She retired from swimming after the Tokyo Paralympics in 2021 and is now juggling her studies with writing.

Her first book – Gold Medal Mysteries: Thief on the Track – is out on 13 April.

Ellie, from Northampton, was diagnosed with Perthes disease in her right hip in 2012 – a condition affecting the hip joint in children.

She went on to enjoy huge success in swimming, winning her Paralympic gold in the S6 butterfly, aged just 15, in 2016.

After that chapter ended, Ellie was aware many sports people had difficulties moving on but said she had found it fairly straightforward.

She started doing a history degree and did a lot of writing was well. “I was able to find what my next step was while I was still an athlete,” she explained. “I don’t know – I can’t say I hacked it – but I feel like my transition was incredibly smooth because I knew what that next step was, and I naturally kind of fell into it.”

It helped when a literary agent saw an interview where she spoke about her love of writing and followed up on it. In some ways, Ellie was glad to leave parts of her old life behind.

“I hated training – I couldn’t say it when I was an athlete – because it wouldn’t sound great,” she said.

“But now I have finished sport I can proudly say – I hated training and I loved competing.”

That doesn’t mean she has left the world of sport behind – her first book combines her love of history and sport in a mystery story. She hopes her book can capture the imagination of readers like her younger self.

“I wasn’t necessarily an avid reader but once I found a book that I liked I would finish it really quickly,” she said.

“I wasn’t a bookworm – the librarian at my secondary school would definitely vouch for that.”

However, Ellie said that a love of sport did not mean you could not also enjoy reading.

“It is not actually an accurate reflection of children and society nowadays – you can be both into sport and into books as well,” she said.

So perhaps the worlds of the Paralympics and literature need not be so far apart after all.

At the Bologna Children’s Book Fair, “the Old Lion publishing house” won the Bologna Prize for the Best Children’s Publisher in Europe.

“The Old Lion” publishes books for the whole family. This publisher specializes in picture books, poems, stories for children, series for teens, as well as non-fiction books for all ages.

In collaboration with the Italian Publishers Association (AIE) and the International Publishers Association (IPA), the Bologna Children’s Book Fair established the BOP – Bologna Prize for the Best Children’s Publishers of the Year. Ukrainian publisher from Lviv (western Ukraine) was recognized as one of the best publishing houses in the world, and the best in Europe for its creativity, innovation, and editorial choices.

This is the full list of the 2023 BOP winners:

Africa: Trinta zero Nove (Mozambique

Asia: Wonder House Books (India)

Caribbean, Central and South America: Editorial Amanuta (Chile)

Europe: The Old Lion (Ukraine)

North America: La courte échelle (Canada)

Oceania: Magabal Books (Australia).

Source: Euromaidan Press

People often make the mistake of making their favourite author, actor, singer or loved one into a saint, a perfect character that has no flaws, forgetting that by doing this they are dehumanising these figures, after all, every human being has faults and has committed plenty of mistakes. These flaws don’t diminish the artistic talents nor do it necessarily make us like them less.

Here are some literary figures who had a less desirable side that not many knew about:

Norman Mailer — He stabbed his wife

His daughter Elizabeth mentioned to the New York Times that her mother described him as “a monster” after his death. It was because Mailer tried killing his wife. When Adele, Mailer’s wife, said he wasn’t as brilliant a writer as Dostoyevsky, Mailer took a pocket knife and went to attack her, slashing her in the stomach area, narrowly missing her heart.

One of the guests tried to help her, but Mailer yelled, “Get away from her. Let the b— die.” Then he stormed out of the party and left her bleeding on the floor. In the end, his conscience got the best of him. Mailer went back for his wife and took her to the hospital, where they saved her life.

Charles Dickens — A terrible husband and compulsive liar

Dickens and his wife, Catherine, had 10 children together. After the woman birthed all 10 of his children he grew “bored” with her. Catherine was exhausted and obese after having too many kids, so Dickens at the age of 45 began a relationship with Ellen Ternan, an 18-year-old actress. He kept Ternan hidden in several houses so he could visit her quietly.

Dickens quickly realised he no longer wanted to be with his wife, but instead of simply divorcing her, he launched a big smear campaign against her in the press. He wrote a letter to the editor of a newspaper critiquing her care-taking skills, alleging that she didn’t really love her children which was later proved to be absolutely false. Even worse, Dickens was granted sole custody of his children and didn’t allow the children to meet their mother.

William Golding — Attempted rape of a minor when he was 18 years old

The author of Lord of the Flies William Golding started writing a memoir where he openly confessed to attempted rape. It was disclosed in 2009 that Golding had documented his attempt to rape a 15-year-old young girl Dora when he was an 18-year-old college student.

