UK Parliament welcomes Mr. Men Little Miss to the Elizabeth Tower and Big Ben, in the latest book from the iconic series – available to buy.

Written and illustrated by Adam Hargreaves, son of original creator Roger Hargreaves, the new story follows the well-known characters’ journey to London with a visit to the Elizabeth Tower, where they meet a clock mechanic – modelled on one of Parliament’s clock makers, Andrew Strangeway.

To mark the book’s launch, Little Miss Sunshine and Mr. Strong were welcomed to Westminster, posing for photos on Westminster Bridge with Big Ben behind them.

Alongside a dose of typical adventure for the characters, the new story sees the famous faces explore the mechanism room, home to the Great Clock, behind the dials, and up into the belfry where they see Big Ben for the first time. The story also features a surprise appearance from the Speaker’s cat, Attlee.

Available to purchase today – in the Houses of Parliament shops in Westminster as well as online – the £4.99 book published by HarperCollins is aimed at children aged 4-7 but is expected to pique the interest of Big Ben fans of all ages.

Over 50 Years of Heritage

In 1971, Adam Hargreaves asked his father Roger what a tickle looked like. Inspiration struck and so Mr. Tickle was born. Now, with over 50 years of heritage and over 90 characters, one Mr. Men Little Miss book is sold every 2.5 seconds worldwide, and lifetime sales total 200 million books.

Adam Hargreaves said:

“Since the day I asked my father, Roger Hargreaves, that innocent question – ‘What does a tickle look like?’ – Mr. Men and Little Miss have helped children better understand the adult world. They have carved out a place for themselves among Britain’s cultural icons, allowing young readers to discover the joy of reading and learning new things. I could not be happier or proudest of Little Miss Sunshine and Mr. Strong ‘making it to Parliament’!”

Diana Christou, Head of Retail and Buying, said:

“This has been an incredibly exciting project for the whole team to be a part of, and it’s been such a thrill to see these two British icons come together in this way. We hope children – and adults – everywhere enjoy reading it, and that they’re perhaps inspired to come and see the tower up close for themselves one day!”