Synopsis
Horrible Harry is hiding something, and readers will be scrambling to find it out!
Children's Literature
Horrible Harry has a secret that really isn't so terrible. Harry has a crush on his second grade classmate, Song Lee, which horrifies only his best friend, Doug, who feels a little left out when Harry starts writing Song Lee multiple choice love notes ("Do you like me, a) a little, b) some, c) a lot, d) none of the above"). Not to worry, Doug. Song Lee loves her frog, Dong, more than she loves Harry, at least initially. Anyway, there are other friends in the sea, like Ida, Song Lee's best friend who just might be very fond of Doug. This early chapter book has perfect pitch when it comes to the silliness of a second grade classroom. It's all here: the teasing, the name calling, the make-up/break-up fights among best friends. The book also touches on serious issues that make contemporary children sad: a grandparent dying, parents divorcing, and even the trauma of losing "perfect" front teeth. Clearly Kline, an award-winning teacher, listened well to her own classes and conveys with a true ear and eye the interactions of a class full of seven year olds. A perfect book to slip into a backpack and read on a snowy recess day. 1992 (orig.