Customer Reviews

Horrible Harry and the Holidaze

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Kids love this book and it is very useful in my ESOL class for teaching the winder holidays. Kids love to learn about them in my class then read about them in Horrible Harry. The Korean New Year hasn't been one that I have been teaching so I'd love more information and missed Diwali, which was not included. Good addition to the Horrible Harry series.

ISBN 0439671515 - I'm reading through as many Christmas books as I can right now and thought this one, with a multi-cultural look at winter holidays, would be a nice addition. It's good, but it could have been better.

As the holidays approach, Miss Mackle decides to teach the class about other winter celebrations. The class is excited, but Doug is worried about Harry, who seems distracted. The kids learn about Three Kings' Day, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah and the Korean New Year with the help of some of their parents and a visit to the local nursing home. The planned nursing home visit gives Doug a clue about Harry's odd behavior: Harry's grandfather recently moved there, after suffering a stroke. With the mystery of Harry's odd behavior solved, Doug focuses on Christmas just as Miss Mackle turns her attention to that holiday. A Secret Santa gift exchange proves that Harry's back to his usual, horrible self.

On the plus side, there's a list of resources in the back, so that you and your young reader can learn more about various winter holidays. The details that are here are basic and informative. This, however, really doesn't overcome the main problem here. The book is fairly unfocused. The holidays are interesting to learn about, but the better storyline - Harry's concern about his grandfather - is really glossed over. In just a handful of scattered references, Harry's distraction and worry are pointed out, not discussed or addressed beyond one possible talk with his teacher, and then are magically resolved. Author Suzy Kline could have done a much better job, in my opinion. Illustrations by Frank Remkiewicz are all right but some of the most potentially interesting visuals, like what a kufi really looks like, weren't chosen to be illustrated.

- AnnaLovesBooks

Great book and series of books for the younger reader in the family. Also a great way to get that younger person interested in reading.