The incident happened a few years after the two initially met. Golding explained his desire for a youngster by claiming that Dora was “as attractive as an ape” at the age of 14. The following year, when Dora was 15 and they were both out on a walk, he believed the young teen was certainly interested in him and attacked her! Golding “thought” she was into his aggressive attempts. She, on the other hand, was not willing to have sex and tried to fight back.

Ezra Pound – A Fascist

Pound was obsessed with Mussolini. Even though he was American, he was so impressed by the rise of fascism in Italy that he begged Mussolini to meet him in person. Eventually, Mussolini agreed, and Pound lavished him with gifts in appreciation.

When World War II started, Pound went on the radio and ranted about how Americans needed to stay out of the fascists’ way. He openly criticised America for siding against the Third Reich and then went into long rants saying that the Jews were responsible for every war. He even wrote multiple poems about how great fascism is. His “Italian Cantos” are odes to the fascist fighting spirit, while his “Pisan Cantos” are full of rants criticising the US Army for joining the war. By that point, though, he was just complaining. The “Pisan Cantos” were written behind bars, after Italian fascism had already fallen and Pound had been locked up for treason.

Victor Hugo – Addicted To Prostitutes

The author of Les Miserables and The Hunchback of Notre-Dame was notorious for his promiscuity, soon after he got married he started having affairs with almost every woman he met, in particular prostitutes and married women. According to his favourite mistress, between 1848 and 1850 alone, Hugo slept with 200 different women. In the last four months of his life, Hugo’s diary—which he filled with lurid details of his sexual exploits—mentioned eight separate women he’d slept with. And at that point in his life, he was 83 years old. Every woman of the night in France knew him, and on the day Hugo died, the brothels of Paris all shut down so that the prostitutes could pay their respects to their most famous customers.

George Orwell – Sold His Friends Out To The Secret Service

The man who warned us about a grim future in which spies and secret police drag people away for having dangerous thoughts wasn’t exactly as staunch of a freedom-lover as he might seem. In real life, Orwell kept a secret list of people he’d met who he thought were secret communist sympathisers. Anyone he met who seemed a little too favourable to the idea of social welfare got their name jotted down on Orwell’s blacklist. And when he had enough names, he sent to the British Secret Service a little note telling them: Never trust these people. Orson Welles, Katherine Hepburn, Charlie Chaplin, and dozens of other major names showed up on Orwell’s list.

To many, George Orwell came close to being a secular saint and it wasn’t until 1996 when Foreign Office file FO 111/189 was made public under the 30-year rule, that people began to see the other contradictory side to Orwell.

The secret file revealed that in 1949 the great writer had, via his friend Celia Kirwan, given a semi-secret government propaganda unit called the Information Research Department (IRD) what became known as “Orwell’s List”.

Mary Shelley – Obsession of Her Mother’s Grave

Mary Shelley “carried her dead husband’s heart around in a jar for 30 years”. Mary and Percy Shelley’s relationship started with them making love on top of her dead mother’s grave. Apparently, the young Mary Shelley couldn’t think of any better place to lose her virginity than on top of the final resting place of the mother, who died giving birth to her. Her mother’s grave had already been the setting for a large number of her formative moments. Her father taught her to read by having her trace the letters on her mother’s tombstone.

Many authors around the world dedicated their efforts to humanitarian work and helped bring change to their communities. Here are 7 famous authors:

Sylvia Day

Japanese-American romance author Sylvia Day has received the distinction of being the number one bestseller in over 20 countries worldwide. Day has published dozens of romance novels in dozens of languages around the globe, but perhaps her biggest accomplishment is her charity work.

Day’s charitable works have a wide scope, ranging from engaging with other romance writers in her Daylight Scholarship and Romance Writers of America programs, to orphans in Ohio and overseas troops in her One Way Farm and Troops Ongoing Project charities respectively.

One of Day’s more interesting approaches to charity has her readers and fans sending her short essays describing which charities are important to them or why it is important for others to help out said charity. Day’s program, aptly named Day it Forward, has reached an eclectic group of charities including the Red Panda Network — a non-profit dedicated to eco-conservation, sustainable livelihoods, and alleviating poverty in Nepal. Day it Forward has also contributed to United for Puerto Rico, Foundation for International Medical Relief of Children, and many more since its inception in 2015.

John Green

John Green, author of the heart-wrenching tale ‘The Fault in Our Stars,’ asks his fans to tell him and his board which charities mean the most to them and allows his foundation to have some say in which charities receive donations.

The money raised for Green’s foundation goes to The Foundation to Decrease World Suck, and acts as an aggregate nonprofit, donating its proceeds to other nonprofits and charities.

