Agatha Christie‘s Mysteries Reimagined for Young Readers in New Mr. Men and Little Miss Collaboration
Beloved detective stories by Agatha Christie are being introduced to a new generation of readers with the publication of illustrated books featuring characters from the Mr. Men and Little Miss series. Little Miss Marple: Muddle at the Vicarage and Mr. Poirot: Mischief on the Nile, released today, mark the first time Christie’s works have been adapted for preschool and primary school-aged children. Two further titles are planned for release in February.
The project, a “dream collaboration” according to Christie’s great-grandson James Prichard, CEO of Agatha Christie Ltd, sees iconic characters like Little Miss Marple and Mr. Poirot join the world of Mr. Nosey and Mr. Tickle to solve mysteries in reimagined settings. “For many of us, reading is a habit that begins in childhood,” said Silvia Figini, COO of Sanrio, the company behind the Mr. Men and Little Miss brand. “That’s why it’s so rewarding to see our Mr Men and Little Miss characters play a part in introducing Agatha Christie’s iconic mysteries to a new generation.”
Little Miss Marple: Muddle at the Vicarage places the sleuth in St Mary Mead, Christie’s fictional village, alongside friends Mr. Nosey and Little Miss Chatterbox, as she assists Inspector Nonsense and Constable Silly in investigating a theft at the vicarage. Mr. Poirot: Mischief on the Nile follows the detective on a cruise where his holiday is disrupted by “much mischief and a mystery to solve,” with suspects including Mr. Tickle.
Prichard, a lifelong fan of the Mr. Men and Little Miss books, described his desire to place Poirot and Miss Marple within that universe as something he had “always” wanted to do. The books are published by HarperCollins.
