a "mixture of both Henry and Peter".<ref name="Mixture">Template:Cite news</ref> Three more stories were written by Simon at Elliott's request to form a full book.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
The first Horrid Henry book was written and published in 1994 by Orion.<ref name="Real Inspiration"/> The books are a slice of life series featuring the titular Henry, a wildly misbehaved boy who will typically be faced with a problem and then will often retaliate in interesting ways that involve trickery, rule-breaking and elaborate practical jokes. Henry has a younger brother, Perfect Peter, who is the exact opposite.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Henry despises Peter, whom he refers to as a "worm" or "toad". Almost every character is known by an alliterative nickname (Rude Ralph, Moody Margaret, Brainy Brian, etc.) with a few exceptions e.g. Mum, Dad and Miss Battle-Axe.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Many of the books' stories were inspired by events from Simon's life and those of people that she knew, with additional ideas coming from her imagination.<ref name="Q&A"/><ref name="FactsPDF">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="HenryPDF">Template:Cite web</ref> Each title in the main series consists of four short stories with black and white illustrations. The titles in the Early Readers series, aimed at younger readers, each consist of a single story with colour illustrations. Each story in that series, except Don't Be Horrid, Henry!, was originally published in a main series title. Don't Be Horrid, Henry! is an original story about Henry as a toddler, illustrated by Kevin McAleenan.<ref name="DBHHBook">Template:Cite book</ref> Eleven fact books, written from Henry's point of view, have also been published along with eight joke books, eleven colour books and at least twelve activity books as well as a series of annuals. Up until 2015, 24 official Horrid Henry titles were published in the series. The series was published in 31 languages and has sold more than 21 million copies worldwide.<ref name="Sourcebooks">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="New Book">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Morning With">Template:Cite news</ref>
The Horrid Henry stories are read on audiobook by actress Miranda Richardson and published by Orion Audio. Released between 2000 and 2019, the audiobooks were produced by Peter Rinne and Nicholas Jones (for Strathmore Publishing), with music composed by Rinne and Dik Cadbury.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In April 2009, the US Sourcebooks' Jabberwocky imprint released four Horrid Henry paperbacks nationwide, which included Horrid Henry, Horrid Henry's Stinkbomb, Horrid Henry and the Mega-Mean Time Machine and Horrid Henry Tricks the Tooth Fairy. Sourcebooks has released additional Horrid Henry titles including activity pages, event kits and a teacher's guide.<ref name="Sourcebooks"/> In 2019, a special one-off 25th Anniversary book, Horrid Henry: Up, Up and Away, was published.<ref name="New Book"/>
Books
Main series
| Pre-2019 title | Year of first publication | Current title | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Horrid Henry | Template:Sort | Horrid Henry | Series premiere and originally intended to be a single-book |
| Horrid Henry and the Secret Club | Template:Sort | Horrid Henry: Secret Club | |
| Horrid Henry Tricks the Tooth Fairy | Template:Sort | Horrid Henry: Tricking the Tooth Fairy | Originally published as Horrid Henry and the Tooth Fairy |
| Horrid Henry's Nits | Template:Sort | Horrid Henry: Nits Nits Nits! | Also published internationally as Horrid Henry's Head Lice |
| Horrid Henry Gets Rich Quick | Template:Sort | Horrid Henry: Get Rich Quick | Originally published as Horrid Henry Strikes It Rich |
| Horrid Henry's Haunted House | Template:Sort | Horrid Henry: The Haunted House | |
| Horrid Henry and The Mummy's Curse | Template:Sort | Horrid Henry: The Mummy's Curse | |
| Horrid Henry's Revenge | Template:Sort | Horrid Henry: Perfect Revenge | |
| Horrid Henry and the Bogey Babysitter | Template:Sort | Horrid Henry: Bogey Babysitter | |
| Horrid Henry's Stinkbomb | Template:Sort | Horrid Henry: Stinkbombs | |
| Horrid Henry's Underpants | Template:Sort | Horrid Henry: Underpants Panic | |
