And whilst Miserable doesn't obviously experience any kind of panic attack during the course of the story he is clearly displaying symptoms of anxiety. Miserable is suffering from a textbook case of agoraphobia. Behind the door is a small room in which we meet Mr. Happy goes for a walk whereupon (and with a nod to the great CS Lewis) he discovers a tiny red door in the trunk of a tree. So many questions and (given that this is short-form fiction) so little time for answers.Īfter the scene has been established, Mr. Happy is under the influence of some kind of narcotic which makes him THINK that the birds and the worms are conversing with him and confirming that they too are enjoying life to the full. One begins to wonder if our hero is a member of some kind of cult. Happy, we are told, lives in a land called 'Happyland' in which all the people, the birds, even the worms are happy.

He displays no obvious trappings of wealth or success, no enviable family from which he may derive some kind of pride or worth and offers no insight, wisdom or religious beliefs. He lives in a house of a similar size and style to that of the other Mr. Quite how this state of happiness has been achieved is unclear. Men family, is in a state of perpetual happiness. This pursuit of happiness is the meaning of life, the always just-out-of-reach goal for humans the world over. Whatever the culture, man does this for a single reason: because he thinks it will make him happy. While in the modern western world man chases fame, fortune and the respect of his peers, in more archaic cultures the ultimate pursuit is for a greater level of understanding or some kind of connection with a higher force. Because when I peek in on my kid at night and he's zonked out with a smile on his face and one of these books in his hand, it's. While I feel it's silly to give this book (and entire series) a 5-star, 'it was AMAZING' rating, I have to. The stories are silly, the illustrations are bright and bold. I recalled them for my childhood, and it was a delight re-reading them with my boy. He just wanted them because of that happy face! So I got the valentines for him and promptly got some of these books for him.

I asked if he had seen the books at his school, and he replied no. In search of valentines, he saw a box of Mr./Little Miss valentines, with smiley on the front, and was instantly smitten. Whatever the case, he's a super happy kid that loves a good smiley face.

I blame all this joy on the anti-depressants that must have seeped into my breast milk. This water tower has fascinated him for a few years now: all things smiley rate way high for my Sam. Smiley face balloons, balls, stickers, shirts. My son has been obsessed with smiley faces since an early age.

Mr happy by roger hargreaves