Horrible Histories

“Horrible Histories”, published in the U.K. by Scholastic, is a series of books written by Terry Deary and illustrated by Martin Brown. This series is aimed at making history more appealing to children while focusing on the parts that are less important, out of the ordinary, sanguinary or unpleasant.

In 1993, some of the first Horrible Histories books to be published in the series were “The Terrible Tudors” and “The Awesome Egyptians”. Following these, many books have been published in this series while work on many other titles is in progress. The books, though part of the same series, are split up into many sub-series, including sticker and activity books, and quiz books. The Horrible Histories series saw 8 of the books receive a makeover with new covers and illustrations. The “Horrible Series Magazine” collection was released in late 2002 and in 2005. Free audio books of some titles were released with Kelloggs, as part of a promotional campaign. The Horrible Histories series has also been converted to a television serial which is into it's second season. It features the characters Stitch and Mo as they set out on their journey to unravel the secrets buried in times gone by. The colorful illustrations bring to life the eons gone by, captivating the imaginations of children the world over.

The series of “Horrible Histories” has proved to be a very big commercial success and has also introduced children to the ancient hobby of reading, once again making history not just a subject of the past but a story unfolding in the present.