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Harry The Poisonous Centipede Paperback – April 26, 2012
Purchase options and add-ons
- Print length176 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherHarperCollins Children's Books
- Publication dateApril 26, 2012
- Dimensions7.76 x 0.44 x 5.12 inches
- ISBN-100007476779
- ISBN-13978-0007476770
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Product details
- Publisher : HarperCollins Children's Books (April 26, 2012)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 176 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0007476779
- ISBN-13 : 978-0007476770
- Item Weight : 2.31 pounds
- Dimensions : 7.76 x 0.44 x 5.12 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #1,475,415 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #33,453 in Humor (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author

Lynne Reid Banks is a best-selling author for children and adults. Her classic children's novel 'The Indian in the Cupboard' has sold nearly six million copies worldwide. She was born in London in 1929 and worked as an actress, writer and TV news reporter. Lynne has written thirty books: her first, 'The L-Shaped Room', was published in 1960. She now lives in Dorset, where she continues to write. Lynne says that writing for children comes much more easily than writing for adults. Tony Ross was born in London in 1938. He has worked as an art director at an advertising agency, a graphic designer, a cartoonist, a teacher, a film maker and as a Senior Lecturer in Art at Manchester Polytechnic.
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Top reviews from the United States
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In that case, Harry is made to order, and you'll enjoy him so much you will read this book two or three times at least.
Perfect for second, third or fourth grade readers who prefer chapter books with illustrations, this 153-page story of an insect mischief-maker will delight kids who like to read down-under (blankets, after lights-out).
--- Alyssa A. Lappen
I have five children ages 22 to 11, I've been prereading children's books for 20 years, and I pride myself on knowing about most of what is out there. So I was dumbfounded when last week I stumbled across a book series by Lynne Reid Banks that I had never heard of before: Harry the Poisonous Centipede and its two sequels. (BTW: Lynne Reid Banks is best known for her Indian in the Cupboard series.)
As I began reading Harry the Poisonous Centipede I continued to be baffled: "This book is a sheer and utter delight!" I thought to myself, "so why have I never seen it on a recommended book list or featured in a school library?" Add to that the fact that it has only 6 Amazon reviews and you KNOW it is not a book teacher's are recommending (since writing a Kid's Review on Amazon is a common school writing assignment these days.) Harry the Poisonous Centipede was first published in 1997, and the sequels came out in 2001 and 2006: that's recent enough for it to not have been forgotten accidentally, so what gives?
First, I disagree with the review written by Wendy D. Caldiero in the School Library Journal (a review featured on the Amazon product page). She faults the book for being didactic (instructive) but children NEED didactic books and they welcome them as long as the educational content does not detract from the story. She also knocks the book for "uncomforably imposing" human characteristics on centipedes, but that's what anthropomorphic animal stories do (can you say Charlotte's Web? Amos and Boris? Bambi?) and there's nothing wrong with the way Lynne Reid Banks approaches anthropomorphism in this book. Finally, Caldiero says this is a "disappointingly dull book," a "simplistic fantasy which is a stretch even for the most accepting readers." The book is not dull and overall the story is not a "stretch" to accept . . . until you get to the final chapters. Maybe Caldiero's distaste for the way the book ends (which is also my distaste) colored her opinion of the entire story.
I'm pretty sure the reason this book is not recommended by teachers is because it self-destructs in the final chapters and ending. Harry and his friend George not only crawl out of their underground world into the house and bed of a HOO-MIN (human), but they crawl all over the HOO-MIN's body and even INTO HIS MOUTH. YUCK. OOOK. DISGUSTING. Maybe this grossed me out just because I am an 'uncool adult,' but my 13 year old read this part over my shoulder (and looked at the illustrations - yes there are illustrations of centipedes crawling all over a human body which add to the creepiness) and he had the same reaction, "GROSS!" Then the ending is very predictable and anti-climactic.
Here's why the crawling-on-a-human part of the book destroys the story: up until then you are on the side of the centipedes and you empathize with them as characters. You see the world from their perspective and share their point of view. Once they begin crawling on a human, however, it is impossible to share their point of view. The story becomes personal and all you can think about is how much you would not want two centipedes crawling up your body (from toes to MOUTH, of all things). This is the unrealistic and uncomfortable part of the story which (in my opinion) simply RUINS an otherwise good third or fourth grade read.
Top reviews from other countries
Not only did it provide all the information they needed, but it also turned out to be an enjoyable read for them.
They were fascinated by Harry's adventures and loved learning about centipedes in such a fun and engaging way.
Coming to the book- It is a quick one time read. I bought it for my 9 years old, and found that it is more appropriate for younger kids. There is not much to comprehend. I would have loved to learn more about centipedes.
An interesting alternative.
(I enjoyed it as much as her!)
