Horrid Henry facts for kids

Horrid Henry is a children's book series by Francesca Simon and illustrated by Tony Ross. It has been adapted for television, film and the theatre.

Books

The first Horrid Henry book was written and published in 1994 by Orion Books. As of 2019, there are 25 titles published. The series has sold more than 21 million copies worldwide.

The books are a slice-of-life series featuring the titular Henry, a self-centered, naughty 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. Almost every character is known by an alliterative nickname (Rude Ralph, Moody Margaret, Brainy Brian etc.) with a few exemptions: (Mum and Dad)

The Horrid Henry stories are read on audiobook by the actress Miranda Richardson and published by Orion Audio.

Horrid Henry is published in 25 languages around the world. 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.

1. Horrid Henry (1994)
2. Horrid Henry and the Secret Club (1995)
3. Horrid Henry Tricks the Tooth Fairy - Previously published as Horrid Henry and the Tooth Fairy (1996)
4. Horrid Henry’s Nits (1997)
5. Horrid Henry Gets Rich Quick - Previously published as Horrid Henry Strikes It Rich (1998)
6. Horrid Henry: The Haunted House - Previously published as Horrid Henry and The Haunted House (1999)
7. Horrid Henry: The Mummy's Curse - Previously published as Horrid Henry and The Mummy's Curse (2000)
8. Horrid Henry: Perfect Revenge - Previously published as Horrid Henry's Revenge (2001)
9. Horrid Henry: Bogey Babysitter - Previously published as Horrid Henry and the Bogey Babysitter (2002)
10. Horrid Henry: Stinkbombs - Previously published as Horrid Henry's Stinkbomb (2002)
11. Horrid Henry: Underpants Panic - Previously published as Horrid Henry's Underpants (2003)
12. Horrid Henry: The Queen's Visit - Previously published as Horrid Henry Meets The Queen (2004)
13. Horrid Henry: Mega-Mean Time Machine - Previously published as Horrid Henry and the Mega-Mean Time Machine (2005)
14. Horrid Henry's Bedtime (2005) - World Book Day Special. Also contains Horrid Henry's Diary, the series' prequel story for younger readers, Don't Be Horrid Henry!, and Just Wondering, a Question and Answer section focusing on the creative process behind the writing of the stories. Only book with more than one story to be currently out of print.
15. Horrid Henry: Football Fiend - Previously published as Horrid Henry and the Football Fiend (2006)
16. Horrid Henry: Christmas Cracker - Previously published as Horrid Henry's Christmas Cracker (2006)
17. Horrid Henry: Abominable Snowman Previously published as Horrid Henry and the Abominable Snowman (2007)
18. Horrid Henry: Bank Robber - Previously published as Horrid Henry Robs The Bank (2008)
19. Horrid Henry: Waking the Dead - Previously published as Horrid Henry Wakes The Dead (2009)
20. Horrid Henry: Rock Star - Previously published as Horrid Henry Rocks! (2010)
21. Horrid Henry: Zombie Vampire - Previously published as Horrid Henry and the Zombie Vampire (2011)
22. Horrid Henry: Monster Movie - Previously published as Horrid Henry's Monster Movie (2012)
23. Horrid Henry: Nightmare - Previously published as Horrid Henry's Nightmare (2013)
24. Horrid Henry: Krazy Ketchup - Previously published as Horrid Henry's Krazy Ketchup (2014)
25. Horrid Henry: Cannibal Curse - Previously published as Horrid Henry's Cannibal Curse (2015) - Series Finale
26. Horrid Henry: Up, Up and Away! (2019) - 25th Anniversary Special.

