They have educated and delighted countless children with their colourful renditions of history’s most disgusting moments. But now after more than 60 books in his Horrible Histories series, author Terry Deary has said he has written the final volume. He said yesterday he believed he had reached ‘saturation point’ and his latest instalment – Deadly Days in History – will be his last. Terry Deary is bringing the Horrible Histories series to an end after 20 years, a television series and stage show . Mr Deary wrote his first ‘history’ 20 years ago and the books have been so successful, they have been turned into a TV series and even a stage show. He said: ‘It has naturally come to an end, the way things do. It has had a good run, it’s had a better run than most children’s series. 'Things do have a saturation point after which they become taken for granted. It would a shame if that happened.’ He added that although nothing certain had been decided between him and his publishers Scholastic, ‘there is a general feeling there will be no more’. Over the past two decades Mr Deary has tackled everything from the Savage Stone Age to the Blitzed Brits in an effort to make history accessible. His output has been prolific and at one point he was writing 14 books a year. After more than 60 books in his Horrible Histories series including the Awesome Egyptians and Barmy British Empire, the children's favourite has said he has written the final volume . Mr Deary wrote his first ‘history’ 20 . years ago and the books have been so successful, they have been turned . into a TV series and even a stage show . Famous for their alliterative titles, the series has been an enormous success ever since The Rotten Romans and The Awesome Egyptians. Although Deary, 67, would 'never say never' to a Horrible comeback, he said he wanted the series to be more 'Fawlty Towers than Last of the Summer Wine'. Mr Deary has sold more than 25million books in 40 countries. He . has already signed up to write a four-part history series for adults on . the Roman Empire, the Elizabethans, the Vikings and the Victorians. While he said Horrible Histories had done 'really well', he would not miss writing it. The very first Horrible Histories were published in 1993, and it soon became clear that history books for children would never be the same again. Unlike their predecessors, the series recognised the appeal for children of all the gruesome, wicked and weird detail from history that writers had hitherto spared them. After huge success the series has gone on to become a BAFTA award-winning CBBC show and stage show. Mr Deary . has tackled everything from the Savage Stone Age to the Blitzed Brits in . an effort to make history accessible. His output has been prolific and at one point he was writing 14 books a year. Famous for their alliterative titles, . the series has been an enormous success ever since The Rotten Romans . and The Awesome Egyptians. The book writing process for Horrible, he . said, tended to see his publishers call to ask if he knew anything . about a period or people from history, for example the Georgians, The . Times reports. If he said no, they would ask him if he could write a book in a 'few months' and he would 'immerse himself' in research and 'hope there's something horrible to write about,' he said, before adding: 'There usually is.' Surprisingly, at school Mr Deary  - who  got a C in O-level history and an E at A level - said he learnt to loathe history because lessons were so boring and so badly taught. He said school history books had 'every Bit of humanity sucked from them'. The Horrible Histories, and their focus on what is interesting as well as important, had been his 'revenge'. Despite being taken to the hearts and shelves of a generation of teachers and school librarians, battling to get children to engage with history, he said it was never his intention to be adopted by the Establishment. Instead, all he wanted was to write stories that children loved, an aim which has seen him consistently top the charts as the most borrowed non-fiction author year after year.
Terry Deary says Deadly Days in History will be the last book in the series .
He has written more than 60 Horrible Histories books in 20 years .
Now the 67-year-old will concentrate on a four-part series for adults .
They have educated and delighted countless children with their colourful renditions of history’s most disgusting moments. But now after more than 60 books in his Horrible Histories series, author Terry Deary has said he has written the final volume. He said yesterday he believed he had reached ‘saturation point’ and his latest instalment – Deadly Days in History – will be his last. Terry Deary is bringing the Horrible Histories series to an end after 20 years, a television series and stage show . Mr Deary wrote his first ‘history’ 20 years ago and the books have been so successful, they have been turned into a TV series and even a stage show. He said: ‘It has naturally come to an end, the way things do. It has had a good run, it’s had a better run than most children’s series. 'Things do have a saturation point after which they become taken for granted. It would a shame if that happened.’ He added that although nothing certain had been decided between him and his publishers Scholastic, ‘there is a general feeling there will be no more’. Over the past two decades Mr Deary has tackled everything from the Savage Stone Age to the Blitzed Brits in an effort to make history accessible. His output has been prolific and at one point he was writing 14 books a year. After more than 60 books in his Horrible Histories series including the Awesome Egyptians and Barmy British Empire, the children's favourite has said he has written the final volume . Mr Deary wrote his first ‘history’ 20 . years ago and the books have been so successful, they have been turned . into a TV series and even a stage show . Famous for their alliterative titles, the series has been an enormous success ever since The Rotten Romans and The Awesome Egyptians. Although Deary, 67, would 'never say never' to a Horrible comeback, he said he wanted the series to be more 'Fawlty Towers than Last of the Summer Wine'. Mr Deary has sold more than 25million books in 40 countries. He . has already signed up to write a four-part history series for adults on . the Roman Empire, the Elizabethans, the Vikings and the Victorians. While he said Horrible Histories had done 'really well', he would not miss writing it. The very first Horrible Histories were published in 1993, and it soon became clear that history books for children would never be the same again. Unlike their predecessors, the series recognised the appeal for children of all the gruesome, wicked and weird detail from history that writers had hitherto spared them. After huge success the series has gone on to become a BAFTA award-winning CBBC show and stage show. Mr Deary . has tackled everything from the Savage Stone Age to the Blitzed Brits in . an effort to make history accessible. His output has been prolific and at one point he was writing 14 books a year. Famous for their alliterative titles, . the series has been an enormous success ever since The Rotten Romans . and The Awesome Egyptians. The book writing process for Horrible, he . said, tended to see his publishers call to ask if he knew anything . about a period or people from history, for example the Georgians, The . Times reports. If he said no, they would ask him if he could write a book in a 'few months' and he would 'immerse himself' in research and 'hope there's something horrible to write about,' he said, before adding: 'There usually is.' Surprisingly, at school Mr Deary  - who  got a C in O-level history and an E at A level - said he learnt to loathe history because lessons were so boring and so badly taught. He said school history books had 'every Bit of humanity sucked from them'. The Horrible Histories, and their focus on what is interesting as well as important, had been his 'revenge'. Despite being taken to the hearts and shelves of a generation of teachers and school librarians, battling to get children to engage with history, he said it was never his intention to be adopted by the Establishment. Instead, all he wanted was to write stories that children loved, an aim which has seen him consistently top the charts as the most borrowed non-fiction author year after year.
more than 60 books in his Horrible Histories his latest instalment – Deadly Days in History – will be his last. Terry Deary is bringing the has already signed up to write a four-part history series for adults on . the Roman Empire,