Horrid Henry and the Mega-Mean Time Machine: Book 13

Simon

ISBN 10: 0752872281 ISBN 13: 9780752872285

Publisher: Orion (an Imprint of The Orion Publishing Group Ltd ), 2008

Synopsis

Contains four hilarious new Horrid Henry stories, with lots of really horrid music and sound effects. Horrid Henry's Hike Horrid Henry and the Mega Mean Time Machine Perfect Peter's Revenge Horrid Henry Dines at Restaurant Le Posh Read by Miranda Richardson

About this title

About the Author:

Francesca Simon spent her childhood in California, and then went to Yale and Oxford Universities to study medieval history and literature. She now lives in London with her family. She has written over 50 books and won THE CHILDREN'S BOOK OF THE YEAR in 2008 at the GALAXY BRITISH BOOK AWARDS for HORRID HENRY AND THE ABOMINABLE SNOWMAN. Visit Francesca's website at www.francescasimon.com and keep up-to-date with Horrid Henry at www.horridhenry.co.uk. Tony Ross is one of Britain's best known illustrators, with many picture books to his name, including the bestselling Little Princess stories (Andersen). He has also produced the line drawings for many fiction titles, for authors such as David Walliams, Jeanne Willis, Enid Blyton, Astrid Lindgren, and many more. He lives in Wales.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.:

Horrid Henry flicked the switch. The time machine whirred. Dials spun. Buttons pulsed. Latches locked. Horrid Henry Time Traveler was ready for blastoff!

Now, where to go, where to go?
Dinosaurs, thought Henry. Yes! Henry loved dinosaurs. He would love to stalk a few Tyrannosaurus Rexes as they rampaged through the primordial jungle.

But what about King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table? "Arise, Sir Henry," King Arthur would say, kicking Lancelot out of his chair. "Sure thing, King," Sir Henry would reply, twirling his sword. "Out of my way, worms!"

Or what about the siege of Troy?

Heroic Henry, that's who he'd be, the fearless fighter dashing about doing daring deeds.

Tempting, thought Henry. Very tempting.

Wait a sec, what about visiting the future, where school was banned and parents had to do whatever their children told them? Where everyone had their own spaceship and ate candy for dinner.

And where King Henry the Horrible ruled supreme, chopping off the head of anyone who dared to say no to him.

To the future, thought Henry, setting the dial.
Bang! Pow!

Henry braced himself for the jolt into hyperspace—10, 9, 8, 7, 6—
"Henry, it's my turn."
Horrid Henry ignored the alien's whine.—5, 4, 3—
"Henry! If you don't share I'm going to tell Mom."

AAAARRRRGGGHHHHHH. The Time Machine shuddered to a halt. Henry climbed out.

"Go away, Peter," said Henry. "You're ruining everything."
"But it's my turn."
"GO AWAY!"
"Mom said we could both play with the box," said Peter. "We could cut out windows, make a little house, paint flowers—"
"NO!" screeched Henry.
"But..." said Peter. He stood in the living room, holding his scissors and crayons.
"Don't you touch my box!" hissed Henry.
"I will if I want to," said Peter. "And it's not yours." Henry had no right to boss him around, thought Peter. He'd been waiting such a long time for his turn. Well,
he wasn't waiting any longer. He'd start cutting out a window this minute. Peter got out his scissors.

"Stop! It's a time machine, you toad!" shrieked Henry.
Peter paused.
Peter gasped.
Peter stared at the huge cardboard box.
A time machine? A time machine? How could it be a time machine?
"It is not," said Peter.
"Is too," said Henry.
"But it's made of cardboard," said Peter.
"And the washing machine came in it." Henry sighed.

"Don't you know anything? If it looked like a time machine everyone would try to steal it. It's a time machine in disguise."

Peter looked at the time machine. On the one hand he didn't believe Henry for one minute. This was just one of Henry's tricks. Peter was a hundred million billion percent certain Henry was lying.

On the other hand, what if Henry was telling the truth for once and there was a real time machine in his living room?

"If it is a time machine, I want to have a turn," said Peter.
"You can't. You're too young," said Henry.
"Am not."
"Are too."
Perfect Peter stuck out his bottom lip.
"I don't believe you anyway." Horrid Henry was outraged.
"Okay, I'll prove it. I'll go to the future right now. Stand back. Don't move."
Horrid Henry leaped into the box and closed the lid. The Time Machine began to shudder and shake.

Then everything was still for a very long time.

Perfect Peter didn't know what to do.

What if Henry was gone—forever? What if he were stuck in the future?

I could have his room, thought Peter.

About this edition

• Publisher: Orion (an Imprint of The Orion Publishing Group Ltd )
• Publication date: 2008
• ISBN 10: 0752872281
• ISBN 13: 9780752872285
• Binding: Audio CD
• Number of pages: 96