It all started with a tickle. Roger Hargreaves’ son Adam asked him what a tickle looked like. In response, Roger drew a small orange man with extraordinarily long arms that could reach anywhere and tickle anyone. Mr Tickle was born and Mr Greedy, Mr Happy, Mr Nosey, Mr Sneeze and Mr Bump soon followed. The books were an instant hit and Roger went on to create many more Mr Men and Little Miss characters which have been delighting children and adults for generations.

The colourful characters have been delighting children since Mr Tickle first appeared on bookshelves in 1971. The Independent