As Horrid Henry author blasts lack of danger in kids’ books — we look at how health and safety would destroy children’s classics
Francesca Simon, author of the Horrid Henry books, blamed publishers for censoring content so youngsters are not put in harms ways
ONCE upon a time, health and safety killjoys threatened to wipe out any hint of danger from children’s books – leaving the plots too dull for words.
Sadly this is not a fairytale but what is happening, according to Francesca Simon, author of the popular Horrid Henry kids’ books.
She reckons publishers are so worried that stories will encourage youngsters to put themselves in harm’s way that they are censoring content.
Francesca told Radio 4’s Today programme it means Henry would not be able to jump off a roof or play with pots and pans.
Asked if it was the publishers who insist on this, she replied: “Absolutely. No child standing on a chair by a stove.
“You will never see that in a picture book.”
Kate Wilson, boss and founder of children’s publisher Nosy Crow, added: “Children’s publishers are drearily self-restrained.”
So thank goodness these kids’ classics came along before the safety police – because KATE JACKSON found plenty of “hazards” in them . . .
Horrid Henry
ONE in the hit series of books about a naughty schoolboy called Henry who plots all manner of tricks and pranks, often against his little brother, Perfect Peter.
In this book, he stays at Rich Aunt Ruby’s house which his cousin, Stuck-up Steve, tells him is haunted.
- No parental check of his luggage – Henry arrives armed with a set of potentially dangerous “toys”, including a Goo-Shooter, a mousetrap and catapult.
- Backs up against a well and pretends to fall down – a prank which could have gone fatally wrong.
- Recklessly fires his Goo-Shooter straight into Stuck-up Steve’s eyes – neither boy wears eye protection.
- Enters a dark, secret tunnel without a torch or safety equipment.
The Tiger Who Came To Tea
A HUNGRY tiger knocks on the door as young Sophie and her mum are having afternoon tea. He joins them but consumes everything edible in the house, even drinking all the water from the taps.
He leaves before Sophie’s dad comes home.
- Irresponsible mum allows a dangerous wild animal into home.
- No attempt is made to keep child at a safe distance from the tiger, an endangered species.
- No animal trainer or tranquiliser gun present in case insatiable tiger sees Sophie as his next snack.
We're Going On A Bear Hunt
A RECKLESS teenager takes his three young siblings across fields, through a deep river, across thick mud, battling a snowstorm, and into a cave looking for a bear.
- Lack of vital preparation – no phone, no map, no compass and failure to check weather forecast.
- Young children improperly supervised and wearing inappropriate clothing and footwear.
- No safety equipment such as lifejackets, tow rope, waterproofs, torches or helmets.
- Foolishly enter lair of a dangerous wild animal.
Lost And Found
A PENGUIN turns up at a boy’s house. The lad builds a boat to take the bird home to the South Pole before realising it wasn’t lost, just lonely.
- Young child allowed to wander off alone, vulnerable to predators.
- Not supervised while using hammer to build boat.
- Unclear whether packing “everything they would need” included a compass and emergency flare.
- No lifejacket worn on treacherous sea journey with “waves as big as mountains”.
Cat In The Hat Comes Back
MISCHIEVOUS hat-wearing cat sneaks into a house, where two siblings have been left alone and told to clear the snow outside.
The cat has a bath, leaving a pink ring in the tub which he then transfers to various items in a failed bid to clean up. Lets his alphabet of tiny cats loose.
- Children left home alone for the day.
- Use of snow shovels without supervision.
- Defenceless after an intruder enters their home.
- Parents clearly have a history of neglect, as shown by previous incident in The Cat In The Hat.
Pond Dipping (Biff, Chip and Kipper)
ONE in the popular series of Biff, Chip and Kipper books, aimed at three to seven-year-olds.
- Young kids left to play at what seems a local cruising site.
- Alarming presence of strange men in the bushes.
- OAP horrified by what she sees there.
Little Red Riding Hood
LITTLE girl is sent through woods to take food to her gran. She wanders off the path and chats to a wolf, which gets to the house first.
It eats granny then dresses up as her to lure the girl in and eat her too. An axeman turns up, slits the wolf’s stomach and pulls out the girl and her granny.
- Small child encouraged to wander alone in a wood, despite her mum telling her it’s “dangerous”.
- Ignores advice on straying off path, dawdling and stranger danger by chatting to the wolf.
The Enormous Crocodile
A CUNNING croc with a craving for children, leaves his swamp in Africa in search of food.
In various disguises he hunts kids at a forest, a playground by a school, a funfair and a picnic site, but is intercepted by other jungle animals.
- No warnings to signal potential crocodile territory.
- Playground and fairground not properly fenced off to stop stalker croc entering.
- Kids left to fend for themselves – no sign of any responsible adults.
Where The Wild Things Are
NAUGHTY Max is sent to bed without any dinner. As he falls asleep his room becomes a forest surrounded by an ocean.
He sails to an island and goes on a “wild rumpus” with ferocious-looking creatures that try to scare him.
- Max puts to sea with no lifejacket, no safety equipment and no compass.
- He is alone in the presence of dangerous creatures that have sharp teeth and claws.
- Safety concerns as he swings from trees and goes on the rampage.
Topsy and Tim Have A Barbecue
THIS is one of a series of children’s books about the twins and their adventures – first published in 1960 and now a popular TV show on CBeebies.
- Serious risk of burning as the twins are left to play with a lit barbecue.
- Total lack of adult supervision .
- In another adventure on an aeroplane, the twins’ lives are in jeopardy as they are allowed to roam on to a runway – there are no safety barriers or security personel.
Ladybird books
THE original Peter and Jane Ladybird books came out in the 1960s and contained plenty of potential safety concerns that were addressed in later editions.
- Peter was seen in a dinghy without a lifejacket.
- No seatbelts in cars.
- Lack of safety markings on railway platform, letting the kids run up to train driver.
- Unsupervised contact with strangers.
- Lack of road safety awareness, as demonstrated when they run into the road after the ice cream van.
MOST READ IN FABULOUS
Goldilocks And The Three Bears
YOUNG girl lost in a forest finds the three bears’ home. She enters, eats their porridge, sits in their chairs and sleeps in their beds. They return, she screams and runs away.
- Neglected girl left to wander off in a forest and lose her way.
- Shows reckless abandon by entering a stranger’s house.
- Risks scalding by eating hot porridge.
- Risks injury when chair breaks under her weight.
- Puts herself in a vulnerable position by climbing into the beds of three strangers.