To be really quite shocked by the content of "Horrid Henry" books?

[shimmerysilverglitter]

A thread on here just reminded me of this, have been meaning to start it for ages.

My ds has recently threatened to "kill" his 3 year old sister, told he he hates her, called her a pipsqueak (ok not so bad) and laughs at kids stealing other kids packed lunches, among other things, he has never said these kind of things before and I was like this upon hearing them. Turns out they are all things he has read in Horrid Henry books.

He read them at school I might add.

I just find them quite shocking really. AIBU or just a bit uptight?

I do laugh at them sometimes in a shocked way but find them a bit much.

I don't like them, there's plenty of amazing children's books out there to read instead! shame your DS read them at school though.

the cartoon is utter crap too

I had this battle with myself too. Ds was reading them at school, but I declared hatred for Horrid henry. The little brat seems to get away with everything! But then I realised I was fighting a losing battle, and would just have to put up with ds's calling eachother worm and pipsqueak.

Well I think they are awful, school lent him a boxed set (thanks for that!) so has read about 5 of them and absolutely loves them.

I remember my parents banning Just 17 as they thought I was too young for it when I was about 14 though and the injustice and control of it still rankles to this day so not sure what the right thing is really.

Some people do believe that their children's behaviour is influenced by the stories they read. If this seems to be the case with your dc, then it would make sense not to let them read the books.

Many children are not influenced by what they read and enjoy reading about naughty, dreadful thigns. So that's ok.

true, I used to read Naughtiest Girl books a lot, maybe because I was a teacher's pet very well behaved so it made a nice change!

I am firmly of the belief that even 'bad' books are better than no books, so I would never stop my child from reading something purely on the grounds that I found it a bit unsavoury tbh. Both dds had a binge on Jaqueline Wilson, whose books make Horrid Henry look positively intellectual - I just had to grit my teeth until they got over it (fairly quickly, thankfully)!

Children like to be subversive in their reading.They will always like books that their parents hate. A sure way of making a book desirable is to stop them reading it!

YABU

Not all books are about adventures with fluffy bunnykins. My DS read them and loved them. It got him into reading books so that's a Very Good Thing, in my book

My DS x 2 have both read Horrid Henry (and Dirty Bertie, which is just as bad) and I don't feel that it has had any effect on their behaviour. Maybe some children are just more easily influenced than others?

I am a little sceptical of parents who say how naughty their children beceom after reading henry or watching tracey beaker but they are so convinced of the cause and effect which must be a bit of a nuisance if true.

Personally, I ban nothing. I don't think.

Well my ds has ASD so these things do tend to affect him more. He is a bit black and white in his thinking.

ah you see, here I am thinking that the enid blyton books mine are addicted to are all good and wholesome, but then they start calling each other idiots and fat-heads......... its all pretty mild though, no? they will hear much worse on the playground

You'll regret those Blyton books when they start bullying fat children and insisting on going on vigilante holidays with no adult supervision.

I think some of the things that Horrid Henry says can rub off and be copied and that is irritating. But most kids seem to get over it after a while. (Funny that most children are not in such a rush to copy Perfect Peter ) And in general those stories are fairly "moral" - HH usually gets caught out or gets his come-uppance in the end and actually some of it takes the mickey out of the stupidity of his behaviour. I would agree the books are not particularly well-written anyway, but we all quite enjoyed listening to them in the car when brilliantly read by Miranda Richardson who transforms them from an average book into something really humorous. We have also talked about some of the things in the books with Ds1 (including the appalling parenting skills of HH's parents!) and so I feel we did get something out of them.

My son was bought Horrid Henry books by a relative one Christmas. I started reading him one, but soon realised they were utter shite and just encouraged really poor behaviour, so I binned them.

Come back Enid Blyton, all is forgiven

Ooohhh I love Horrid Henry, think his mum has issues tho, she obviously favours Peter and hasnt heard of positive reinforcement.

Prefer the dad, methinks he was a Henry in his youth..

As you do..... erm......

Now - BINNING books is even worse than banning them imho. Why not take them to a charity shop?

Horrid Henry got DS reading and for that I will be eternally grateful to him. As long as books are age appropriate I don't really see what business of mine it is what DS chooses to read for pleasure. Also the Horrid Henry stage is pretty quick as they become a bit babyish fairly quickly.

I used to not allow DS to copy what he read, but I am not raising a sheep but a child with his own mind.

There whole appeal is that you are not meant to like them; just as parents in previous generations didn't like the Beano.

"We have also talked about some of the things in the books with Ds1 (including the appalling parenting skills of HH's parents!)"

Glad it's not just me,Saker - I do catch myself commenting on how the parents have handled something and wonder if I'm going too far!
I quite like them,they didn't affect DS's behaviour at all - but there were one or two stories I wouldn't read because I felt Henry was just being nasty and there were no redeeming features(humour, or lessons in parenting!)

did nobody ever read Naughty Amelia Jane, by Enid Blyton? She was awfully naughty and very rarely got punished!

Why are they shite?

Because they feature a naughty boy?

Little bit that some mums are so scared of their dc they ban books incase they turn them into the anti christ and they can't control them. Sorry but a few HH books do not a badly behaved child make.

I have twin 6 year old boys and a 5 year old dd so have endured HH X3 in one hit. I have 3 very spirited children and fortunately my parenting skills are good enough that my dc can read what they want without turning into horrors.

Yes my twins renamed their teddies "Mr Kill",yes they call dd "Pipsqueak",yes they sang the bottom song all the way down to the South of France but out of control horrors they are not. Actually dp and I snigger along as we both had to endure Perfect Peter siblings.

Also I'm afraid Mirander Richardson reading Horrid Henry is pure utter genius nothing less(I've listened to the entire CD box set on the pre-mentioned car journey so I'm well qualified to comment). Horrid Henry Goes to Work and the fairies one had us all laughing. How could you not laugh at Bill getting caught sitting on the photocopier singing the bottom song????? My boys still beg dp for a take your child to work day.

Many of the stories highlight many feelings kids have and make them laugh eg HH Goes on Holiday. Many have a moral,I actually read some to my class years ago and had some fab discussions discussing the moral and HH's feelings and reasons for behaving the way he does.

Sorry any literature that gets 6 year old boys reading avidly and can make families young and old laugh is not shite.

Any of you with HH fans might like to try the Yuk books(the boy makes yukky inventions). One of my twins is a fluent but reluctant reader,however he devours HH and the Yuk books. Highly recommend both for reluctant 6 year old boy readers.

I used to love My Naughty Little Sister when I was a child, I can still remember some of the mischief she got into (sneaking in and eating all the trifle at a party, trying to cut off the cat's tail...) yet I was a total goody two shoes.

At least your Ds is only reading them, my Dd had a Horrid Henry osession for 6 months which meant we had to race home in time to watch it and every book from the library and Cd in the car. AAARRRGGG! Luckily it has dwindled lately, cos now she's into Tracey Beaker. Brng back Toy Story and Come Outside obbsessions, all is forgiven. LOL.
Oh and before someone shoots me down in flames, her obsessions are a strategy for coping with anxiety for which we are currently seeking help.