Horrid Henry's Guide to Perfect Parents
Horrid Henry Series
What’s inside...
A brand new Horrid Henry book for World Book Day 2013. Read Henry's top tips and sneakiest secrets and discover once and for all how to get more pocket money, more TV, more sweets and a later bedtime. But watch out! Any parents who read this book will immediately arm themselves against their child's weasel words and all Henry's good advice will be for nothing.
Series reading
Non-Sequential
Age
7-11
Length
57 pages
Text complexity
Discussion points
If you could create your own guide for perfect parents, what rules would you include?
How do you think Henry’s ideas about perfect parents differ from his parents' ideas about being good parents?
What do you think makes a parent perfect? Are there qualities that are most important?
How do you think the story would change if Henry's parents followed all his rules?
Can you think of a time when you wished you could change a rule at home? What rule was it and why?
Tip: Role play these questions
Use open-ended questions to foster deeper thinking and encourage your child to express their thoughts and feelings about the book's themes.
Validate your child’s feelings and thoughts as they discuss their ideas about perfect parents, highlighting that there’s no right or wrong answer.
Relate the discussion to personal experiences, asking your child about times they've found family rules challenging and what ideal rules they might imagine.
Encourage your child to think critically about the differences between Henry's perspective and that of his parents, discussing the importance of understanding different viewpoints.
Wrap up the conversation by asking your child how they can apply the book’s lessons in their daily life, promoting practical application of the story's moral.
Key lessons
Example Lesson: Understanding different perspectives
Explanation: The book humorously presents Horrid Henry's imaginative tactics to mold his parents into his idea of perfect parents. It provides insight into the different desires and expectations between children and adults.
Real-World Application: Children can learn to appreciate and respect different viewpoints, enhancing their empathy and communication skills in real-life family interactions.
Example Lesson: Consequences of actions
Explanation: Throughout his misadventures, Henry faces various consequences for his schemes, emphasizing the idea that actions have outcomes.
Real-World Application: This encourages children to think about the potential results of their actions, fostering better decision-making skills.
Example Lesson: Problem-solving
Explanation: Henry consistently comes up with creative (albeit misguided) plans to change his parent's behavior. This highlights the importance of thinking creatively to solve problems.
Real-World Application: Kids can adopt creative thinking strategies to approach and solve problems in school and in interpersonal relationships.
Example Lesson: Importance of honesty
Explanation: As Henry's plots often involve deceit, the story portrays how honesty tends to yield better outcomes and less trouble.
Real-World Application: This teaches children the value of being truthful with family and friends, promoting integrity.
Example Lesson: Acceptance and contentment
Explanation: By the end of the book, Henry learns to appreciate his parents as they are, recognizing that the idea of 'perfect' can be unrealistic.
Real-World Application: Children can learn to accept and find happiness in their real-life situations, reducing frustrations and improving familial relationships.