Horrid Henry and the Soccer Fiend by Francesca Simon Read Free Book Online Page A

THE
SOCCER FIEND

    Francesca Simon
    Illustrated by
Tony Ross

To Elaine and Mark Eisenthal,
and to Alexander, Josh, and Katherine
    Text © Francesca Simon 2006
Internal illustrations © Tony Ross 2006
Cover illustrations © Tony Ross 2008
Cover and internal design © 2009 by Sourcebooks, Inc.
    Sourcebooks and the colophon are registered trademarks of Sourcebooks, Inc.
    All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems—except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews—without permission in writing from its publisher, Sourcebooks, Inc.
    The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious or are used fictitiously. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
    Published by Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, an imprint of Sourcebooks, Inc.
P.O. Box 4410, Naperville, Illinois 60567–4410
(630) 961–3900
Fax: (630) 961–2168
www.jabberwockykids.com
    Originally published in Great Britain in 2006 by Orion Children’s Books.
    Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
    Simon, Francesca.
  [Horrid Henry and the football fiend]
  Horrid Henry and the soccer fiend / Francesca Simon ; illustrated by Tony Ross.
    p. cm.
     Originally published: Great Britain : Orion Children’s Books, 2006, under the title Horrid Henry and the football fiend.
 [1. Behavior—Fiction.] I. Ross, Tony, ill. II. Title.
 PZ7.S604Hoaw 2009
 [Fic]—dc22
    2008039689
     
    Printed and bound in the United States of America.
    VP 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

1
HORRID HENRY PEEKS AT PETER’S DIARY
    “What are you doing?” demanded Horrid Henry, bursting into Peter’s bedroom.
    “Nothing,” said Perfect Peter quickly, slamming his notebook shut.
    “Yes you are,” said Henry.
    “Get out of my room,” said Peter. “You’re not allowed to come in unless I say so.”
    Horrid Henry leaned over Peter’s shoulder.
    “What are you writing?”
    “None of your business,” said Peter. He covered the closed notebook tightly with his arm.
    “It is
too
my business if you’re writing about
me
.”
    “It’s
my
diary. I can write what I want to,” said Peter. “Miss Lovely said we should keep a diary for a week and write in it every day.”
    “Bo-ring,” said Henry, yawning.
    “No it isn’t,” said Peter. “Anyway, you’ll find out next week what I’m writing: I’ve been chosen to read my diary out loud for our class assembly.”
    Horrid Henry’s heart turned to ice.
    Peter read his diary out loud? So the whole school could hear Peter’s lies about him? No way!
    “Gimme that!” screamed Horrid Henry, lunging for the diary.
    “No!” screamed Peter, holding on tight. “MOOOM! Help! Henry’s in my room! And he didn’t knock! And he won’t leave!”

    “Shut up, tattletale,” hissed Henry, forcing Peter’s fingers off the diary.
    “MOOOOMMMMMM!” shrieked Peter.
    Mom stomped up the stairs.
    Henry opened the diary. But before he could read a single word Mom burst in.
    “He snatched my diary! And he told me to shut up!” wailed Peter.
    “Henry! Stop annoying your brother,” said Mom.
    “I wasn’t,” said Henry.
    “Yes he was,” sniveled Peter.
    “And now you’ve made him cry,” said Mom. “Say sorry.”
    “I was just asking about his homework,” protested Henry innocently.
    “He was trying to read my diary,” said Peter.
    “Henry!” said Mom. “Don’t be horrid. A diary is private. Now leave your brother alone.”
    It was so unfair. Why did Mom always believe Peter?
    Humph. Horrid Henry stalked out of Peter’s bedroom. Well, no way was Henry waiting until the class assembly to find out what Peter had written.
     
    Sneak. Sneak. Sneak.
    Horrid Henry checked to the right.
    Horrid Henry checked to the left. Mom was downstairs working on the computer. Dad was in the garden. Peter was playing at