Live webchat with Francesca 'Horrid Henry' Simon, author of The Sleeping Army, Tuesday 29 May, 1pm

[RachelMumsnet]

We're delighted to announce the start of our children's book club, which means we're going to be highlighting a great children's book each month, offering you the chance to access free copies of the book, share your thoughts - and perhaps your children's - chat to authors and enter competitions.

This month we're kicking off with Francesca Simon's latest novel, The Sleeping Army. Click here to find out more information about the book and apply to receive a free copy. We'll announce on this thread when all the books have gone.

Francesca will be joining us later on Tuesday 29 May at 1pm for a live webchat to discuss The Sleeping Army as well as her other children's books. If you're unable to join us on 29th, do post your question or your children's questions in advance here.

[Jux]

I'm so sorry I'm so late with this review - dd lost it and had to rewrite.

The Sleeping Army

It was certainly a good book and I found no mistakes in the mythology. It was a fun plot and kept the reader constantly hooked. I liked Roskva because she was to the point and took no nonsense from Freya, though was a bit rude and stubborn. Freya was, I'm afraid, a bit annoying. She was silly, patronising and when camping out and offered fish she proved herself picky and irritating.

On the subject of mythology, I think a bit more information would not go amiss, perhaps listing all nine worlds of Yggdrasil (Asgard, Vanaheim, Aflheim, Midgard, Jotunheim, Nidavellir, Muspell, Niflhel, Hel), but perhaps these will come up in a sequel?

To my delight Ratatosk was mentioned, and the nasty bits were not watered down (keeping the nut in Skadi's cleavage, Skadi urinating in the river). I thought the idea of everyone being Norse pagans very interesting and, although some are, it is quite rare nowardays; everyone seems to be more interested in the Egyptian and Greek deities, and while all 3 are very good, they are also very different, so it is nice to see the Norse get more attention.

All in all, it was a good read and I enjoyed it; well-written, with well realised characters.

All errors will be down to my inability to read dd's writing properly, btw! - Jux

[FrancescaSimon]

I've really enjoyed reading the reviews of the Sleeping Army, so please keep them coming and I will be checking back to read them. Thanks for having me

[RachelMumsnet]

Thanks so much Francesca for joining us today and to everyone who joined in our discussion and for making our first Children's book of the month a success. We'll be announcing our June book of the month on Friday.

[FrancescaSimon]

@jepa

Thank you
Actually that sounds like my son - When I get his school report I honestly think they have the wrong child !

Everyone in the office just laughed at your post!

[FrancescaSimon]

@birdsofshoreandsea

DS has now read it twice because he liked it so much. He says it was "really really good". His favourite bit was where Freya flew with the falcon's skin. He thought it was a funny fantasy book, suitable for ages 4 to 10. He liked that it showed that girls can be brave as well as boys. He said it wasn't scary except for the dragon that ate dead bodies. He knew the children would not get turned to ivory "because basically then the story would be over"!

He's thinking of some things to ask Francesca Simon. Thank you for the chance to read the book.

Thank you so much for the lovely review; I wanted Freya to be a very ordinary girl, who discovers within herself, attributes and courage that she didn't know she had. Because something I very much believe, is that no-one knows what will be useful to them in adversity.

[jepa]

Thank you
Actually that sounds like my son - When I get his school report I honestly think they have the wrong child !

[FrancescaSimon]

@jepa

Hi Francesca
Thank you so much for the Horrid Henry books - such a breakthrough in our house, my son loved us reading them to him and then as he got older couldn't put them down. My son wanted to ask if you plan to write more but thats already been covered early in the webchat .
So can I ask what is your inspiration - was there a horrid Henry in your life ?
Oh and thank you for coming onto Mumsnet, I'll be showing my son when he gets back from school

I'm writing at least two more books, not including the latest Horrid Henry's Monster Movie, which just came out a few days ago.

"Was there a Horrid Henry in your life" Yes, me. I was beautifully behaved in school, and badly behaved at home, so I am able to incorporate both Horrid Henry and Perfect Peter.

