


Books in series

Mr. Tickle
1971

Mr. Greedy
1971

Mr. Happy
1971

Mr. Nosey
1971

Mr. Sneeze
1971

Mr. Bump
1971

Mr. Snow
1971

Mr. Messy
1972

Mr. Topsy-Turvy
1972

Mr. Silly
1972

Mr. Uppity
1972

Mr. Small
1972

Mr. Daydream
1972

Mr. Forgetful
1976

Mr. Jelly
1976

Mr. Noisy
1976

Mr. Lazy
1976

Mr. Funny
1976

Mr. Mean
1976

Mr. Chatterbox
1976

Mr. Fussy
1976

Mr. Bounce
1976

Mr. Muddle
1976

Mr. Dizzy
1976

Mr. Impossible
1976

Mr. Strong
1976

Mr. Grumpy
1978

Mr. Clumsy
1978

Mr. Quiet
1978

Mr. Rush
1978

Mr. Tall
1978

Mr. Worry
1978

Mr. Nonsense
1978

Mr. Wrong
1978

Mr. Skinny
1981

Mr. Mischief
1978

Mr. Clever
1978

Mr. Busy
1978

Mr. Slow
1978

Mr. Christmas
2002

Mr. Brave
1990

Mr. Grumble
1990

Mr. Perfect
1990

Mr. Cheerful
1990

Mr. Cool
2003

Mr. Rude
2003

Mr. Good
2003

Mr. Nobody
1985

Mr. Birthday
2007

Mr. Men
12 Days of Christmas
2009
Authors

Charles Roger Hargreaves was an English author and illustrator of children's books, notably the Mr. Men and Little Miss series, intended for very young readers. He is Britain's third best-selling author, having sold more than 100 million books. Hargreaves was born in a private hospital at 201 Bath Road, Cleckheaton, West Yorkshire, England, to Alfred Reginald and Ethel Mary Hargreaves, and grew up in High Lees, 703 Halifax Road, also in Cleckheaton, outside of which there now is a commemorative plaque. He spent a year working in his father's laundry and dry-cleaning business before starting out in advertising. But his original ambition was to be a cartoonist; and, in 1971, while he was working as the creative director at a London firm, he wrote the first Mr. Men book, Mr. Tickle. He initially had difficulty finding a publisher; but, once he did, the books became an instant success, selling over one million copies within three years and spawning a BBC animated television series, narrated and voiced by Arthur Lowe. By 1976, Hargreaves had quit his day job. In 1981, the Little Miss series of books began to appear. It, too, was made into a television series in 1983, which was narrated by John Alderton, who, with Pauline Collins, voiced the Men and Misses, respectively. Although Hargreaves wrote many other children's stories, including the Timbuctoo series of twenty-five books, John Mouse, and the Roundy and Squary books, he is best known for his 46 Mr. Men books and 33 Little Miss books. With his wife, Christine, Hargreaves had four children: Adam, Giles, and twins Sophie and Amelia. The first of the Mr. Men characters is reported to have been created when Adam asked his father what a tickle looked like: Hargreaves drew a figure with a round orange body and long, rubbery arms, which became Mr. Tickle. After Hargreaves died of a sudden stroke in 1988, Adam continued writing and drawing the Mr. Men and Little Miss characters in new stories. However, in April 2004, Christine sold the rights to the Mr. Men characters to the UK entertainment group Chorion, for £28 million.