Horrid Henry’s Homework

Horrid Henry’s Homework Ahhhh, thought Horrid Henry. He turned on the TV and stretched out. School was over. What could be better than lying on the sofa all afternoon, eating chips and watching TV? Wasn't life great? Then Mom came in. She did not look like a mom who thought life was grand. She looked like a mom on the warpath against boys who lay on sofas all afternoon, eating chips and watching TV. “ Get your feet off the sofa, Henry! " said Mom. “ Unh, ” grunted Henry. “ Stop getting chips everywhere! ” snapped Mom.

“ Unh, ” grunted Henry. “ Have you done your homework, Henry?" said Mom. Henry didn't answer. “ HENRY! ” shouted Mom. “ WHAT! ” shouted Henry. “ Have you done your homework?” “ What homework?” said Henry. He kept his eyes glued to the TV. “ Go, Mutants! " he screeched. “ The five spelling words you are supposed to learn tonight, ” said Mom. “ Oh, ” said Henry. “ That homework. ” Horrid Henry hated homework. He had far better things to do with his precious time than learn how to spell “ zipper” or work out the answer to 6 x 7. For weeks Henry's homework sheets had ended up in the recycling box until Dad found them. Henry swore he had no idea how they got there and blamed Fluffy the cat, but since then Mom and Dad had checked his school bag every day.

Mom snatched the remote and switched off the TV. “ Hey, I'm watching! " said Henry. “ When are you going to do your homework, Henry?" said Mom. “ SOON! ” screamed Henry. He'd just returned from a long, hard day at school. Couldn't he have any peace around here? When he was king anyone who said the word “ homework” would get thrown to the crocodiles.

“ I had a phone call today from Miss Battle-Axe, " said Mom. “ She said you got a zero in the last ten spelling tests. ” “ That's not my fault, ” said Henry. “ First I lost the words, then I forgot, then I couldn't read my writing, then I copied the words wrong, then--" “ I don't want to hcar any more silly excuses, " said Mom. “ Do you know your spelling words for tomorrow?” “ Yes, " lied Henry. “ Where's the list?" Mom asked. “ I don't know, ” said Henry. “ Find it or no TV for a month, " said Mom. “ It's not fair, ” muttered Henry, digging the crumpled spelling list out of his pocket. Mom looked at it. “ There's going to be a test tomorrow, ” she said. “ How do you spell ‘goat'?"

“ Don't you know how, Mom?” asked Henry. “ Henry. . . " said Mom. Henry scowled. “ I'm busy, ” moaned Henry. “ I promise I'll tell you right after Mutant Madman. It's my favorite show. ” “ How do you spell ‘goat'?” said Mom. “ G-O-T-E, ” snapped Henry. “ Wrong, ” said Mom. “ What about ‘boat’?” “ Why do I have to do this?" wailed Henry. “ Because it's your homework, " said Mom. “ You have to learn how to spell. " “ But why?” said Henry. “ I never write letters. ” “ Because, " said Mom. “ Now spell “ boat. ” “ B-O-T-T-E, ” said Henry. “ No more TV until you do your homework, ” said Mom.