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Tell me about Horrible Histories


Kidlit
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All my kids watch them from 5 up. There are some that might be a little off like the ones about stupid death but overall, they are ok and my kids like them. We can spend hours watching them.

Are you watching the cartoon, Scholastic version? We've been watching those on Netflix and I haven't been sure if the others would be ok for my 6yo.

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Horrible Histories is three things:

 

* a British series of books about offbeat (and gross and weird) history

 

* a CBBC live action TV show sketch comedy show that is very much in the spirit of the books

 

* an American cartoon that, from what little I saw, was less in the spirit of the books

 

From what little I saw, the American cartoon seems fine for all audiences, but someone please correct me if I'm wrong.  The British TV show is also basically fine for all ages, but it does include humor about death, dying, oppression and violence, so some parents may be put off.  The book series is the most detailed of the three.  I have seen many people say they're reading them with kids as young as 5 or 6 yo, but it's really intended for slightly older.  Appropriate or not depends on your take - there are gross out facts and some gory stuff, but told in a very lighthearted "this happened so long ago that it's hard to think it's anything but weird!" kind of way.  I would say the prime age would be 8-12 yo but that enjoyment would be more about the personality of the reader than anything else.

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Horrible Histories is three things:

 

* a British series of books about offbeat (and gross and weird) history

 

* a CBBC live action TV show sketch comedy show that is very much in the spirit of the books

 

* an American cartoon that, from what little I saw, was less in the spirit of the books

You know, thanks for this. I was losing my mind trying to find what to order. I thought it would be similar to buying the box set of Horrible Science, but no. Thanks again!

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You know, thanks for this. I was losing my mind trying to find what to order. I thought it would be similar to buying the box set of Horrible Science, but no. Thanks again!

 

It can be.  There is a box set of the books.  There are just two different TV shows based on the books as well.

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We love HH here. We have the full box set of books and watch the BBC show at least every day. 

I have a 5 and 8 yr old, and both love it. 

We've even been able to read from the HH books as we're working our way through SOTW, they talk about a lot of similar things. And it gives my 8 yr old a fun way to connect a lot of what we're learning - he's at the age where if it's gross and inappropriate he loves it haha. 

 

He, my 8 yr old, even started up a discussion about WW2 at the breakfast table a few days ago, asking why it really happened. He said he knew that countries have friends sometimes, and if someone goes after a friend then you have to go and help your friend out. I asked him where he had heard that idea from, and he said "well...horrible histories talks about that". And it led us down a long rabbit trail for most of the day. 

 

We also have all of the science and maths books, but they are still a bit over my kids' understanding right now. I have been thoroughly enjoying them though. :) 

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The blood curdling box set (ISBN 1407108158) contains 20 books can be found for about $30 total, new. It's not every one of the books, though.

How embarrassing of me. I made a typo, I meant "finding" not "funding". Anyway I ordered from that abebooks website since that's the only place I could find them so fingers crossed. Apologies for derailing the thread!
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The blood curdling box set (ISBN 1407108158) contains 20 books can be found for about $30 total, new. It's not every one of the books, though.

 

 

How many book are there?

 

Horrible Historiess (BBC version via You Tube) has been my kids' motivation to get ready for bed for the past three weeks.

 

Me: "If you can be ready for bed in 15 minutes we'll watch a Horrible Histories episode."

 

Them: Running and getting ready

 

Me: Thank you, Horrible Histories!!!

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How embarrassing of me. I made a typo, I meant "finding" not "funding". Anyway I ordered from that abebooks website since that's the only place I could find them so fingers crossed. Apologies for derailing the thread!

(I figured you meant finding.) Horrible Books/Ray and Book Depository both have the Horrible stuff, as well. But not that cheap.

 

The blood curdling set has 20 books.

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