Uh-oh. Mr Clever and Little Miss Curious are in trouble again.

For one of their adventures in the Mr Men series of books has been deemed sexist by a furious she-student with a degree in women's studies.

University of Glasgow PhD student Shelby Judge insisted this week that a storyline in which Mr Clever discussed Scotland's Forth Bridge with Little Miss Curious, was deeply sexist.

Why? Because the female character is portrayed as a bit of a dimwit, while the male character is a know-all who sighs with impatience at her ignorance.

Student Shelby Judge, 24, has accused Mr Clever of 'mansplaining' to Little Miss Curious (shown together) after he told her about the Forth Bridge in Scotland

He should be renamed Mr Mansplain, suggests 24-year-old Miss Judge (no pun intended).

'The Mr Men books are intended for children and it's telling them, "girls, you need to be stupid and men, it's your job to explain things,"' she adds.

This seems rather unfair, as inanity seems equally shared between the sexes in the popular books.

For example, Mr Silly can't even eat a boiled egg properly (shell and all, idiot) while Mr Bump is always saying 'oh poopity poop' as he walks into walls.

And when asked what was made of bacon and had pink ears, Mr Dizzy replied: 'A mouse?' What a chump.

If Little Miss Judge is concerned about Little Miss Curious, heaven forbid she should come across Little Miss Hug with her 'extra special arms' that fit perfectly around whoever she is hugging. There's always one at every party, isn't there? And it's usually me.

However, this is not the first time that the much-loved Mr Men books, written by the late Roger Hargreaves, have been in trouble.

Last year a study by the British Psychological Society condemned the books as sexist.

The female characters say less than the men, it was claimed, and have to be rescued more often.

The Mr Men books were first published in 1971, but it was ten years later before the girls first made an appearance in their own Little Miss books.

Selling in their millions and beautifully illustrated, they were a charming way to introduce children to the wonders of the world and the foibles of humanity.

It seems unfair to judge their innocent past against the febrile sexual politics of today.

Some insist the Mr Men books enforce antiquated gender roles, and perhaps it is true that they could not be published anew.

And now this latest furore. Little Miss Judge, who is now studying English Literature and no doubt combing Shakespeare's works for gender-based micro-aggressions, said she would welcome the introduction of 'Mr Mansplain' as a satirical character in the Mr Men universe.

'I would actually really like Mr Mansplain to be a character if, of course, he was mocked for his condescending manner.'

And so, in this special parody for your entertainment, it shall be.

Meet Mr Mansplain and his ever-so modern chum, Little Miss Woke...

Mr Mansplain and Little Miss Woke are friends.

Mr Mansplain is always telling Miss Woke things she already knows.

Miss Woke is always telling Mr Mansplain where he is going wrong.

Does that sound familiar, children? Often this type of relationship is called 'a marriage'.

Not in this case. 'I wouldn't marry you if you were the last girl in the world,' cries Mr Mansplain.

Miss Woke says: 'To marry is to condone the historical abuses perpetrated in its name. There is no place for such patriarchal enslavement today.'

Today, the friends visit a museum.

'Look. There is a display of fossils,' says Mr Mansplain.

'I know,' says Miss Woke. 'I did my PhD on Finding the Feminist Backbone in Vertebrate Palaeontology.

'The special thing about them is...'

'Let me interrupt your obvious expertise with my misplaced manly confidence that I still know best,' began Mr Mansplain.

'Fossils are the preserved remains of animals and plants. And fossils are fossilised by a process known as fossilisation.'

'You don't say,' says Little Miss Woke, who looked even angrier than usual.

Time for lunch! Mr Mansplain is hungry but Little Miss Woke has lost her appetite. No wonder. The silly-billy has booked a table in a steakhouse, completely forgetting she is vegetarian.

'Vegan, actually,' she huffs. 'I mean, like, what am I even doing here? This is not my aesthetic.'

'Vegetarians are less healthy than meat-eaters and have a lower quality of life,' Mr Mansplain says, tucking into a steak. 'Meat eaters are the biggest environmental hazard facing the planet,' replies Miss Woke.

Mr Mansplain urges her to have a salad. 'It is a dish that is meat-free,' he says.

'Really?' she cries, refusing the offer. 'I'm on a cleanse anyway.'

Mr Mansplain and Little Miss Woke visit the Forth Bridge.

'This is where all the trouble started,' she grumbles.

'I know,' says Mr Mansplain — his favourite thing to say. Miss Woke had wondered: if this was the Forth Bridge, where were the first, second and third bridges?

Mr Mansplain told her it was named after the River Forth not the number four.

To be fair to Mr Mansplain, he wasn't mansplaining at all, merely answering her question.

However, he should also have told her that 'Forth' and 'fourth' are spelt differently. (Little bit of Jansplaining for you there.)

One morning Little Miss Woke looks at herself in the mirror.

'Why am I pink?' she screams. 'And who put that ridiculous bow in my hair?'

Miss Woke feels that pink is the colour of male oppression. And it does not suit her career as a member of the WPO (Wokeland Permanently Offended).

'I am an online activist. I am a grassroots enabler. I am a community organiser,' she says. 'I believe that injustice is unbearable. Orgasms are not a gendered issue.

And diversity is for all.

'But do you know what really gets me? That 'Little' at the beginning of my name!'

Mr Mansplain is blue because he feels that he is misunderstood.

He pours himself a large whisky and settles down in his safe space — a comfy armchair — to deliver one of his lectures.

'Don't get me started on topics I know nothing about,' he begins, 'but isn't it the case that the male brain outweighs and trumps the female brain in every way?

'I mean, I don't like my name very much. But many ladies don't fully understand what mansplaining actually is.'

Polling day! Mr Mansplain and Little Miss Woke go off to vote in the Election.

Who are they voting for?

'I am voting for the PM, Mr Nonsense,' says Mr Mansplain.

'I am voting for Labour's leader Mr Muddle,' says Miss Woke.

They both think each other a fool for voting that way. And they are both right.

What an adventure. Mr Mansplain and Little Miss Woke go to Buckingham Palace to have tea with the Queen.

'Do you want to be mother?' the Queen asks Miss Woke.

'My womb is my business. I am in charge of my own reproductive rights,' she shouts at the dear old lady, who looks so startled her crown nearly falls off.

'Giving birth,' ventures Mr Mansplain, 'is not as difficult as most women make it out to be.'

Before she goes to sleep in Wokeland, Little Miss Woke is writing inspiring messages on bananas. Over in Mansplainland, Mr Mansplain rings to say goodnight to his friend.

'I'm all tucked up with my hot water bottle,' he says.

Oh dear. Trigger word!

'To say that your bottle is hot suggests that other bottles are not as attractive and unworthy of the male gaze,' Miss Woke reprimands.

'Actually, what you mean is...' he begins, but she has already hung up.

Time for bed, boys and girls!

Illustrations: Phil Argent