| Horrid Henry Meets The Queen | Template:Sort | Horrid Henry: The Queen's Visit | |
| Horrid Henry and the Mega-Mean Time Machine | Template:Sort | Horrid Henry: Mega-Mean Time Machine | |
| Horrid Henry and the Football Fiend | Template:Sort | Horrid Henry: Football Fiend | Published internationally as Horrid Henry and the Soccer Fiend |
| Horrid Henry's Christmas Cracker | Template:Sort | Horrid Henry: Christmas Cracker | |
| Horrid Henry and the Abominable Snowman | Template:Sort | Horrid Henry: Abominable Snowman | |
| Horrid Henry Robs The Bank | Template:Sort | Horrid Henry: Bank Robber | |
| Horrid Henry Wakes The Dead | Template:Sort | Horrid Henry: Waking the Dead | |
| Horrid Henry Rocks! | Template:Sort | Horrid Henry: Rock Star | |
| Horrid Henry and the Zombie Vampire | Template:Sort | Horrid Henry: Zombie Vampire | |
| Horrid Henry's Monster Movie | Template:Sort | Horrid Henry: Monster Movie | |
| Horrid Henry's Nightmare | Template:Sort | Horrid Henry: Nightmare | |
| Horrid Henry's Krazy Ketchup | Template:Sort | Horrid Henry: Krazy Ketchup | |
| Horrid Henry's Cannibal Curse | Template:Sort | Horrid Henry: Cannibal Curse | |
| N/A | Template:Sort | Horrid Henry: Up, Up and Away |
Extra Book
- Horrid Henry's Bedtime (2005; published for World Book Day)
Early Readers
| Title | Year of first publication | Story originally published in | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Don't Be Horrid, Henry! | Template:Sort | N/A (original story) | Originally illustrated by Kevin McAleenan. Current illustrations by Tony Ross adopted in 2006. |
| Horrid Henry's Birthday Party | Template:Sort | Horrid Henry: Secret Club | |
| Horrid Henry's Holiday | Template:Sort | Horrid Henry (first book) | |
| Horrid Henry's Underpants | Template:Sort | Horrid Henry: Underpants Panic | |
| Horrid Henry Gets Rich Quick | Template:Sort | Horrid Henry: Get Rich Quick | |
| Horrid Henry and the Football Fiend | Template:Sort | Horrid Henry: Football Fiend | |
| Horrid Henry's Nits | Template:Sort | Horrid Henry: Nits!, Nits!, Nits! | |
| Horrid Henry and Moody Margaret | Template:Sort | Horrid Henry (first book) | |
| Horrid Henry's Thank You Letter | Template:Sort | Horrid Henry: Underpants Panic | |
| Horrid Henry Reads a Book | Template:Sort | Horrid Henry: Stinkbombs | |
| Horrid Henry's Car Journey | Template:Sort | Horrid Henry: Bogey Babysitter | |
| Moody Margaret's School | Template:Sort | Horrid Henry: Bank Robber | |
| Horrid Henry Tricks and Treats | Template:Sort | Horrid Henry: Bogey Babysitter | |
| Horrid Henry's Christmas Play | Template:Sort | Horrid Henry: Christmas Cracker | |
| Horrid Henry's Rainy Day | Template:Sort | Horrid Henry: Abominable Snowman | |
| Horrid Henry Meets the Queen | Template:Sort | Horrid Henry: The Queen's Visit | |
| Horrid Henry's Sports Day | Template:Sort | Horrid Henry: Get Rich Quick | |
| Horrid Henry's Christmas Presents | Template:Sort | Horrid Henry: Christmas Cracker | |
| Moody Margaret's Makeover | Template:Sort | Horrid Henry: Abominable Snowman | |
| Horrid Henry and the Demon Dinner Lady | Template:Sort | Horrid Henry: Perfect Revenge | |
| Horrid Henry Tricks the Tooth Fairy | Template:Sort | Horrid Henry: Tricking the Tooth Fairy | |
| Horrid Henry's Homework | Template:Sort | Horrid Henry: The Mummy's Curse | |
| Horrid Henry and the Bogey Babysitter | Template:Sort | Horrid Henry: Bogey Babysitter | |
| Horrid Henry's Sleepover | Template:Sort | Horrid Henry: Stinkbombs | |
| Horrid Henry's Wedding | Template:Sort | Horrid Henry: Tricking the Tooth Fairy | |
| Horrid Henry's Haunted House | Template:Sort | Horrid Henry: The Haunted House | |
| Horrid Henry's Christmas Lunch | Template:Sort | Horrid Henry: Christmas Cracker | |
| Horrid Henry's Mother's Day | Template:Sort | Horrid Henry: Nightmare | |
| Horrid Henry and the Comfy Black Chair | Template:Sort | Horrid Henry: The Haunted House | |
| Horrid Henry and the Mummy's Curse | Template:Sort | Horrid Henry: The Mummy's Curse | |
| Horrid Henry and the Abominable Snowman | Template:Sort | Horrid Henry: Abominable Snowman | |
| Horrid Henry and the Mega-Mean Time Machine | Template:Sort | Horrid Henry: Mega-Mean Time Machine | |
| Horrid Henry and the Fangmangler | Template:Sort | Horrid Henry: Nits, Nits, Nits | |
