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Original poster

horrid henry!

33 replies

babs100 · 12/07/2012 07:52

Hi everyone, I've specifically joined this site in order to find out how to complain about these books! I expect most of us will have seen 'horrid henry' on tv, and my grandson likes the cartoon. They seemed acceptable, so I bought 2 Horrid Henry books - A giant slice of Horrid Henry, and A helping of Horrid Henry.
I was reading through them and realised they are just terrible books - advocating and encouraging all the behaviours that no-one - just no-one - would subscribe to!

I had thought that they would be rather like the 'william' books, where the boy is often misunderstood for wanting to do 'good' actions - and actually does things that we would all accept. Not the horrid henry books. Where to start? One of the main subjects is the fact that he loves junk food. That would, I suppose, be alright as a reflection of children's preference, but the book, as it were, endorses this, and encourages it. Just one chapter - horrid henry eats a vegetable.
Henry 'lies' - it actually says this -without any mention or indication that this is bad - his brother, peter, who likes 'healthy' food - is made to look silly - and his parents are made to be unpleasant characters themselves - they make a deal with henry that if he eats healthily they will take him to his favourite takeaway - knowing (it transpires at the end) -that it has been closed and replaced by a ?'dreadful' veggie cafe.
I'm not a vegetarian - and if there was anything pleasant or funny in this chapter it wouldn't be so bad - but it is just filled with Henry unpleasantly tricking and lying to his parents (pretending to eat his food by hiding it/throwing it on the floor etc) - not being found out - but being unkindly tricked by them in the end. If he had indeed eaten all his vegetables in order to be taken to 'Gobble and Go' - how cruel were his parents - knowing that it no longer existed??

Every chapter, as far as i can see, is similar in encouraging bad, anti-social, unkind behaviour. But I have no more time! - could anyone tell me how and who I can complain to about these books as they most certainly should not be on the shelves for young children to read.

OP posts:
Original poster
babs100 · 12/07/2012 16:51

Ho hum - all I wanted to know was if anyone could tell me the best, and accepted method to complain about a children's book. - The content of these Horrid Henry books is not similar to my naughty little sister, or any of the other 'naughty children's ' books that I've seen before, - or I would not be bothered to be writing this blog!
I could leave the subject, of course, - we can all leave things that don't appear to be right. It just seems to me that we live our lives agreeing that many things are wrong and do nothing about it.
The fact, for instance, that many teachers these days are ridiculed in the classroom, and that the worst behaved child's usual sneer to them is - 'you can't do anything - i'll report you to the head ' - and we have Horrid Henry remembering with pride that he was the boy who got his class teacher sent to the head. Just a throw away remark - but these stories are awash with them!

By the way - I appreciate the note about the smiley faces - I did want to include a whole array of them - when I discovered them at the bottom of the page (ignoring the sarcasm) - but haven't worked out how to include them! - I'll get there when I have time!

OP posts:
Takver · 12/07/2012 10:53

Well, you know, I couldn't agree more. But I can't possibly agree with your positive view of Just William. Did you know that he actually uses a bow and arrow in some books, and a catapult in others! I have found my own daughter trying to shoot arrows at the cat I am sure as a direct result of such inappropriate role modelling.

You'll be glad to know that children's book editors in the US take such things more seriously. I have a friend who is a children's author, and she has been told by her US editor to remove a hospital scene, a scene involving a catapult and other potentially disturbing and disruptive elements. Although she doesn't want to do this, having some strange ideas about the importance of exposing children to a range of ideas and concepts, I'm sure that she will realise eventually how wrong she is.

Tee2072 · 12/07/2012 10:33

Don't forget to book your sad face picture in the DailyMail.

::feels that we are not taking this seriously::

Grin
ThePhantomDeregisterer · 12/07/2012 09:37

Sorry, I didn't answer your question about who to complain to. I suggest the press as your best option to get this important information out there. Of course they do need it to be ostentatious so I suggest standing outside a library/bookshop with a placard along the lines of, HORRID HENRY CAUSES ASBOS. You know, catchy and shouty. Then maybe set fire to a stack of them. And maybe then they'll take a photo of you with a sad face, on a sofa, hugging your child while the text explains how he became unkind and won't now eat his veggies because of it.

Really, it would be doing us all a service.

he

Houseworkprocrastinator · 12/07/2012 09:34

My daughter loves horrid Henry books. I have no problem with her reading them. One of my favourite series of books when I was small was "my naughty little sister" which I have also read to my children.
In my view children are interested in things that are naughty or behavour that is a little bit discussing. Look how popular "horrible histories" on the tellevision is.
These type of books get a lot of children who would otherwise be disengaged with books if they were all fluffy and lovely (especially boys who I hear it is harder to get them to read for enjoyment) and I think we should give children credit to know that these things are naughty and should not be copied but it is a bit of escapism.
I love to read and I mostly go for crime/serial killer books. I enjoy reading them, I would not go out and murder people.

ThePhantomDeregisterer · 12/07/2012 09:29

often read books encouraging behaviours no one would subscribe to! So far I have successfully not become a jewel thief, deposed a monarch, incarcerated my mad spouse in an attic etc etc Or is it only a matter of time before I succumb?? Shock

MNHQ
KatMumsnet · 12/07/2012 09:19

Hi, we've moved this into Children's Books. Thanks.

Tee2072 · 12/07/2012 08:14

I've reported this thread as this is so not the topic for it and you'll get nearly no responses here.

I've not read the books so can't speak to that.