Stephenie Meyer

Before they became Hollywood blockbusters, the Twilight franchise was a series of books, written by author Stephenie Meyer. Amazingly, Meyer had never published any fiction prior to writing these books. According to her, she got the idea from a dream. The movies went on to gross billions at the global box office, which in turn fuelled the sales of her books even more. Meyer has used the popularity of her books to assist charities, most notably the American Red Cross. She even released a new novella set in the same universe as the other Twilight books and donated $1 from the sale of each copy to the Red Cross.

Suzanne Collins 

Suzanne Collins books are immensely popular, with The Hunger Games spending more than 60 weeks in a row on the New York Times bestseller list. Collins also went on to become one of the bestselling authors of all time on Kindle. She has since used her wealth and influence to assist many charities. Collins, along with other celebrities, took part in the “One Million Bookprints For One Million Books.” This campaign helped children from low-income communities who are in hospitals, clinics, and health centres to receive books. Her movies have also helped to raise awareness of world hunger via partnerships between Feeding America, WFP, and Lionsgate.

JK Rowling

JK Rowling has donated £15.3 million to a medical research facility, which she helped to set up. The facility is named after the Harry Potter author’s mother, who died at the age of 45 from complications related to a condition called multiple sclerosis (MS). JK Rowling wants the money to support more research into conditions such as MS, motor neurone disease, Parkinson’s, and dementia. It isn’t her first charitable contribution though. She also founded a charity called Lumos after making it her mission to take children out of poorly-run orphanages by 2050. Harry Potter fans will notice that the charity is named after the spell used by witches and wizards to bring light to dark places.

Isabel Allende 

Isabel Allende, the prolific Chilean writer, recipient of Chile’s National Literature Prize, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama founded the Isabel Allende Foundation to pay respects to her late daughter Paula Frias.

Frias spent most of her short life volunteering in poor communities in Venezuela and Spain before her untimely death due to a rare blood disorder that Allende says “nowadays should not be fatal,” but she received negligent treatment in the hospital. After an epiphany Allende had while on a trip to India grieving for her lost daughter, she decided to create a charity devoted to helping empower women, girls, and immigrants.

James Patterson 

American author James Pattern has written dozens of crime, mystery, and young adult novels, whose publication dates have spanned many years. When he’s not writing, Patterson uses his earnings wisely to support organisations like Feed the Children.Patterson has donated more than $1.75 million to literacy programs nationwide, in partnership with the Scholastic Reading Club.

Behind Closed Doors by B A Paris

Jack and Grace make the perfect couple, much to the envy of the people who know them. She is charming and classy. He has wealth and is quite a looker. He works as an attorney who prosecutes abusers. This further makes him look like the dream husband everyone wants. Only after they are on their honeymoon in Thailand, Grace realises she has married a sociopath who will be terrorizing her for the rest of her life if she doesn’t get out of this mess soon enough. Now she is not just worried about herself but also about her sister, Millie, who Jack might torture for sadistic pleasure.

When I Hit You: Or, A Portrait Of The Writer As A Young Wife by Meena Kandasamy

Seduced by politics, poetry and an enduring dream of building a better world together, the unnamed narrator falls in love with a university professor. Moving with him to a rain-washed coastal town, she swiftly learns that what for her is a bond of love is for him a contract of ownership. As he sets about reducing her to his idealised version of an obedient wife, bullying her and devouring her ambition of being a writer in the process, she attempts to push back – a resistance he resolves to break with violence and rape.

Into The Darkest Corner by Elizabeth Haynes

This book is an intense exploration of domestic violence and how victims are left grappling with its consequences years after the abuse is technically over. The novel gets its structure in the form of diary entries and the timelines switch between the past and the present. Lee sweeps Catherine off of her feet and, considering his looks and charisma, that is not a surprise. But under the veneer of his charm lies a darker side that no one is willing to believe. His aggression and desire to control every part of Catherine’s life is truly gut-wrenching. Even years after, when her body has healed, she is still haunted by the monstrosity that was once unleashed upon her and one phone call is all it takes to throw her off track.

A Woman Is No Man by Etaf Rum

Rum’s debut novel offers us the story of a Palestinian woman married off to a man in America with the hope of a better tomorrow. When Isra married Adam she dreamt of finally receiving the love she had always been deprived of. She didn’t have the slightest clue about the future where she would be subjected to both physical and emotional abuse by Adam. Things take a turn for the worse after she gives birth to three daughters, as Adam’s family had always preferred a boy child over a girl child. Her daughter Deya is now on a quest to figure out who her mother was, the love she carried for her and her sisters, and how she actually died.

The Color Purple by Alice Walker

The classic Pulitzer Prize-winning novel that made Alice Walker a household name.

