Ahead of the publication of his new book, Sussex-based writer Adam Hargreaves tells EDWIN GILSON about taking over the much loved children’s series from his father

ADAM Hargreaves admits that writing Mr Men books was the last thing he had planned to do with his life.

As an “awkward teenager” he was slightly embarrassed by the hugely successful series his father Roger had created. Adam was an artistic child but had opted to pursue a career in farming rather than behind the easel.

But then tragedy struck when Roger died in 1988 at the age of 53 after a stroke. After much deliberation Adam decided to honour his father’s considerable legacy by writing and illustrating new books in the series himself.

It was not the path he had envisaged taking but he has done a sterling job of making sure the books continue to enthral new generations.

“In retrospect it’s strange,” says Adam, who lives in Heathfield, East Sussex. “My dad died when I was so young and I was so naive that I didn’t have a clue what I was doing.

“I didn’t appreciate what I was taking on. If I had known I probably would have run away scared.”

While Adam has learnt to recreate his father’s inimitable art over the last two decades, he also has a vibrant style of his own – as witnessed in his new book Molly Mischief Saves The World about a young girl who is also a superhero.

It’s released on March 1 and was inspired by his memories of his daughter, who is now grown-up. “I’ve always loved the idea that when children are really little they can disappear into their own imaginations,” he says of the book, before adding that writing Mr Men has been a “terrific guide” in how to appeal to young children.

Although Mr Men has proved itself to be timeless, Adam says that differences in society between his father’s heyday and now mean that he has had to adapt his approach.

“At the back of my mind I think about modern sensibilities,” he says. “I’m more aware of gender equality now than my father would have been in the 1970s.

“We’ve got a new character coming out next month called Little Miss Inventor. It’s important that she is a female character because it reflects the fact that more girls are into science now.”

That modernisation doesn’t stretch to technological advances, though – Adam calls himself “terribly old-fashioned” and points out that a mobile phone has never made an appearance in a Mr Men book. The writer was confused when we told him about a Mr Hipster mug – featuring curly beard and coffee cup – we discovered in Argus HQ. “I have to admit I’ve not come across that.”

Adam and the Hargreaves family sold the rights to Mr Men to entertainment group Chorion for £28 million in 2004. Despite this eye-watering transaction Adam remains the public face of the brand. When he attended Brighton Art School in his late teens, Adam was a self-doubting student who wasn’t sure about the job opportunities that lay in store when he graduated.

He went on to attend Plumpton Agricultural College and work on a beef farm in the county. “It was something I enjoyed for a while but it was really hard work,” says Adam. “Getting up at 5am wears thin after a while. I have to admit drawing Mr Men is rather more fun.”

Another bonus to taking over his father’s work was that it gave him a newfound respect for what Roger created. Adam speaks emotively about his father’s back catalogue.

“It’s one of my regrets in life that I wasn’t able to tell him in person how amazed I am by all of it,” he says. “It was a good 10 years after his death before I wrote one of my own Mr Men books because I always saw it as his thing.”

Adam adds that he is “principally trying to follow what my father did as closely as possible”, but says it is inevitable that the Mr Men designs will morph over time.

“My dad’s style of drawing changed enormously and I started drawing the characters in the way that he was doing it at the time of his death. But now my own hand has taken charge.”

It is well documented that Adam was the inspiration for Roger’s first ever Mr Men book – Mr Tickle. The eight-year old boy had asked his father what a tickle looked like, which promoted Roger to spontaneously draw the first version of what would become the historic character. Like most children, Adam didn’t particularly enjoy one of his parents thrusting him into the spotlight.

“I was a very shy kid and anything that drew attention to me made me wary,” he says. “I found the frame of what my father did rather embarrassing. Thankfully I’ve growing out of that now, to a degree.”

Just as Roger’s famous series was kick-started by his son, Adam’s own work has often been informed by his own son and daughter.

“There has definitely been influence from both my children,” he says. “They determine your knowledge of kids in general – that’s inevitable.”

Adam says that his both of his children are artistic and jokes that there could be a third generation of Mr Men writers. Having initially hesitated before carry on his father’s legacy, Adam is looking forward to more adventures with the classic characters.

“I’ve got no plans to retire yet.”