| Horrid Henry's Christmas Ambush | Template:Sort | Horrid Henry: Christmas Cracker | |
| Horrid Henry's Stinkbomb | Template:Sort | Horrid Henry: Stinkbombs | |
| Horrid Henry's Swimming Lesson | Template:Sort | Horrid Henry: The Mummy's Curse | |
| Horrid Henry's Christmas | Template:Sort | Horrid Henry: Get Rich Quick | |
| Horrid Henry's School Fair | Template:Sort | Horrid Henry: The Haunted House | |
| Horrid Henry and the Zombie Vampire | Template:Sort | Horrid Henry: Zombie Vampire | |
| Horrid Henry's Hike | Template:Sort | Horrid Henry: Mega-Mean Time Machine | |
| Horrid Henry's Injection | Template:Sort | Horrid Henry: Secret Club | |
| Horrid Henry's Nightmare | Template:Sort | Horrid Henry: Nightmare | |
| Horrid Henry's Newspaper | Template:Sort | Horrid Henry: Bank Robber |
Fact books
| Title | Year of first publication |
|---|---|
| Horrid Henry's Bodies | Template:Sort |
| Horrid Henry's Dinosaurs | Template:Sort |
| Horrid Henry's Sports | Template:Sort |
| Horrid Henry's Food | Template:Sort |
| Horrid Henry's Bugs | Template:Sort |
| Horrid Henry's Kings and Queens | Template:Sort |
| Horrid Henry's World Records | Template:Sort |
| Horrid Henry's Animals | Template:Sort |
| Horrid Henry's Ghosts | Template:Sort |
| Horrid Henry's Space | Template:Sort |
| Horrid Henry's Crazy Creatures | Template:Sort |
Joke books
- Horrid Henry's Joke Book
- Horrid Henry's Jolly Joke Book
- Horrid Henry's Mighty Joke Book
- Horrid Henry's versus Moody Margaret
- Horrid Henry's Hilariously Horrid Joke Book
- Horrid Henry's Purple Hand Gang Joke Book
- Horrid Henry's All Time Favourite Joke Book
- Horrid Henry's Jumbo Joke Book
Colour/collection books
- Horrid Henry's Big Bad Book
- Horrid Henry's Wicked Ways
- Horrid Henry's Evil Enemies
- Horrid Henry Rules the World
- Horrid Henry's House of Horrors
- Horrid Henry's Dreadful Deeds
- Horrid Henry Shows Who's Boss
- Horrid Henry's A-Z of Everything Horrid
- Horrid Henry's Fearsome Four
- Horrid Henry's Royal Riot
- Horrid Henry's Tricky Tricks
- Horrid Henry: Holiday Horrors (2021)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Horrid Henry: Rainy Day Disaster (2022)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Horrid Henry: Party Pandemonium (2023)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Horrid Henry: Terrible Teachers (2023)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Horrid Henry: A Yucky Year (2023)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Horrid Henry: Food Fight (2024)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Horrid Henry: World's Worst Holiday (2024)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Horrid Henry: Monster Mayhem (2024)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Horrid Henry: Fiendish Foes (2025)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Horrid Henry: Summer of Doom (2025)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Activity books
- Horrid Henry's Brainbusters
- Horrid Henry's Headscratchers
- Horrid Henry's Mindbenders
- Horrid Henry's Colouring Book
- Horrid Henry's Puzzle Book
- Horrid Henry's Sticker Book
- Horrid Henry Runs Riot
- Horrid Henry's Annual
- Horrid Henry's Classroom Chaos
- Horrid Henry's Holiday Havoc
- Horrid Henry's Wicked Wordsearches
- Horrid Henry's Mad Mazes
- Horrid Henry's Crazy Crosswords
Television adaptation
Film adaptation
Template:Main On 23 June 2010, Vertigo Films announced that a live action 3-D film of Horrid Henry was in production. The film's plot focuses on Henry and The Purple Hand Gang fighting to prevent the closure of their school by an evil private school Headmaster.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The film was released on 29 July 2011 in the United Kingdom and 11 January 2013 in Australia.
Reception
- In April 2008, Horrid Henry and the Abominable Snowman won the Galaxy Children's Book of the Year Award.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- Horrid Henry has twice been nominated for BAFTA's Best Animation; in 2009 and 2010.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
See also
- Horrid Henry (TV series)
- Horrible Harry, a different character
References
General sources
- Robert McCrum interview in the Guardian
- Q&A with Francesca Simon
- Telegraph interview with Francesca Simon
- The Stage review of Horrid Henry Live and Horrid