Set in the deep American South between the wars, The Color Purple is the classic tale of Celie, a young black girl born into poverty and segregation. Raped repeatedly by the man she calls ‘father’, she has two children taken away from her, is separated from her beloved sister Nettie and is trapped into an ugly marriage. But then she meets the glamorous Shug Avery, singer and magic-maker – a woman who has taken charge of her own destiny. Gradually Celie discovers the power and joy of her own spirit, freeing her from her past and reuniting her with those she loves.

Seas of Snow by Kerensa Jennings

1950s England. Five-year-old Gracie Scott lives with her Mum and next door to her best friend Billy. An only child, she has never known her Da. When her Uncle Joe moves in, his physical abuse of Gracie’s mother starts almost immediately. But when his attentions wander to Gracie, an even more sinister pattern of behaviour begins. As Gracie grows older, she finds solace and liberation in books, poetry and her enduring friendship with Billy. Together they escape into the poetic fairy-tale worlds of their imaginations.

Dark Chapter by Winnie M Li

Vivian is a cosmopolitan Taiwanese-American tourist who often escapes her busy life in London through adventure and travel. Johnny is a 15-year-old Irish teenager, living a neglected life on the margins of society. On a bright spring afternoon in West Belfast, their paths collide during a horrifying act of violence. In the aftermath, each is forced to confront the chain of events that led to the attack.

What Was Never Said by Emma Craigie

15-year-old Zahra has lived in England most of her life, but she is haunted by memories of her early childhood in Africa: the warm sun, the loud gunfire, and happy days playing with her older sister before “the visitors” came. It is hard for Zahra to make sense of everything that happened, and the terrible events are impossible to talk about, but when three familiar women arrive unexpectedly for tea, Zahra realises that the dangers of the past could still destroy her.

Revenge by Taslima Nasrin, translated by Honor Moore

Revenge is a delicious novel about getting even, from one of the most controversial and internationally acclaimed writers of her generation.

In modern Bangladesh, Jhumur marries for love and imagines life with her husband, Haroon, will continue much as it did when they were dating. But once she crosses the threshold of Haroon’s family home, Jhumur finds she is expected to be the traditional Muslim wife: head covered, eyes averted, and unable to leave the house without an escort. When she becomes pregnant, Jhumur is shocked to discover that Haroon doesn’t believe the baby is his. Overwhelmed by his mistrust, Jhumur plots her revenge in the arms of a handsome neighbour.

Author: Rania Abouzeid

Publisher: Scholastic Focus

Since the revolution-turned-civil war in Syria began in 2011, over 500,000 civilians have been killed and more than 12 million Syrians have been displaced, it’s a conflict that is beyond the understanding of adults and has divided people, yet it has been documented for teenagers to learn about Syria’s conflict. Sisters of the War by Rania Abouzeid attempts to bring the complex conflict into the Young Adults literature, as the book follows two real families on different sides of the political divide who end up in similar circumstances.

Through the stories of Ruha and Alaa and Hanin and Jawa, Abouzeid presents a clear-eyed and page-turning account of the complex conditions in Syria leading to the onset of the harrowing conflict.

Eight-year-old Hanin is at first oblivious to the conflict. Her father is certain that the early small protests will be squashed by the Syrian regime. Her family, like that of President Bashar Hafez al-Assad, belongs to the country’s Alawite religious minority, whose members support the government and hold military and security power. Nine-year-old Ruha’s acute awareness of the struggle for justice in Syria begins with a raid on her home during the peaceful uprising in 2011. Subsequently, her town gets shelled and school is no longer safe. Her community is Sunni Muslim, like the country’s majority. Lebanese Australian journalist Abouzeid illustrates the complexity of the Syrian conflict over six years while reporting on and quoting the two families. Both girls’ families suffered in unspeakable ways due to the conflict. Their stories, juxtaposed in alternating chapters, focus heavily on their identities.

While presenting powerful true stories of survival, the book could leave a distorted impression of the Syrian conflict or a rather difficult retelling of a very complicated issue.

Rania Abouzeid, one of the foremost journalists on the topic, follows two pairs of sisters from opposite sides of the conflict to give readers a first-hand glimpse of the turmoil and devastation this strife has wrought, yet the language and description of events are not that of a child, in fact reading through the book felt at times as one is reading a news report or a newspaper article. Abouzeid is an award-winning journalist yet not many can make the jump from journalism to being an author, it’s a brave and an admirable step by Abouzeid to try and teach teenagers about political conflicts and division, they are after all the future generation who can play a part in correcting the wrongs of our present time, but is the generation of Snapchat and TikTok going to be reading ‘Sisters of the War’? Possibly yes, if it is been set by their school or given as a gift, would they be engaged by it and read to the end? Sadly no, and that is because of the style it is written in, it’s a long detailed report of attacks and description of political groups, something that would not grip young readers, they need characters that they could identify with, they need stories that involves them and keeps them wanting to turn the page of the book to read more.

