Horrid Henry’s Christmas Cracker

Horrid Henry's Christmas Cracker by Francesca Simon is four festive stories for 6 year olds that follow Henry from the school nativity play all the way to Christmas lunch.

What happens

Henry is desperate to be Joseph. He'd be brilliant at it (all-singing, all-dancing). Instead the part goes to Perfect Peter, and Henry gets the innkeeper.

His whole script is one word. "No."

You can imagine how he takes that. He spends weeks dreaming up ways to make the part bigger, and on the night his mind goes completely blank. Whatever comes out of his mouth, it isn't "No".

Then it's nearly Christmas and he hasn't got a single present for anyone (he ate the chocolates he was meant to give away). So he wraps up some second-hand comics, a used bar of soap and a drawing of a bunny for Peter. It's the thought that counts, isn't it?

On Christmas Eve he booby-traps his bedroom to catch Santa Claus, because Santa clearly keeps getting his list wrong. And Christmas Day itself is a glorious disaster. The turkey won't cook, Grandpa's paper crown starts smoking and the dish of roast potatoes explodes.

Each story opens with a date, so it's a fun one to share in December. You could read a story a week through Advent.

Henry's logic is the best bit. Of course he deserves more presents. Of course the innkeeper is the most important character.

Worth knowing before you hand it over

Henry believes in Santa completely, and nothing here suggests otherwise, so it's safe for a believer. The text is the American one, which means Mom and candy, and his Christmas money comes in dollars.

What to read next

If they like their Henry out in the cold, Horrid Henry and the Abominable Snowman starts with a snowman contest that Henry is determined to win, whatever it takes.