Canberra’s own Mr. Men Little Miss superfan, Michael Ubrihien, has amassed a jaw-dropping collection of over 880 items comprising books, toys, apparel, posters, and more over the past 20 years.
Starting his collection in 2003 aged “11 or 12”, Michael told Canberra Daily the catalyst for his hardcore fandom was a ‘create your own Mr. Men character’ competition.
“Although I didn’t win, I did receive two runner-up prize packs, which included all of the Mr. Men Little Miss books at the time and a selection of other merchandise,” he said.
“Having been a fan of the series since childhood, I figured that was a great place to start a proper collection, and I’ve been collecting ever since!”
Being on the spectrum, Michael said he was drawn in by the series’ bright colours, easily identifiable personalities, and just the fun characters.
“From there, I started reading the books in school at home and have loved the series ever since,” he said.
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As of 2021, a total of 92 Mr. Men and Little Miss characters had been featured in the series. So, with so many to choose from, could Michael possibly have a favourite?
“Mr. Funny, because I also love making people laugh, and his book is one of my favourites,” he said.
“Another character that I feel represents me well would be Mr. Brilliant.
“Although his book was never published … his character description of being creative and loving to sketch and make things matches me and my creative hobbies perfectly.”
An avid collector, Michael has 20 other sets traversing pop culture icons like Star Wars and Back to the Future, and other childhood favourites like Thomas the Tank Engine and Toy Story.
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For Michael, a big part of what keeps him collecting Mr. Men and Little Miss merchandise is the nostalgia factor.
His most cherished items are either due to sentimentality or their rarity.
For example, a boxset of 1990s learning cards, of which he had a copy back in the day, carries a lot of nostalgia for Michael.
One of his rarest holdings is a 2004 book called Little Miss Jealous. An Australian exclusive, it was the winner of the very ‘create your own Mr. Men character’ competition Michael entered in 2003.
“Her book had a limited run and is so rare nowadays you’d be hard pressed to find any examples online today. Last year I put a duplicate up on eBay, and it went for almost $200!”
A Big W employee, Michael was delighted to find out over 2.4 million books from the Mr. Men Little Miss series would be given away by the department store was part of their Free Books for Kids initiative.
“It’s such a wonderful campaign to be a part of because reading is so important for children, and the Mr. Men Little Miss series is a classic that everyone can enjoy no matter what age,” he said.
“The focus on accessibility and igniting a love of reading amongst kids is something I fully support!”
Free Books for Kids commenced via Big W stores on 21 April, with a different book from the series to be given away weekly for eight weeks.
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