Horrible Harry and the Triple Revenge by Suzy Kline

The Ball and the Bug

    My name is Doug, and I’m in third grade. I write lots of stories about my best friend, Harry. He’s the guy in Room 3B who loves horrible things, slimy things, and gross things! His last name even sounds spooky—it’s Spooger.
    Harry is also the guy who loves Song Lee and gets bugged by Sidney.
    But when something terrible happens at Southeast School, Harry always manages to make things better. Sometimes he even makes them fun! That’s exactly what happened this week.
    It all started on Tuesday before school.
    Harry and I were just walking onto the playground. It seemed like a regular day. Mary was running up to everyone making sure they had done their homework.
    â€œHarry,” she said, “did you bring a wholesome snack like our teacher, Miss Mackle, asked?”
    â€œI brought two,” Harry bragged. “A healthy one and the one I plan to eat.”
    â€œFunny,” Mary groaned, then she ran off to find Ida.
    â€œHey, Harry the Canary!” Sidney yelled from the ramp.
    â€œYo, Sid the Squid,” Harry yelled back.
    Sidney came running over to us. He had something in his arms. “You guys want to play with my brand-new soccer ball?”
    â€œSure,” we said.
    Harry smelled the new ball and flashed his white teeth. “It’s leather!”
    Sid beamed. “ Genuine leather! I get to kick first!”
    At that very moment, Song Lee joined us. She was holding something in her hand.

    â€œI made this yesterday with my father,” she said with a big smile.
    Harry’s eyes bulged. “A paper praying mantis! How cool is that!”
    Song Lee giggled. “It’s origami.”

    Sidney started tapping his foot. “Come on, you guys, we don’t have that much time. Let’s play ball!”
    â€œWould you sit on it,” Harry growled. “Just cool your jets!”
    Sid sat on his soccer ball and steamed.
    â€œHow did you make that bug?” Harry asked Song Lee.
    â€œThe directions are in my origami book. The praying mantis is on page forty-nine. It’s the most difficult one.”
    â€œTime is ticking away,” Sidney groaned.
    Harry ignored him. He was looking at page forty-nine. “Man, there are a hundred steps for making a praying mantis.”
    â€œIt takes time,” Song Lee said with a big smile. “And you need help.”
    â€œDoes your bug stand up?” Harry asked.
    â€œYes,” Song Lee said proudly.
    We watched her set the praying mantis on the asphalt playground. The bug stood tall and didn’t tip over.
    Suddenly the bell rang.
    Sidney jumped up and shouted, “Thanks a lot, El Tweeto!”

    I couldn’t believe what Sid did next. He stomped on the praying mantis, crushed it, and ran away with his soccer ball.
    Song Lee immediately bent down and picked up the crumpled paper. She held it close to her heart. I saw her brush away a tear, then run over to line up.
    Harry held up both fists.
    â€œDouble revenge?” I asked.
    Harry shook his head. “Nope— triple revenge.”
    â€œTriple revenge?”
    â€œIt’s the biggie,” Harry explained. “And this time it means three consequences for Sidney La Fleur.”
    Oh boy, I thought, Sid was doomed!

Snack Attack!

    When we lined up at the school door, Mary was the first to notice Song Lee. “Why are you crying?” she asked.
    Song Lee shook her head. “It’s . . . nothing,” she whimpered. Then she wiped her eyes and didn’t cry anymore.
    Song Lee hardly ever tattled.
    Mary looked back at us. We were the last ones in line. “I bet Harry did something,” she growled.
    Song Lee shook her head again. “No. I’m fine,” she said.
    Sidney was the first one to sit down in his seat and take out his writing notebook. He drew a soccer ball on a fresh page, then put it in a circle with a diagonal line. It looked like a “No Soccer” sign.
    As