British childrens' book too naughty for America



We read:

"Horrid Henry splits parents between those who love the books, and those who hate them. Some think that Henry is a bad influence, and that he causes children to behave like him. Others hate the fact that the stories don't have a moral: Henry doesn't always get his comeuppance or realise the consequences of his behaviour. One recent thread on mumsnet included the comment, "We do NOT do Horrid Henry, nor will we," while another parent bemoaned how her son's behaviour "plummets" when he reads them.

These parents are not alone - the books have not yet been published in the US for similar reasons (publishers, say author Francesca Simon, thought they were "too horrid!"). However, one brave publisher has now taken them on for publication next April.

But despite all this, the main point (and it's a huge one) in Henry's favour is that children love Henry, and his cohorts, Moody Margaret, Rude Ralph and Beefy Bert. "He's a funny, naughty child, and he's got a kind of perfect brother, and it's like Henry is his brother's devil," says my daughter, in an attempt to explain the appeal. My feeling is that pretty much anything which encourages reading has to be a good thing, especially when it comes to boys, who are often difficult to persuade. But I also feel that many children definitely get a thrill from reading about a child who behaves badly. He does what many of them wouldn't, but that isn't a bad thing. Fantasy - books, films and theatre - can be enjoyed without having to copy the protagonists!

Simon is thrilled that her books have struck such a chord with the 6-10 age-group, but disappointed that some are unhappy with her hero. "I have received letters that are tear-stained with gratitude because parents are so thrilled that their children are reading. That makes me flushed with pleasure," she says. But she is a little defensive when the question of Henry's "badness" is brought up.

"He does nothing that every child hasn't done," she claims, adding that when people say their child's behaviour has been affected by the stories, she takes it with a pinch of salt. "Kids have always fought - it goes back to Cain and Abel. Yes, Henry calls his brother names and fights, but he also reflects something very truthful about children's lives. That's the humour of family life, which is full of disasters."...

"As a writer, I was very thrilled to be published," says Simon. "I didn't see beyond that, and I still an very surprised that they have been so successful." But she adds that she understands why they work, not only because there isn't much for the 6-10 age group, but because, she says, Horrid Henry and his younger brother, Perfect Peter, are "the two sides of everybody."

Source.

Henry's website is here