Read an Excerpt
Excerpt from Story 1: Horrid Henry"s Perfect Day
Henry was horrid.
Everyone said so, even his mother.
Henry threw food, Henry grabbed, Henry pushed and shoved and pinched. Even his teddy bear, Mr. Kill, avoided him when possible.
His parents despaired.
"What are we going to do about that horrid boy?" sighed Mom.
"How did two people as nice as us have such a horrid child?" sighed Dad.
When Horrid Henry"s parents took Henry to school they walked behind him and pretended he was not theirs.
Children pointed at Henry and whispered to their parents, "That"s Horrid Henry."
"He"s the boy who threw my jacket in the mud."
"He"s the boy who squashed Billy"s beetle."
"He"s the boy who…" Fill in whatever terrible deed you like. Horrid Henry was sure to have done it.
Horrid Henry had a younger brother. His name was Perfect Peter.
Perfect Peter always said "Please" and "Thank you."
Perfect Peter loved vegetables.
Perfect Peter always used a hankie and never, ever picked his nose.
"Why can"t you be perfect like Peter?" said Henry"s mom every day.
As usual, Henry pretended not to hear. He continued melting Peter"s crayons on the radiator.
But Horrid Henry started to think.
"What if I were perfect?" thought Henry. "I wonder what would happen."
When Henry woke the next morning, he did not wake Peter by pouring water on Peter"s head.
Peter did not scream.
This meant Henry"s parents overslept and Henry and Peter were late for Cub Scouts.
Henry was very happy.
Peter was very sad to be late for Cub Scouts.
But because he was perfect, Peter did not whine or complain.
On the way to Cub Scouts Henry did not squabble with Peter over who sat in front. He did not pinch Peter and he did not shove Peter.
Back home, when Perfect Peter built a castle, Henry did not knock it down. Instead, Henry sat on the sofa and read a book. Mom and Dad ran into the room.
"It"s awfully quiet in here," said Mom. "Are you being horrid, Henry?"
"No," said Henry.
"Peter, is Henry knocking your castle down?"
Peter longed to say "yes." But that would be a lie.
"No," said Peter.