[jepa]

Hi Francesca
Thank you so much for the Horrid Henry books - such a breakthrough in our house, my son loved us reading them to him and then as he got older couldn't put them down. My son wanted to ask if you plan to write more but thats already been covered early in the webchat .
So can I ask what is your inspiration - was there a horrid Henry in your life ?
Oh and thank you for coming onto Mumsnet, I'll be showing my son when he gets back from school

[FrancescaSimon]

@LottieJenkins

Hello Francesca! My son is now 15 and Horrid Henry's were the first reading books that he read on his own! He loved the film but i hated it! Were Henry and Peter based on two children or several different children??

Horrid Henry and Perfect Peter are two sides of everyone : the side that wants to build the sandcastle and the side that wants to stomp on it. So they are archetypes, rather than being based on two existing children.

[FrancescaSimon]

@edam

Hello Francesca. Ds wants to ask, did you have an irritating little brother (and did he inspire Perfect Peter)? And why did you write a book with a male main character? (No criticism, he's just interested.)

I had two irritating younger brothers, but they inspired Beefy Bert, not Perfect Peter, because they both like saying 'I dunno', which is all this character ever says.

Believe it or not, it's always accidental whether my main character is male or female, and I tend to alternate. Horrid Henry started life as a one-off story, I had no idea it would grow into this series, so it was completely accidental. That said I knew I needed a strong female character - step forward Moody Margaret. Because I have one son, I do tend to default to male characters. But I do try to balance it out.

[FrancescaSimon]

@gazzalw

I have Lewis Chessmen King and Queen replicas sitting resplendent on a bookshelf, so the children have grown up asking about them. So thank you for the book - both DCs will enjoy - one to be read to and the other to be encouraged to read.... Think I might get more out of it that them too!

If you want to visit the originals, they are in room 40 of the British Museum; my second home

[FrancescaSimon]

@gazzalw

I have Lewis Chessmen King and Queen replicas sitting resplendent on a bookshelf, so the children have grown up asking about them. So thank you for the book - both DCs will enjoy - one to be read to and the other to be encouraged to read.... Think I might get more out of it that them too!

I also have the entire set in my office

[FrancescaSimon]

@Eirwen

Thank you for your reply. I have just picked up my daughter after this morning's GCSE English Language exam. She was pleased to hear that you are writing a sequel. I thought that at 16 she might be a bit old for the recommended reading age but from the above comments it seems that many parents have also really enjoyed it. I haven't had a chance to read it yet - four kids and not enough hours in the day - but I will get around in the future!
Thanks for all the books you have produced over the years.

I have Horrid Henry fans in their early twenties! Which is why I recommend the Sleeping Army for 8+, because my books do seem to work over a very, very big age range. Thanks for your kind comment.

[FrancescaSimon]

@schilke

Hello Francesca.

This is my dd1's book review. She's 8.

My favourite part was when Freya blew the horn. My favourite character was Alfi. The funniest part was the sentence "Snot scratched his bum." The worst part was when Snot died. I didn't like that bit because it made me feel sad. The scariest part was when the wolves came.

She thought it was brilliant.

Delighted that your daughter enjoyed the book. I did laugh at her choice of the funniest bit, and I'm intrigued that she found the wolves much scarier than visiting Hell.

[FrancescaSimon]

@popelloucla

I finally managed to read the book yesterday, I thoroughly enjoyed it and look forward to more books in the series.
DD1 is now reading it, but hasn't got very far yet.
I don't have a question, but just wanted to say thank you for writing such an enjoyable book.

I'm really delighted that you enjoyed it, as 'The Sleeping Army' is my favourite of all the books I've written. It was the most challenging to write, but also the one that most reflected a lot of my interest in mythology, history and quest literature, so I was able to use practically every interest I have in one book.

[Eirwen]

Thank you for your reply. I have just picked up my daughter after this morning's GCSE English Language exam. She was pleased to hear that you are writing a sequel. I thought that at 16 she might be a bit old for the recommended reading age but from the above comments it seems that many parents have also really enjoyed it. I haven't had a chance to read it yet - four kids and not enough hours in the day - but I will get around in the future!
Thanks for all the books you have produced over the years.

[FrancescaSimon]

@Merrylegs

Francesca - my boys really liked HH when they were younger, and everytime I read 'it was the work of a moment' I would to myself because Edward Eager was my most adored author as a child so I kind of feel you are a kindred spirit!

