Roger Hargreaves facts for kids

Charles Roger Hargreaves (born May 9, 1935 – died September 11, 1988) was an English writer and illustrator. He is best known for creating the popular Mr. Men and Little Miss book series. These books were made for young readers.

His stories are simple and funny. They feature bright, bold drawings. Since 1971, these books have been a big part of popular culture. Over 85 million copies have been sold worldwide. They have been translated into 20 different languages.

Roger Hargreaves' Early Life

Roger Hargreaves was born in Cleckheaton, West Yorkshire, England. This happened on May 9, 1935. He grew up in a place called Hartshead Moor. Today, there is a special plaque there to remember him.

He went to Sowerby Bridge Grammar School. After school, he worked for a year in his father's laundry business. Then, he got a job in advertising. Roger Hargreaves always wanted to be a cartoonist.

How the Mr. Men Books Started

In 1971, Roger Hargreaves was working as a creative director in London. This was when he wrote his very first Mr. Men book. It was called Mr. Tickle.

At first, it was hard to find someone to publish his book. But once he did, the books became a huge hit. They sold over one million copies in just three years! In 1974, the books were turned into a BBC animated TV show. Arthur Lowe narrated the stories.

By 1976, Hargreaves had left his advertising job. He focused only on his books. In 1981, he launched the Little Miss series. This series also became a TV show in 1983. Pauline Collins and John Alderton narrated these stories.

Roger Hargreaves wrote many other children's stories. These included the Timbuctoo series and the John Mouse books. However, he is most famous for his 46 Mr. Men and 33 Little Miss books.

Roger Hargreaves' Family

Roger Hargreaves and his wife, Christine, had four children. Their names are Adam, Giles, Sophie, and Amelia.

The idea for the first Mr. Men character came from his son, Adam. When Adam was six years old, he asked his dad what a tickle looked like. Roger Hargreaves drew a round orange character with long, stretchy arms. This drawing became Mr. Tickle!

Roger's twin daughters inspired another book. He wrote Little Miss Twins for them.

Roger Hargreaves' Passing and Legacy

From 1975 to 1982, Roger Hargreaves lived with his family on Guernsey. Later, they moved to a farm near Cowden, Kent.

Roger Hargreaves passed away on September 11, 1988. He was 53 years old. He died after having a stroke. He was buried in Cowden, East Sussex.

After his death, his son Adam continued his father's work. Adam kept writing and drawing new Mr. Men and Little Miss stories. He even signed the book covers with his father's signature.

In 2004, Roger's wife, Christine, sold the rights to the Mr. Men characters. They were sold to a company called Chorion. Later, in 2011, Chorion sold the Mr. Men brand to a Japanese company called Sanrio.

On March 4, 2021, Roger Hargreaves received a special honor. He was given a gold Blue Peter badge after his death.

Books by Roger Hargreaves

• Mr Men
• Little Miss
• Walter Worm
• John Mouse
• Albert Elephant, Count Worm and Grandfather Clock
• I am...
• Timbuctoo
• Hippo Potto and Mouse
• Easy Peasy People (also with Gray Jolliffe)
• Roundy and Squarey

Appearances in Books

Roger Hargreaves himself appears in some of his Mr. Men books. You can find him in:

• Mr. Small
• Little Miss Star

Remembering Roger Hargreaves

Google celebrated Roger Hargreaves' 76th birthday on May 9, 2011. They created 16 special Google Doodles for their homepage around the world.

See also

In Spanish: Roger Hargreaves para niños