There were glimpses of things that did encourage the reader to keep going with the book, such as  Ruha and her sister Alaa withstanding the constant attacks by the Syrian government in rebel-held territory, while Hanin and Jawa try to carry on as normal in the police state of regime-held Syria. Young readers may well see themselves as Ruha and Hanin, but the characters were not given enough space in the book, though they are the focus of it. The girls grow up in a world where nightly bombings are routine and shrapnel counts as toys. They bear witness to arrests, killings, demolished homes, and further atrocities most adults could not even imagine. Still, war does not dampen their sense of hope.

‘Sisters of the War’ is an important but difficult read for teenagers, it is classified as Young adult non-fiction but it could have been better had it been less ‘reporting’ and more of storytelling, young people engage far more in narration of tales that they get emotionally invested in rather than newspaper reports that are often of a cold and matter of fact nature, for that reason we will give the book two stars out of five.  ‘Sisters of the War’ was published in September 2020 by Scholastic Focus.

My Mexico City Kitchen: Recipes and Convictions by Gabriela Cámara and Malena Watrous

Chef-owner of Mexico City hit Contramar and sister San Francisco restaurant Cala, Gabriela Cámara is one of Mexican cooking’s great trendsetters. This 2019 cookbook compiles 150 of her vegetable-forward, seafood-centric contemporary Mexican recipes inspired by the ingredients, flavours and flair of Mexico City.

Jubilee: Recipes from Two Centuries of African American Cooking by Toni Tipton-Martin

Having adapted the recipes of more than 300 cookbooks spanning two centuries, African-American food editor Toni Tipton-Martin created this book to document the history and global inspiration behind much of what we recognise as American food today. Presented in themes such as fritters and gumbo, the recipes give insight into the ingenuity, adaptation and inspiration at the root of each dish.

Strudel, Noodles & Dumplings by Anja Dunk

Anja Dunk developed her love for German food from a young age. Going on to make cooking her profession, she continues to champion this part of the world. Strudel, Noodles & Dumplings celebrates the ingredients that define Germany’s seasons in more than 200 recipes made for the family table.

Beyond the North Wind: Russia in Recipes and Lore by Darra Goldstein

Beyond the North Wind reveals the robust flavours of northern Russia, all the way up to the Arctic. Recipes ranging from pickles to blinis celebrate the true depth of flavour in Russian food. Vivid storytelling provides a window into the people, palate and places that have resulted in dishes such as the multi-layered fish pie known as kulebyaka.

My Korea: Traditional Flavors, Modern Recipes by Hooni Kim with Aki Kamozawa

Hooni Kim made his mark on the foodie world when his New York outpost Danji became the first Michelin-starred Korean restaurant. My Korea, introduces readers to the flavours that have become this chef’s lifelong obsession. This recipe collection lays out Korean cooking fundamentals, so you can replicate the country’s flavours in your own home.

Pasta Grannies: The Secrets of Italy’s Best Home Cooks by Vicky Bennison

What began as the popular Pasta Grannies YouTube channel has now been turned into a must-have recipe book compiling dishes championed for transcending generations. This cookbook draws on the expertise of 75 nonne, or grandmothers, from across Italy. Discover the stories of these extraordinary women while learning the secrets behind their legendary dishes.

East: 120 Vegetarian and Vegan Recipes from Bangalore to Beijing by Meera Sodha

Travel to India, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand and Japan through the vegetable-led dishes of prolific food writer Meera Sodha. This 2019 cookbook is a lesson in Asia’s diverse, flavourful and aromatic cooking, bringing modern recipes such as sweet potato momos – a speciality across the Himalayan region of south Asia – and matcha cake to your table.

The Turkish Cookbook by Musa Daĝdeviren

As one of Istanbul’s most acclaimed chefs, Daĝdeviren is the person you want to learn about Turkish cuisine from. Not only is he the man behind the iconic Çiya restaurant in the capital, but he and his wife also run a foundation that works to recover Turkish culinary heritage. It’s no surprise that this cookbook, filled with 550 recipes from every corner of Turkey, is somewhat of an encyclopedia of the country’s cuisine.

Palestine on a Plate by Joudie Kalla

This book by Palestinian-born and London-based chef Joudie Kalla explores the relationship between food and cultural identity through a journey of beautifully compelling and flavourful recipes from her motherland in memory of her mother’s kitchen. Palestine on a Plate is about identity, unity, and family, all connected by food. Kalla gives us the recipes as they are; she does not dilute or modernise them, and brings us into real Palestinian households.

Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child, Louisette Bertholle, and Simone Beck

As a native from the USA who lived in France, Julia Child wanted their cookbook to reach American home cooks with the message that only the pronunciation should be complicated but not necessarily the recipes. Definitely one of the best culinary books ever created.

Traditional Deià home, Mallorca, Spain

Situated on the west coast of Mallorca, it is a 41-minute drive to Palma and 40 minutes to Mallorca International Airport. It is a traditional Deià-style home with nine bedrooms constructed in 1860. It has a stone courtyard and comes with lemon groves and gardens. The house also offers views of Tramuntana Mountains. This was the home to the writer Robert Graves, who moved here after in 1932 and returned in 1946.

Aston Rise, Henley-on-Thames, UK

Located on the outskirts of Henley-on-Thames, it is a 25-minute drive to Windsor. A period property with five bedrooms dating to the 1890s. It includes a conservatory, roof terrace, five-acre grounds and a one-bedroom cottage in the garden. Henley-on-Thames was home to US author James Blish, who was best known for writing the Star Trek books and Cities in Flight novels.

The Importance of Being Earnest on Half Moon Street, Mayfair, London, UK

This four-bedroom, stucco-fronted townhouse was the inspiration behind Oscar Wilde’s most famous play, The Importance of Being Ernest. The bachelor pad of one of the play’s main characters, Algernon Moncrieff, a frequently used setting in the play, was based on this property for sale on Half Moon Street. Although now one of the most prestigious addresses in London, back in Wilde’s time, the area was a haven for young, artistic bohemians.

Find The Hundred Acre Wood on Mallord Street, Chelsea, London, UK

This enchanting Arts and Crafts style home is located on the same prestigious Chelsea road as the former home of Winnie-the-Pooh creator, A. A. Milne, who lived there with his family for over 20 years. Mallord Street was not only where the real-life Christopher Robin (A. A. Milne’s son) was born and grew up, but where Winnie-the-Pooh made his first appearance in a collection of children’s poems, When We Were Very Young, published in 1924.

Stanbury, West Yorkshire, UK

Ponden Hall, an award-winning B&B, may have been the inspiration for Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights. Supposedly, the Brontë sisters spent time at the house, which was owned by family friends. According to locals, the tiny single-paned window is where Cathy furiously scratched at the glass in the east wing, which dates back to 1541.

Norwich, Norfolk, UK

A duo of apartment blocks, named after the authors Anna Sewell and Sir Philip Pullman, are springing up in central Norwich. The complex is on the site of the former printworks where Sewell’s classic Black Beauty was printed just five months before the author died. Fantasy writer Pullman, whose works include the trilogy His Dark Materials, was born in the city and is a life-long Norwich City fan. He inspires the second block. Both, in St James Quay, will deliver one- and two-bedroom apartments and two- and three-bedroom penthouses.

To celebrate this milestone, the UK’s Channel 4 has commissioned a new documentary to take a look into the rich 50-year history of the beloved brand. Entitled 50 Years of the Mr. Men, it will be presented by super fan, writer, comedian and presenter, Matt Lucas. The new programme will chart the history of Hargreaves’ colourful and fun little characters who changed the publishing industry forever. It will explore how the books found their way into the hearts and became bedtime story staples for a generation of children around the world.

Created in 1971 by Roger Hargreaves, after he was asked a question posed by his then eight-year-old son ‘what does a tickle look like?’ the Mr Men Little Miss books have become some of the most culturally significant titles of all time, as a cast of characters to have changed the face of global publishing forever.

Channel 4 will take a dive into the history of Mr. Men and Little Miss during the past 50 Years of the Mr. Men charts rise and rise of the colourful characters.

Meanwhile, to celebrate the milestone 50th birthday, the book’s now an author and illustrator Adam Hargreaves will be creating five prototype characters to be put to a public vote. The two most popular will be announced when the programme airs, before becoming the latest members of the Mr. Men Little Miss universe this September.

The feature will also explore significant moments in the Hargreaves’ family story, and the many artists and collaborators, child psychologists, marketing gurus, collectors and super-fans from the worlds of fashion, music and the arts that have each played their role in the global appeal of the Mr. Men Little Miss brand. In parallel, behind the scenes, the program will reveal the secret world of the artistic process; what it takes to brainstorm, draw, write and animate new Mr. Men and Little Miss characters for today’s world, as well as help launch the global competition to find the two newest characters, introducing them to new generations of children and parents across the world. Voting is now open globally for fans to have their say via the mrmen.com

In the theme of celebrating “50 years of fun” with the Mr. Men and Little Miss characters, coins are being released for sale by the Royal Mint. The Mr. Men Little Miss commemorative coin collection features Mr. Happy, Little Miss Sunshine, and Little Miss Giggles with Mr. Strong.

