Roger Hargreaves author page

Roger Hargreaves biography

Roger Hargreaves was a British author, illustrator and cartoonist, best known for creating the Mr. Men and Little Miss series of children’s books.

Born Charles Roger Hargreaves in Cleckheaton, West Yorkshire on 9 May 1935, he attended Sowerby Bridge Grammar School. After leaving school, he briefly worked in his father’s laundry business before entering the advertising industry. He became creative director for the London branch of Foote, Cone & Belding.

While working in advertising in 1971, Hargreaves sketched the first “Mr. Men” character in response to a conversation at home. That book, Mr. Tickle, was published in August 1971 and launched his children’s series. Within three years, the books had sold over one million copies.

Hargreaves published 46 original Mr. Men books and 33 Little Miss titles. He also created the Timbuctoo series, among other works. He left advertising around 1976 to focus full time on his writing and illustrations.

On 11 September 1988, Hargreaves died at the Kent and Sussex Hospital following a stroke. His son, Adam Hargreaves, continued producing new Mr. Men and Little Miss books after his death.

Roger Hargreaves’s original works have sold more than 85 million copies globally and have been translated into at least 20 languages.