I have read every Edward Eager book at least twelve times . Sadly my son didn't like the books, which makes me feel he must have been a changeling.

[FrancescaSimon]

@RachelMumsnet

Francesca we'd also like to ask our two standard MN Bookclub questions (which we like to ask all authors, and will be archived on the site):

Which childhood book most inspired you?

What would be the first piece of advice you would give anyone attempting to write fiction?

1. Edward Eager's book, Half Magic, most inspired me. This was a boko about magic coming into the lives of a very ordinary, squabbly, single parent family and it made me believe that maybe magic could happen to me as well. I've always been interested in the idea of magic being unreliable and unpredictable, which is something that I pick up in Sleeping On Me, when Woden's charms do not have the expected effect.
   

1. Write what you want, not what you think the market wants.

[Merrylegs]

Francesca - my boys really liked HH when they were younger, and everytime I read 'it was the work of a moment' I would to myself because Edward Eager was my most adored author as a child so I kind of feel you are a kindred spirit!

[FrancescaSimon]

@MarkGruffalo

Hello to Francesca Simon

I loved Horrid Henry stories - it was the one thing my child would read in translation (live abroad).

The movie on the other hand was abysmal. Truly truly awful. I understand you had no part in it. How did it feel seeing what they had done to your work? (you do not need to reply if the question brings you painful flashbacks).

Or maybe you liked it. Tell me you didn't like it!

I never saw the film. I read the script, and that was enough . Keep reading the books...

[FrancescaSimon]

@akaemmafrost

My son is 9 and has Autism. He absolutely loves Horrid Henry and this has lead to some terrifying re-enactments of HH type behaviour . I have asked him what he would like to ask you and he says will you be doing any book signings in West London? When is your next Horrid Henry book coming out? He wants me to tell you how much he enjoys your books and how funny they are.

The next Horrid Henry book, Horrid Henry's Monster Movie, has just been published. At the moment no plans to do any book signings in West London, though I am appearing at the pop-up festival in King's Cross at the end of June.

I'm delighted that your son enjoys the books. The Horrid Henry books seem to work very well with children who are dyslexic, or have Asperger's or autism, I think this is possibly because the characters have labels i.e. weepy William, moody Margaret, and behave very consistently, and also because of the alliteration. And because they're funny!

[LadySybildeChocolate]

:) I have a few on my computer. I love writing.

[FrancescaSimon]

@Ishoes

No question just a BIG THANK YOU to francesca-my ds has learning difficultes and struggles with reading. The horrid henry books are one of the few fiction books that he will sit and try and read without too much nagging on my part

A lot of parents have told me that the Horrid Henry books are the first books that their child ever read for fun and for pleasure, and books that they actually chose to read, which is a huge compliment. This was not planned, but the Horrid Henry books seem very successful with children who are dyslexic, or who are autistic, or who have Asperger's.

[FrancescaSimon]

@gazzalw

Tried reading this to DD (6) but think she was a bit young as it met with some resistance. I had thought to try it with her as we not long ago saw some of the Lewis Chessmen at the British Museum and she has grown up with two (the White King and Queen) staring down at her from one of our bookshelves. I think DS (11) is beyond it as he's been reading Malorie Blackman and The Hunger Games of late.

However, I really, really, really enjoyed it with my keen interest in mythologies, although I did think you borrowed shamelessly - but then so did CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien so you are in good company! I did get some funny looks on the Tube though reading a kids' book - but there again I can think of many adults to whom it would appeal!

Just wondered what inspired you to write a story centred around the Lewis Chessmen, as an American living on this Isle - had you fallen in love with them at the British Museum and further research had just intrigued you more and more? Or did you always think there was a story to tell about them even when you were growing up in the USA?

I think the book works for children aged 8+. It's not so much that I 'borrowed shamelessly', I deliberately was using the myths and extending them, in fact much more directly than J.R.R. Tolkien did. I only encountered the Lewis chessmen when I came to England to do a second degree; I didn't know about them when I lived in North America. However, I've always loved mythology.

[FrancescaSimon]

@LadySybildeChocolate

Thank you :) The agent has just ditched it, sadly, so I'm back to square 1. It's very, very difficult.

I have a lot of unpublished books in my drawer - perhaps you need to get on and write something else.