Horrible Harry Takes the Cake

Johnny Heller serves up another fine performance in this consistently entertaining series. Heller has an instinct for capturing the kids in Classroom 3B. In this episode, Horrible Harry is determined to discover who Miss Mackle is engaged to. Heller expresses Harry's self-justifying tones when he misbehaves. Claiming to be a detective, Harry steals a piece of cake left over from an engagement party as a clue. Heller also characterizes best friend Doug's outraged reaction at the theft. Heller's portrayals of the other kids (and the mystery groom of Room 3B) are equally well done. There's something quite true-to-life about Kline's stories, and Heller captures their characters' original, quirky, and classically third-grade reactions in believable ways. J.C.G. (c) AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine