Roger Hargreaves (Children's Author) - On This Day

Profession: Children's Author

Biography: Roger Hargreaves is best known for creating the Mr. Men and Little Miss series of children's books. These simple stories with their colourful characters have sold over 85 million copies worldwide in 20 languages.

Hargreaves worked briefly in his father's dry-cleaning business before finding a job in advertising, where he became creative director at a London agency by 1968.

In 1971, inspired by his son Adam asking what a tickle looked like, Hargreaves wrote the first Mr. Men book, "Mr. Tickle.” Despite initial difficulties finding a publisher, the book ultimately became an immediate success, selling over a million copies in three years and spawning a BBC animated series in 1974.

By 1976, Hargreaves quit his day job to write full-time. He launched the Little Miss series in 1981, which also became a television series. Although he wrote many other children's stories, Hargreaves is best known for his 46 Mr. Men and 33 Little Miss books.

After Hargreaves death, his son Adam continued writing and drawing new Mr. Men and Little Miss stories.

In 2004, Hargreaves' widow Christine sold the rights to the Mr. Men characters for £28 million.

Born: May 9, 1935
Birthplace: Cleckheaton, West Yorkshire, England

Generation: Silent Generation
Chinese Zodiac: Pig
Star Sign: Taurus

Died: September 11, 1988 (aged 53)
Cause of Death: Stroke

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