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Mr. Men #37
Mr. Clever
Mr. Clever thinks he is smartest guy around. But one day, helearns that he doesn't know everything.
32 pages, Paperback
First published March 18, 1978
9 people are currently reading
306 people want to read
About the author
Roger Hargreaves
1,235Ìýbooks349ÌýfollowersRoger Hargreaves was a British cartoonist, illustrator and writer of children's books. He created the Mr. Men series, Little Miss series and Timbuctoo series, intended for young readers. The simple and humorous stories, with bold, brightly coloured illustrations, have sales of more than 85 million copies worldwide in 20 languages.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
May 19, 2020
This is my 1000th book review!
So, I wanted to review something a little bit special for this landmark and this fits the bill perfectly.
I will spend my life learning and reading, but no matter how much time I spend in study I will still die with an unfinished reading list. The point is, no matter how much you know and have read there is still so much out there to still discover. There are still stories that can surprise us just like Mr Clever is surprised when he realises, he does not actually know that much.
And I think this is important to say and important to remember.
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You can connect with me on social media via .
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So, I wanted to review something a little bit special for this landmark and this fits the bill perfectly.
I will spend my life learning and reading, but no matter how much time I spend in study I will still die with an unfinished reading list. The point is, no matter how much you know and have read there is still so much out there to still discover. There are still stories that can surprise us just like Mr Clever is surprised when he realises, he does not actually know that much.
And I think this is important to say and important to remember.
__________________________________
You can connect with me on social media via .
__________________________________
February 25, 2018
Indy's first loan from the school library! He liked it, poor old Mr Clever was losing it a bit! He forgot his way home, even. He came across his friends along the way. I asked Indy who he thought one of them was (Mr Greedy) and he guessed Mr Purple. I love his way of thinking. Hopefully I can get him borrowing many more, maybe when I drop him off in the morning, before I head off to my own library.
His lifelong learning journey has begun!
His lifelong learning journey has begun!
January 22, 2020
Poor, poor Mr. Clever. Has there ever been a character of Roger’s more unworthy of his name than Mr. Clever? How can you call yourself clever and not figure out answers to people’s questions in some way. One day, Mr Clever took a walk in Cleverland and walked out of it. In the new world, he was stopped by Mr. Happy, Mr. Greedy and a whole lot of other characters and they would ask him a question about a recipe or to tell a joke and in every case Mr. Clever had no idea. The man must be one of the dullest tools in the shed.
The nephew thought this was rather funny. He chuckled at Mr. Clever being so not clever. He used the word dumb. He enjoyed seeing his favorite Mr. Men characters again in this one like Mr. Happy. He wished Mr. tickle would have shown up. That’s his favorite. He gave this 4 stars.
The nephew thought this was rather funny. He chuckled at Mr. Clever being so not clever. He used the word dumb. He enjoyed seeing his favorite Mr. Men characters again in this one like Mr. Happy. He wished Mr. tickle would have shown up. That’s his favorite. He gave this 4 stars.
February 9, 2022
The second venture into Cleverland in the series yet again highlights the egotistical nature of the local residents.
There's no denying that Mr. Clever is a great inventor with his special alarm clock and toothbrush.
It's once he ventures further afield an meets other popular characters who show up his lack of common sense.
A decent message to younger readers of being proud of your achievements, but equally staying humble too.
There's no denying that Mr. Clever is a great inventor with his special alarm clock and toothbrush.
It's once he ventures further afield an meets other popular characters who show up his lack of common sense.
A decent message to younger readers of being proud of your achievements, but equally staying humble too.
March 19, 2017
You’re Never As Smart As You Think You Are
19 March 2017
Well, this was a rather interesting little book. It starts off in a place called Cleverland where everybody is awfully clever, and it is about Mr Clever who happens to be really, really clever. In fact he is so clever that he loves to remind everybody of how clever he is. Mind you, the guy is pretty smart, and I suspect he happens to be an engineer because he has invented a multipurpose alarm clock, a toaster that toasts his bread, spreads butter and jam all over it, and then cuts off the crust. Oh, and he also invented a toothbrush that squeezes the toothpaste onto the brush. In fact the ideas make me want to go out and build them for myself (despite not being an engineer).
The problem is that while he is really clever when it comes to engineering projects, it turns out that he actually isn't as clever as he thinks he is (or he claims that he is). Sure, he can build a fancy house, and create fancy inventions, but when it comes to everyday things, like telling a joke, or baking a cake, or even offering some advice, he really doesn't know where to start. It sort of goes to show that while me may be clever in one area, there are no doubt areas where we really fall down.
It actually makes me think of the renaissance men, such as Leonardo da Vinci. Sure, he was an inventor, and he certainly had an ability a paint people, but I wonder if he knew how to tell a joke, or whether he knew how to bake a really delicious cake. The same goes with Michaelangelo � sure, he certainly had a knack when it came to painting ceilings, but I wonder if he could offer a bit of advice to a friend that was having problems with a rebellious teenager (not that they actually had teenagers back then).
