Mr. Happy

In his third work, Mr Happy, Hargreaves takes us on a Jungian journey to the integrated self. The story starts by introducing us to the supposedly perfect life that our eponymous hero appears to live - the tranquilized bliss and counterfeit euphoria of Happyland. Yet what is it that leads Mr Happy to wander away from an existence that, if truly flawless, should suffice to satisfy and sustain him? Why this need to venture deep into the mysterious unknown of the forest? To open a door in a tree-trunk and descend a staircase beneath the ground to the deepest recesses of the unconscious? Here lays the crux of this exploration of analytical psychology - the defining happiness of our central character is revealed as nothing more than a persona. His name and outward appearance are a mask to the outside world and from himself. It is the very inauthenticity of this state of affairs that drives him on the voyage to seek out and confront the root of the dissonance that this generates within him. For indeed, what does he come face-to-face with at the foot of these stairs but his own repressed sadness? This comes in the form of his miserable alter ego - physically identical, polar opposite in mood. It is only through this confrontation with the shadow that his unsustainable persona can find authentic resolution and true integration of the self be achieved. These archetypes are quite literally brought to light as Mr Happy coaxes Mr Miserable up to the surface and into view of the conscious mind in a climax of now genuine peace and bliss. In a knowing nod to his source material, Hargreaves depicts Mr Happy as round - a shape he shares with the mandala.

My two-year-old loves many of the "Mr Men" books, and Mr Happy is one of his two favorites (Mr Quiet being the other). I love reading this to him as well. In this book, Mr Happy in Happyland stumbles upon Mr Miserable and teaches him to be happy. Roger Hargreaves' story is short, simple, and easy for kids to follow, with just enough alliteration to make it fun. His pictures are bright and bring the story to life. My son so loves this book that every time he sees a "smiley face" he exclaims "Mr Happy in Happyland!"

His jubilant expression welcomes you into the world of Mr. Men, and no one -- NOT EVEN MR. MEAN -- can occlude Mr. Happy from enjoying his day, nay, HIS LIFE. Perhaps you are low on happiness? Perhaps you seek meaning in a world of war and sadness? Mr. Happy is for you. Will he make you happy? Perhaps not. Yet he will teach you the ways of the happy man, and that is all you can ask of a Mr. Men book. They are small books that tell a small story, yet somehow, they are more vast than the ocean.

Mr.Happy is about a smiley face that can walk and talk. He finds a door in the woods by his house. He gose in and finds Mr.Miserable who he helps to become happy by taking him to happyland. At the end of the story, Mr.Miserable is happy just like Mr.Happy and the end is what else but happy!!!!!

In this story, Mr. Happy meets Mr. Miserable, and brings him out of his misery into Happyland. Not only is this cartoonish little book very amusing to little ones, with its colorful cartoons and playful verse, but it is very clever and witty to teach a positive value in a heart-warming way. It is in a series of Mr. Men books that are just as good.