All three coin designs have been created by Adam Hargreaves to celebrate the characters’ 50th anniversary. The first coin being launched in the series will feature Mr. Happy.

Uncirculated versions of the coins feature the latest colour printing techniques showcasing the characters in vivid color. Prices for the coins, being made available on the Royal Mint’s website start at £13 for an uncirculated £5 denomination coin, or £22.50 for a colour version. A one-ounce gold proof coin in a denomination of £100 is being made available for £2,370.

The Royal Mint will also be hiding 50 “golden Mr. Tickle tickets” among all three of the colour uncirculated commemorative coins. Customers finding golden Mr Tickle tickets will be entitled to Mr. Men and Little Miss prize bundles.

Romeo and Juliet, Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

One that has to be present in this list because for the past several hundred years Shakespeare’s tale of the two most famous star-crossed lovers, Romeo and Juliet – are probably the most famous lovers in literature and beyond, even though the pair met a desperate end. Shakespeare knew that nothing strengthened the passion of young love like breaking a few rules and so he created a couple from warring families the Montagues (Romeo) and the Capulets (Juliet). Murders, marriage and eventually mutual suicide in the throes of grief see that Shakespeare’s most famous love story is also one of his saddest.

Their love story is so legendary that they have become almost synonymous to love. Yet we can’t really call what they feel towards each other, love, it is more of an infatuation or teenage crush that attracted them to each other, lets not forget that Romeo’s heart was all set on another girl only to suddenly fall in love with Juliet. They say what is forbidden is desired and that certainly to be the case of Romeo and Juliet, had their parents approved, would they still have carried on the same path? Yet regardless of this reservation, the fact remains, lovers may come and lovers may go but none will be quite as enigmatic as Romeo and Juliet.

Jay Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Love here is based on obsession, Gatsby is obsessed with Daisy. Their story is one of the most tragic love stories of modern times. The most heartbreaking aspect of their story is that their relationship is symbolic of modern-day relationships, marred with ambition, selfishness and distrust.  Jay Gatsby attempts to win back his old flame, Daisy, with flashy parties and panache.

Daisy’s marriage presents a weighty obstacle, but Gatsby fervently persists. Reviving Daisy’s attentions are his sole purpose, and his entire existence is constructed around regaining her affections. However, his schemes are soon discovered and immediately extinguished by Daisy’s bullish husband. In a final tribute to his love, Gatsby gallantly protects Daisy from a disastrous incident, which ultimately leads to his own demise. Gatsby might have been obsessed on gaining what he regarded as his own ‘right’ but his we can’t doubt his love for Daisy as his selfless action shows at the end.

Nick and Amy, Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Amy Dunne begins her relationship with Nick by being everything she thinks he could possibly want, and thus never being herself; after Nick moves the couple far from Amy’s friends and family, strays from their marriage, Amy stops focusing on controlling her own behaviour and switches over to controlling and manipulating Nick in her quest to finally secure a marriage on her own terms. Nick and Amy Dunne are such a fascinating couple because they’re just so toxic. Their relationship is what makes the book unforgettable. We can’t deny such complicated and toxic relationships do exist and the reason we have included this book is to show not all lovers are honest and kind, lovers can’t manipulative and selfish too.

Scarlett O’Hara and Rhett Butler, Gone with the Wind, by Margaret Mitchell

Scarlett O’Hara has a wealth of admirers but her one true love is Rhett Butler, a war hero who eventually ends up as Scarlett’s third husband. Although we never really find out whether the couple will end up happy together, their love story of will they or won’t they has gripped readers for years. Set in the backdrop of American Civil War, Margaret Mitchell’s novel is one of a kind. Even though the novel focuses on Scarlett’s resilience, her tumultuous relationship with Rhett forms the core of the novel. They are not the typical dreamy couple; they are raw and passionate and one of the most iconic couples.

Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Jane Austen gave us literature’s most unforgettable duo since Romeo and Juliet. A classic love story centred around the witty, independent Elizabeth Bennet who resists caving to the social expectations of marriage in Georgian England whilst assisting her sisters with their own love lives. That all changes when a rich neighbour called Mr. Bingley moves into town, bringing with him the dashing-yet-irritable Mr. Darcy. Every love story cliche can be traced back to Elizabeth and Darcy’s story. It all begins when the headstrong and independent Elizabeth and the snobby and aristocratic Darcy first meet and hate each other with a vengeance.

