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.

[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?

[peldred]

My son who is 6 loves the Horrid Henry books. We also really enjoy reading them together. My question is do you get lots of inspiration for your books from your children and their experiences?

[DogEared]

Hello Francesca
Another one here whose children love Horrid Henry.
I find the HH books quite sad. Henry seems to be hated by his parents, and though he is horrid and I do pity his poor frazzled mother there is no affection or love for him, and a lot for Peter. There's one story where Henry behaves well and Peter plays up, but the parents still blame Henry. My question is, do you ever pity Henry for the way he's treated? Do you ever consider the psychology of him?

(That is the most pretentious, wanky question EVER. Sorry) :o

[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.

[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.

[RachelMumsnet]

Francesca Simon has joined us at MNHQ and is ready to answer your questions. Welcome to Mumsnet Francesca...

[FrancescaSimon]

Hi, I'm very pleased to be here in Mumsnet Towers. The drawbridge is down and I look forward to chatting...

[FrancescaSimon]

@Leaveitbabe

My DD was delighted to be a recipient of the book, here is her review:

"I like the story because Freya and the Chessmen go on a daring quest. There are dragons and giants. Snot and Alfen were my favourite characters.
I also liked Hell, Lokis daughter. In my mind I think I look just like Hell but prettier!!!!!!!
THANKYOU FOR THE BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Really glad your DD liked the story. I described Hell to look like me, because I have very curly hair!

[akaemmafrost]

"Wow!" is what my son just said when I told him Francesca Simon is right there waiting for questions. He wants to say "Hello Francesca".

[FrancescaSimon]

@Leaveitbabe

My DD was delighted to be a recipient of the book, here is her review:

"I like the story because Freya and the Chessmen go on a daring quest. There are dragons and giants. Snot and Alfen were my favourite characters.
I also liked Hell, Lokis daughter. In my mind I think I look just like Hell but prettier!!!!!!!
THANKYOU FOR THE BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Snot has become my favourite character, but he almost got cut from the book because he never said anything except 'Rawwwwr!' and he was just completely silent, so I made a decision that if he didn't start talking soon, I was going to abandon him. But luckily, he did start speaking and he became my favourite character, and in fact he is most people's favourite character. Snot really is a girl's name in Icelandic, and it's pronounced 'snote' but I obviously mispronounced it.

[FrancescaSimon]

@akaemmafrost

"Wow!" is what my son just said when I told him Francesca Simon is right there waiting for questions. He wants to say "Hello Francesca".

Hello back!

[LineRunner]

Francesca

My son is 14 now, but he has pretty much every one of your books on his shelves from years gone by, and I'd like to say a big thank you for writing books that are great for keeping boys interested in reading, as well as girls. That's quite a talent you have there!

[FrancescaSimon]

@akaemmafrost

"Wow!" is what my son just said when I told him Francesca Simon is right there waiting for questions. He wants to say "Hello Francesca".

Hello back! I don't know that my son would say wow...

[akaemmafrost]

Thanks for replying to him. He is beside himself don't think I will get any more sense out of him now!

[FrancescaSimon]

@peldred

My son who is 6 loves the Horrid Henry books. We also really enjoy reading them together. My question is do you get lots of inspiration for your books from your children and their experiences?

My inspiration for Horrid Henry comes from being the eldest of four children, and from having a niece and nephew who fought all the time. The way I get my ideas is to think of all the ordinary situations that parents and children have, and ask myself, what would Horrid Henry do? I use myself much more than I use children: I only have one child. But Horrid Henry and Perfect Peter are two sides of everyone.

[FrancescaSimon]

@DogEared

Hello Francesca
Another one here whose children love Horrid Henry.
I find the HH books quite sad. Henry seems to be hated by his parents, and though he is horrid and I do pity his poor frazzled mother there is no affection or love for him, and a lot for Peter. There's one story where Henry behaves well and Peter plays up, but the parents still blame Henry. My question is, do you ever pity Henry for the way he's treated? Do you ever consider the psychology of him?

(That is the most pretentious, wanky question EVER. Sorry) :o

It's not a pretentious, wanky question, it's an interesting question. Henry's parents don't hate him, they just can't cope with him. In my experience, many parents divide their children into the good child and the bad child, and everyone knows who is playing which part, so I think the Horrid Henry books take a potentially sad situation and play it for laughs. Henry's parents are an extreme version of me at my most critical, because sometimes I think parents can spend their whole day telling off their children.

I don't pity Henry because he is so indomitable, and I admire his boldness and his resilience. Henry appeals to the rebel in everybody. It also happens to be true that parents always blame the 'bad child'.

