The first story in Horrid Henry's Food Fight was ABSOLUTELY BANANAS! You know, I can impersonate the voices of Henry, Peter, Mum, Dad and even Ralph perfectly in this story, because I have heard enough of their voices to know how well the stories go - especially Henry's loud, screaming voice, provided by Clifford's Puppy Days voice actress Lizzie Waterworth, who even voiced the little red main character himself for the UK dub.
However, I made Mum's voice sound a little calmer like in the pitch pilot, because of how aggressive she sounded towards Henry in some episodes of the TV series, especially that flinch-worthy wedding episode, where she sounds like she's about to slap her horrid son around the face. I think those Youtube theories about Henry's mum are true - she's the horrid one, not Henry.
Anyway, the story starts on an aggressively furious note, as Henry and his best friend Rude Ralph charge down to dinner to find cauliflower cheese with a tiny amount of Krazy Ketchup, which revolts Ralph so much he doesn't want to eat at Henry's again. Mmmmmm...maybe if Henry's horrid parents understood him more, they could make him fish fingers and chips and add globules of Krazy Ketchup, but noooo, it's just the way Mrs Simon wrote it! *sticks tongue out*
However, Henry is given a chance by his parents to squirt his own ketchup, and immediately the story skips ahead in time to the next evening, where Henry is shocked to find some Vegchup Tomato Ketchup on the table, leading to a well drawn, very creative illustration of Henry recoiling and jumping back in terror at the sight of a poisonous Hydra bursting out of a can of Vegchup. Well done, Mr Tony Ross, you truly mastered creativity in a way no other illustrator can. In fact, I've officially made it my favourite picture in the book. Thank me later.
Anyway, when Henry realises how revolting it tastes, he and the rest of his family fight over the ketchup, causing a terribly smelly and gloppy mess all over. Even Mum and Dad find it revolting, and the story finishes on a positive note as Henry gets away with everything again and has Krazy Ketchup with his dinner at last.
Oh, and dare I mention? Tony Ross drew some ketchup splats all over the page to make it look like this actually happened in the background while Mrs Simon was writing the story. Personally, I like to think that Henry had 'helped' Mrs Simon decorate the page when he wanted to help write it too, as Mrs Simon trusted him more than his mean, horrible parents.
Overall, what a delightfully chaotic start to a fantastically horrid story anthology. Can't wait to read more!
To be continued...
Horrid Henry Dines At Restaurant Le Posh!
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