Early Readers

1. Don't Be Horrid, Henry! (illustrated by Kevin McAleenan in 2000, then Tony Ross in 2006)
2. Birthday (previously released from Horrid Henry: Secret Club)
3. Holiday (previously released from Horrid Henry)
4. Horrid Henry's Underpants (previously released from Horrid Henry: Underpants Panic)
5. Horrid Henry Gets Rich Quick (previously released from Horrid Henry: Getting Rich Quick)
6. Horrid Henry and the Football Fiend (previously released from Horrid Henry: Football Fiend)
7. Horrid Henry's Nits (previously released from Horrid Henry: Nits, Nits, Nits)
8. Horrid Henry and Moody Margaret (previously released from Horrid Henry)
9. Horrid Henry's Thank You Letter (previously released from Horrid Henry: Underpants Panic)
10. Horrid Henry Reads a Book (previously released from Horrid Henry: Stinkbombs)
11. Horrid Henry's Car Journey (previously released from Horrid Henry: Bogey Babysitter)
12. Moody Margaret's School (previously released from Horrid Henry: Bank Robber)
13. Horrid Henry Tricks and Treats (previously released from Horrid Henry: Bogey Babysitter)
14. Horrid Henry's Christmas Play (previously released from Horrid Henry: Christmas Cracker)
15. Horrid Henry's Rainy Day (previously released from Horrid Henry: Abominable Snowman)
16. Horrid Henry Meets the Queen (previously released from Horrid Henry: The Queen's Visit)
17. Horrid Henry's Sports Day (previously released from Horrid Henry: Getting Rich Quick)
18. Horrid Henry's Christmas Presents (previously released from Horrid Henry: Christmas Cracker)
19. Moody Margaret's Makeover (previously released from Horrid Henry: Abominable Snowman
20. Horrid Henry and the Demon Dinner Lady (previously released from Horrid Henry: Perfect Revenge)
21. Horrid Henry Tricks the Tooth Fairy (previously released from Horrid Henry: Tricking the Tooth Fairy)
22. Horrid Henry's Homework (previously released from Horrid Henry: The Mummy's Curse)
23. Horrid Henry and the Bogey Babysitter (previously released from Horrid Henry: Bogey Babysitter)
24. Horrid Henry's Sleepover (previously released from Angel Harrison: Stinkbombs)
25. Horrid Henry's Wedding (previously released from Horrid Henry: Tricking the Tooth Fairy)
26. Horrid Henry's Haunted House (previously released from Horrid Henry: The Haunted House)
27. Horrid Henry's Christmas Lunch (previously released from Horrid Henry: Christmas Cracker)
28. Horrid Henry's Mother's Day (previously released from Horrid Henry: Nightmare)
29. Horrid Henry and the Comfy Black Chair (previously released from Horrid Henry: The Haunted House)
30. Horrid Henry and the Mummy's Curse (previously released from Horrid Henry: The Mummy's Curse)
31. Horrid Henry and the Abominable Snowman (previously released from Horrid Henry: Abominable Snowman)
32. Horrid Henry and the Mega-Mean Time Machine (previously released from Horrid Henry: Mega-Mean Time Machine)
33. Horrid Henry and the Fangmangler (previously released from Horrid Henry: Nits, Nits, Nits)
34. Horrid Henry's Christmas Ambush (previously released from Horrid Henry: Christmas Cracker)
35. Horrid Henry's Swimming Lesson (previously released from Horrid Henry: The Mummy's Curse)
36. Horrid Henry's Christmas (previously released from Horrid Henry: Getting Rich Quick)
37. Horrid Henry's School Fair (previously released from Horrid Henry: The Haunted House)
38. Horrid Henry's Stinkbomb (previously released from Horrid Henry: Stinkbombs)
39. Horrid Henry and the Zombie Vampire (previously released from Horrid Henry: Zombie Vampire)
40. Horrid Henry's Hike (previously released from Horrid Henry: Mega-Mean Time Machine)
41. Horrid Henry's Injection (previously released from Horrid Henry: Secret Club)

Broadcast adaptations

Television adaptation

In May 2006, CITV announced that an animated television series of 52 episodes based on the Horrid Henry books, had been commissioned from Novel Entertainment. The show officially launched in October 2006, for Halloween. The series subsequently launched on television in: Germany, France, Ireland, Iceland, Portugal, Scandinavia, Singapore, Poland, South Africa, Turkey and Korea.

Horrid Henry quickly became CITV's most successful series ever, appearing on said channel every weekday, and on ITV at the weekends. A second series of a further 52 all-new episodes of Horrid Henry was launched in February 2009, and a third series began on 22 July 2011, with broadcast starting from 3 September that year. A fourth series began on 11 October 2014, airing every weekend at 8:15/8:20/8:25am on CITV and being re-screened on weekend (during the day) or on weekdays.

In May 2018, Novel Entertainment announced that Nickelodeon UK had acquired all four seasons of Horrid Henry, and that they would air on Nicktoons later on during the month. They also announced that a new fifth season that would also air on Nicktoons. The fifth season premiered 7 October 2018. All five seasons of Horrid Henry are also aired on Netflix.

Radio adaptation

During August and December 2009, Horrid Henry took to the airwaves with his own radio show on Fun Kids Radio, hosting a weekly show of comedy and music.

Theatre adaptation

Horrid Henry - Live and Horrid! opened at Sheffield's Lyceum Theatre on 28 August 2008, and ran until September 13 that year. The theatre adaptation toured the UK, which included High Wycombe, Bromley, Newcastle, Hull, Liverpool and Bradford.

Film adaptation

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. It is unknown if a sequel will be made. The film was released on 29 July 2011 in the United Kingdom and 11 January 2013 in Australia.

Video game adaptations

A video game titled Horrid Henry: Missions of Mischief was released for the Nintendo DS, Wii, and PC on 30 October 2009. Another video game titled Horrid Henry's slave was released for the Nintendo DS on 5 November 2010. It was negatively reviewed by Nintendo Gamer, who gave it a score of 40%. Horrid Henry: The Good, The Bad, and the Bugly was released for the Nintendo 3DS on 25 November 2011. In 2015, Horrid Henry’s Big Box Of Pranks released as an app which is available for iOS devices.