Cathy and Heathcliff – Wuthering Heights, by Emily Bronte

The mutual obsession is out of control here. “My love for Heathcliff resembles the eternal rocks beneath: a source of little visible delight, but necessary,” Catherine says. “Nelly, I am Heathcliff! He’s always, always in my mind: not as a pleasure, but as my own being. So don’t talk of our separation again: it is impracticable.” When he loses Catherine for good, Heathcliff becomes pretty evil, seeking to destroy anyone who has crossed him and prevented him from being with his One True Love. For her part, after her death, Catherine haunts Heathcliff until the bitter end.  They are another iconic couples for their tumultuous love story where the hot-headed Cathy and vindictive Heathcliff wreak havoc amongst their families as they indulge in a relationship of dark, twisted passion that eventually ends in tragedy.

Cathy and Heathcliff grew up together. She is the aristocratic woman and he is an orphan and they both are separated by their class. Their love is consumed by his hatred for the man she eventually marries. He is the rejected hero and she the heroine at fault. Even though their story ends disastrously, they are the only ones who come close to the realistic portrayal of love with all its elements; passion, grief and jealousy.

Jane and Mr. Rochester – Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

In Charlotte Bronte’s famous tale, friendless characters find a cure for loneliness in each other’s company. Jane is an abused orphan employed as a governess to the charge of an abrasive, but very rich Edward Rochester. The improbable pair grow close as Rochester reveals a tender heart beneath his gruff exterior. He does not, however, reveal his penchant for polygamy — on their wedding day, a horrified Jane discovers he is already married. Heartbroken, Jane runs away, but later returns after a dreadful fire has destroyed Rochester’s mansion, killed his wife, and left him blind. Love triumphs, and the two reunite.

Florentino Ariza and Fermina Daza, Love In The Time Of Cholera by Gabriel García Márquez

This novel revolves around Florentino and Fermina who fall in love when they are young. Fermina’s father is not accepting of the relationship and unsuccessfully forces her to leave him. When she refuses, the father moves the entire family to another city. It only strengthens their love. Florentino’s love for Fermina is symbolic of his dedication, which is eventually rewarded many, many years later.

Hamlet and Ophelia, Hamlet by William Shakespeare

Considered to be one of the best plays of Shakespeare, Hamlet focuses on the psychologically scarred Hamlet whose father was killed by his uncle Claudius. Throughout the entire play the one person who stays unquestionably loyal to Hamlet is Ophelia. But a tormented Hamlet fails to see that. Her father’s death and Hamlet’s behaviour makes her insane and she drowns in the end. Even though it ends tragically, Hamlet and Ophelia make it to this list because of their unusual love-loyalty equation and because they leave the readers with a sense of “what if?”

Bridget Jones and Mark Darcy, Bridget Jones’ Diary by Helen Fielding

She is everyone’s favourite goof and he is the stuck-up awkward guy, misunderstood by almost everyone. But what is a little misunderstanding when it comes to love? Jones and Darcy make the unlikeliest of couples and are as adorable as they come.

Mr. Rochester and Antoinette, Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys.

Mr. Rochester, Antoinette’s young husband, narrates more than a third of the novel, telling, in his own words, the story of Antoinette’s mental downfall. His arrival in Jamaica and his arranged marriage to Antoinette is prefigured in the first part of the novel by the appearance of Mr. Mason, another English aristocrat seeking his fortune through a Creole heiress. He is the nameless creator and, as a white man, his authority and privilege allow him to confer identity on others. For instance, he decides to rename his wife, calling her “Bertha” in an attempt to distance her from her lunatic mother, whose full name was Antoinette. Later, he takes away Antoinette’s voice along with her name, refusing to listen to her side of the story.

Rochester’s narration in Part Two reveals that he and his estranged wife are actually more similar than dissimilar. Both characters are essentially orphans, abandoned by their family members to fend for themselves. As the youngest son, Rochester legally inherits nothing from his father, who already favours the older child. Antoinette, who was persistently neglected by her mother in favour of her brother, Pierre, receives an inheritance that is tainted, at best. She is left with the burdens of a divided cultural identity, the hatred of the blacks, the contempt of the whites, and the responsibility of a dilapidated estate. Both Rochester and Antoinette struggle for some sense of place and identity, and enter the arranged marriage with apprehension and anxiety. Complex love stories are the best kind of tales and tend to stay in the reader’s memory such as Mr. Rochester and Antoinette.

Anne Shirley and Gilbert Blythe from Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery

Anne and Gilbert from Anne of Green Gables because of the true love and respect they both have for each other throughout the entire series! Also, all those delightful letters she writes to him and the sacrifices he makes so that she can fulfill her ambitions…