It also reminds me of a story about the rich and famous. Apparently they don't know how to drive a car, namely because they are so used to having other people drive them around, and having their own maids and cooks, that when it came to actually cleaning their house and cooking a meal they are at a loss. In fact I wonder if they even know how to put a frozen meal into a microwave and heat it up? Probably not. I do remember watching a Micheal Moore episode where he was trying to get CEOs of various companies to actually do the job that the average worker in the front line of their business does � such as making a big mac. It turned out that the only person to take him up on the offer was the CEO of Ford, who proceeded to show Moore how to change the oil in a car.
Well, I guess the moral of the story is not to go around telling everybody how awfully clever you happen to be because sooner or later somebody is going to come around and basically show you up as a fool.
19 March 2017
Well, this was a rather interesting little book. It starts off in a place called Cleverland where everybody is awfully clever, and it is about Mr Clever who happens to be really, really clever. In fact he is so clever that he loves to remind everybody of how clever he is. Mind you, the guy is pretty smart, and I suspect he happens to be an engineer because he has invented a multipurpose alarm clock, a toaster that toasts his bread, spreads butter and jam all over it, and then cuts off the crust. Oh, and he also invented a toothbrush that squeezes the toothpaste onto the brush. In fact the ideas make me want to go out and build them for myself (despite not being an engineer).
The problem is that while he is really clever when it comes to engineering projects, it turns out that he actually isn't as clever as he thinks he is (or he claims that he is). Sure, he can build a fancy house, and create fancy inventions, but when it comes to everyday things, like telling a joke, or baking a cake, or even offering some advice, he really doesn't know where to start. It sort of goes to show that while me may be clever in one area, there are no doubt areas where we really fall down.
It actually makes me think of the renaissance men, such as Leonardo da Vinci. Sure, he was an inventor, and he certainly had an ability a paint people, but I wonder if he knew how to tell a joke, or whether he knew how to bake a really delicious cake. The same goes with Michaelangelo � sure, he certainly had a knack when it came to painting ceilings, but I wonder if he could offer a bit of advice to a friend that was having problems with a rebellious teenager (not that they actually had teenagers back then).
It also reminds me of a story about the rich and famous. Apparently they don't know how to drive a car, namely because they are so used to having other people drive them around, and having their own maids and cooks, that when it came to actually cleaning their house and cooking a meal they are at a loss. In fact I wonder if they even know how to put a frozen meal into a microwave and heat it up? Probably not. I do remember watching a Micheal Moore episode where he was trying to get CEOs of various companies to actually do the job that the average worker in the front line of their business does � such as making a big mac. It turned out that the only person to take him up on the offer was the CEO of Ford, who proceeded to show Moore how to change the oil in a car.
Well, I guess the moral of the story is not to go around telling everybody how awfully clever you happen to be because sooner or later somebody is going to come around and basically show you up as a fool.
July 4, 2018
Children love the Mr Men books. Recommended.
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January 8, 2016
Roger Hargreaves was an English writer and illustrator who specialised in children's books. He created the Mr Men series in 1971.
I enjoyed this little book so much more than I really expected to. Being English means I know about the Mr Men and Little Miss series of books, but have never read them. This was my first and by Jingo it will not be my last. The humour is so wonderful I would honestly say that these are not at all only for children. The illustrations are simple yet elegant and they do their job just fine.
I enjoyed this little book so much more than I really expected to. Being English means I know about the Mr Men and Little Miss series of books, but have never read them. This was my first and by Jingo it will not be my last. The humour is so wonderful I would honestly say that these are not at all only for children. The illustrations are simple yet elegant and they do their job just fine.
February 3, 2018
Mr Clever is an egomaniac, who greets each person by stating “I’m the cleverest person in the world!� Now, right off the bat a statement like that would make most others dislike you. It seems a very clever person would be aware of that! So perhaps Mr Clever is smart but also socially inept. I think the best part of the book was learning how smart all the other residents in cleverland were! Worms who can drive! Flowers who learned to walk! Wow!!!! Much more impressive to me than Mr Clever himself.
September 28, 2015
Ah, Mr Men and Little Miss, how wonderful you are!
These books made up so much of my childhood. No matter what I would go ahead and pick one up. I worked my way through them all a couple of times. Each one has a wonderful story for the child to engage with, each character being fun to read.
Everyone has a bias for their favourite character, yet every book is delightful.
These books made up so much of my childhood. No matter what I would go ahead and pick one up. I worked my way through them all a couple of times. Each one has a wonderful story for the child to engage with, each character being fun to read.
Everyone has a bias for their favourite character, yet every book is delightful.
January 26, 2015
I liked this because it turned out he wasn't as clever as he thought he was!