[FrancescaSimon]

@Eirwen

Hello,
My daughter has just turned 16 years old and is hugely interested in the Egyptian, Greek and Roman gods but knew little about Norse mythology and so was interested to hear that one of her favourite childhood authors was writing a book about a race of Gods she knew little about. We were lucky enough to win a book which she read between exams. She thought this book was very entertaining and factual giving lots of new information about the Norse gods in a witty and creative storyline that was easy to read in a short period of time. The characters were very funny especially Snot wanting to attack everything in sight and she thought Francesca Simon manipulated previous knowledge about the Gods being powerful in a clever way presenting them as old and stupid just to make the story seem tenser but funnier. The storyline was excellent moving swiftly from Freya being swept away by the horn to meeting the Gods and then starting her quest encountering many exciting adventures along the way. Overall she thought it was an amazing book and has recommended it to many of her friends, especially the younger ones. Ten out of ten ! She would like to see a second book. Any plans in the pipeline for this ?

Thank you so much for your lovely comments. I am writing the sequel as we speak, but this time it's the Gods who come to Earth.

[FrancescaSimon]

@Posey

Hi there!
My son was a HUGE Horrid Henry fan, and now 9, was very excited to receive a completely new book you have written. He has read it to himself, so I am unable to pass any opinion on it at all! He has read some of it every night for the past week or so and is currently about 2/3 of the way through. He was very enthusiastic to start with and it threw up no end of questions, the answers for which I had to get him to look up online
Around the middle of the book, he found it a little slow-going, but has now regained his enthusiasm and I have just had to prise it off him and get the light out!
Thank you for providing my son with something to get his teeth into, and which has reignited his inner bookworm

I used to get asked all the time by children who were just leaving Horrid Henry, 'Are you writing a book for older kids?' I've really enjoyed remaining in contact with my readers and extending my readership. I enjoy the image of you wrestling the book out of your child's hand! Very flattered.

[Calypso]

Hello Francesca, big fans of your books here and my kids were brought up on Horrid Henry. I've heard some parents say they won't read the books to their children because they encourage bad behaviour and make good behaviour look uncool. What do you say tot hat?

[FrancescaSimon]

@LineRunner

Francesca

My son is 14 now, but he has pretty much every one of your books on his shelves from years gone by, and I'd like to say a big thank you for writing books that are great for keeping boys interested in reading, as well as girls. That's quite a talent you have there!

Thank you very much! My books have always appealed equally to girls and to boys. It may have helped me that I've always been a huge reader and my own son was much more of a typical boy, ie he loved non-fiction and hated anything too descriptive, so you may have noticed that there's not much description in Horrid Henry.

[LadySybildeChocolate]

Hi Francesca,

How did you manage to get your first book published? I'm writing picture books and am finding it very difficult. I do get agents and publishers interested but it never lasts.

[DogEared]

Thank you for answering my question. It's very interesting isn't it, this labelling of children as "the good one" or the bad one, or even "the creative one", "the brainy one" "the scientific one". I've never given it much thought before, but of course, it happens all the time. Thanks for giving me brain food!
Horrid Henry is great, by the way... I have a lot of admiration for you. And your hair. :o

[FrancescaSimon]

@Calypso

Hello Francesca, big fans of your books here and my kids were brought up on Horrid Henry. I've heard some parents say they won't read the books to their children because they encourage bad behaviour and make good behaviour look uncool. What do you say tot hat?

Horrid Henry gives the illusion of great wickedness, but in fact he does nothing that every child in the world hasn't done. I would love to meet the siblings who have never called each other names, hit each other, tried to get one another into trouble, fought over the TV remote, etc. What Henry does though is provide a cathartic outlet for this kind of behaviour, and like all literature you get the fun of behaving badly without any of the consequences. So it is a chance to release your inner imp without being punished.

Peter is so extreme that I don't think you could really say his behaviour is good. And one of the things that very much surprised me when I started writing the books, was how much parents disliked Peter. He is absolutely not the child they wished they had. Peter's main motivation is to show up his brother.

[LineRunner]

Thank you for replying to me.

[FrancescaSimon]

@Calypso

Hello Francesca, big fans of your books here and my kids were brought up on Horrid Henry. I've heard some parents say they won't read the books to their children because they encourage bad behaviour and make good behaviour look uncool. What do you say to that?

(cont'd) I actually think it's great when parents read Horrid Henry to their children and they can laugh as a family about the rivalries and I also think it's a way of a parent saying to their child, I know sometimes you hate your brother and you hate me, but I can cope with this. And there's something very forgiving in that acceptance.