February 13, 2022
I can’t decide if he was actually clever or not. He definitely has some gaps in his knowledge.
January 4, 2020
Well this book certainly puts things into perspective. Just goes to show that no matter how clever you think you are, you’ll never be able to know everything.
March 31, 2015
Think I’m right in stating that as a boy I had all the pre-1990 Mr Men books with the possible exception of “Mr Snow�. Looking at all the covers apart from the latter jogged my memory.
Sadly I remember little about the stories now, despite reading them numerous times during my boyhood, plus watching the Mr Men cartoons more than once.
Reckon the last time I would’ve read these was 1983, though may have returned to them as late as 1985. Although I’ve forgotten almost everything about this title and all the others I feel that owing to the amount of times I read each publication that they all deserve to be rated five stars.
I’m grateful to Roger Hargreaves for brightening up my childhood with both his Mr Men and the Timbuctoo series of books.
Sadly I remember little about the stories now, despite reading them numerous times during my boyhood, plus watching the Mr Men cartoons more than once.
Reckon the last time I would’ve read these was 1983, though may have returned to them as late as 1985. Although I’ve forgotten almost everything about this title and all the others I feel that owing to the amount of times I read each publication that they all deserve to be rated five stars.
I’m grateful to Roger Hargreaves for brightening up my childhood with both his Mr Men and the Timbuctoo series of books.
December 21, 2009
A nice story with a good message, which my children seemed to absorb readily.
Mr Clever wanders far from Cleverland, which demonstrates something I've found in life: highly intelligent people often have no common sense.
Once outsid ehis comfort zone he finds that people are far more challenging than he expected and he isn't quite as smart as he first thought.
Good for children to learn that book smarts aren't the only guage of someone!
Mr Clever wanders far from Cleverland, which demonstrates something I've found in life: highly intelligent people often have no common sense.
Once outsid ehis comfort zone he finds that people are far more challenging than he expected and he isn't quite as smart as he first thought.
Good for children to learn that book smarts aren't the only guage of someone!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 12, 2011
Mr. Clever is like Mr. Potatohead except for if Mr. Potatohead were an orange instead of a potato. He fancies himself one clever motherfucker. He has a friend that is like a lemon. But things aren't all that citrusey, because another dude looks like a blueberry. I think it's a dude, but I didn't see a cock or anything. Even though they're all totally naked. Like me while writing this review.
August 18, 2013
I absolutely loved these Mr Men and Little Miss books. I remember getting them from my granny every week. There was so much from these simple characters, I remember filling my little bookshelf with all these books making sure I had got them all in right order. I wish I still had these books but somehow most of them got lost with many house moves or my mum gave the rest away. If I ever have kids, I will make sure they get the chance to experience these wonderful, colourful books.
April 29, 2019
Over and over and over again.... I read these stories to my first daughter and then to my second daughter.
They loved them... they laughed... i love my daughters... i laughed with them....that was more than enough for me.
They loved them... they laughed... i love my daughters... i laughed with them....that was more than enough for me.
October 17, 2011
I loved these books as a kid, I think because they're so colourful and silly. Though there is a message hidden in each - in this case, Mr. Clever thinks he's very clever, only to find out that he doesn't, in fact know everything - they are also enjoyable and funny.
October 20, 2016
Mr. Clever was a book from my childhood. I ended up with it back in my hands and read it to my daughter and she enjoyed it as much as I did so many years ago. The illustrations are simplistic and the story is rather simple as well but it is still a good book and I would recommend it.
December 31, 2018
Mr Men Marathon continues and whilst there is a real cleverness about them all this one is featuring Mr Clever! Another entertaining yarn from misterland - the land where anything is possible and it probably will happen!
October 17, 2019
(French version) I vaguely recall from primary school that this was one of the better Mr Men books, and M. Malin seems very well translated into French, but I still found it pretty lame, so lacking in story as it is. 3.25/5
August 25, 2013
Mr Clever ... actually not that clever. What a silly book.
September 10, 2012
My son's teacher apparently picked up a whole new set of the Mr and Miss books over the summer and my son is determined to read all of them, so here we go...
Read
March 29, 2013weird but the end was funny
July 9, 2013
So proud of him self just because he's clever? What a petty and what a surprise for him, he didn't imagine that there are lots of things he doesn't know.
May 15, 2020
I still enjoy this book, but can't shake the felling he should have been called Mr. Over Inflated Ego. But I guess that's not so catchy :-)
November 3, 2024
(3.5 stars)
December 30, 2016
I enjoyed this book because Mr. Clever was very clever. I also enjoyed this book because I like doing clever things.
Read
August 30, 2017Mr. Clever gets owned by all the other Mr. Men and discovers arrogance doesn't replace intelligence.
September 12, 2017
What a snob. Glad he got knocked down a peg or two.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
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