Nippers Leila Berg and published by Macmillan Educational in the United Kingdom from 1968 to 1983. The series deliberately featured working-class characters and settings.[ 1]
History
Berg, who contributed many titles to the series herself, explained her motivation in a letter to the Times Literary Supplement
Nippers are written in the belief that every child needs to be able to look at a book or hear a story and feel "That's me!". This is what every middle-class child has done practically since babyhood.[ 2]
The series encountered opposition, "on the grounds that children were being given what they already knew and that the vocabulary of the stories was impoverished and limiting".[ 2] Nippers became firmly established. Little Nippers , a series for younger children, followed in 1972. In the early 1970s, Berg also recruited several Black authors to write for Nippers, including Beryl Gilroy and Petronella Breinburg .[ 1] J. L. Carr , Charles Causley , Mary Cockett , Helen Cresswell , Joan Eadington , Nigel Gray , Trevor Griffiths , Geraldine Kaye , Janet McNeill , Helen Solomon and Jacqueline Wilson .
According to its publisher estimates, Nippers and Little Nippers sold over two million copies. However, in 1983 Macmillan allowed the series to go out of print.[ 1]
Books in the Nippers series
Jill Bavin, Saturday Morning . 1971. Nippers - Orange ; Level 2. Illustrated by Mary Dinsdale. ISBN 0333063414
Leila Berg , A Day Out . 1968. Nippers - Red ; Level 1. Illustrated by Ferelith Eccles Williams. ISBN 0333038614 Leila Berg, Bouncing . 1971. Nippers - Red ; Level 1. Illustrated by Margaret Belsky . ISBN 0333122496
Leila Berg, Finding a Key . 1968. Nippers - Red ; Level 1. Illustrated by Jenny Williams. ISBN 0333089855
Leila Berg, Fish and Chips for Supper . 1968. Nippers - Red ; Level 1. Illustrated by Richard Rose.
Leila Berg, Grandad’s Clock . 1976. Nippers - Red ; Level 1. Illustrated by Joan Beales. ISBN 0333180976
Leila Berg, Jimmy’s Story . 1968. Nippers - Orange ; Level 2. Illustrated by Richard Rose. ISBN 0333055144
Leila Berg, Julie’s Story . 1970. Nippers - Orange ; Level 2. Illustrated by Richard Rose. ISBN 0333092333
Leila Berg, Lesley’s Story . 1970. Nippers - Orange ; Level 2. Illustrated by Richard Rose. ISBN 0333015479
Leila Berg, Letters . 1970. Nippers - Red ; Level 1. ISBN 0333107624
Leila Berg, Paul’s Story . 1970. Nippers - Orange ; Level 2. Illustrated by Richard Rose. ISBN 0333066715
Leila Berg, Plenty of Room . 1975. Nippers - Red ; Level 1. Illustrated by Joan Beales. ISBN 0333173171
Leila Berg, Robert’s Story . 1970. Nippers - Orange ; Level 2. Illustrated by Richard Rose. ISBN 0333006380
Leila Berg, Susan’s Story . 1970. Nippers - Orange ; Level 2. Illustrated by Richard Rose. ISBN 0333032004
Leila Berg, The Jumble Sale . 1968. Nippers - Red ; Level 1. Illustrated by George Craig. ISBN 0333012992
Leila Berg, Tracy’s Story . 1972. Nippers - Orange ; Level 2. Illustrated by Richard Rose.
Marilyn Bloomfield, Rex Is Out! . 1975. Nippers - Yellow ; Level 3. Illustrated by Trevor Stubley .
Petronella Breinburg , Tiger, Paleface, and Me . 1976. Nippers - Blue ; Level 5. Illustrated by Richard Rose.Jim Buckingham, The Pop Trolley . 1971. Nippers - Blue ; Level 5. Illustrated by Charles Front . ISBN 0333122089
J. L. Carr , The Red Windcheater . 1970. Nippers - Blue ; Level 5. Illustrated by George Adamson . ISBN 0333264746 Irma Chilton , The Lamb . 1973. Nippers - Blue ; level 5. Illustrated by Dorothy Clark. ISBN 0333140869 Mary Cockett, An Armful of Sparrows . 1973. Nippers - Green ; Level 4. Illustrated by George Adamson.
Mary Cockett, Frankie’s Country Day . 1979. Nippers - Green ; Level 4. Illustrated by Mary Dinsdale. ISBN 0333264711
Mary Cockett, The Lost Money . 1968. Nippers - Blue ; Level 5. Illustrated by Mary Dinsdale. ISBN 0333079027
Mary Cockett, The Marvellous Stick . 1972. Nippers - Green ; Level 4. Illustrated by Mary Dinsdale.
Mary Cockett, The Wedding Tea . 1970. Nippers - Yellow ; Level 3. Illustrated by Mary Dinsdale.
Mary Cockett, Tufty . 1968. Illustrated by George Adamson. ISBN 0333105370
Helen Cresswell , John’s First Fish . 1970. Nippers - Blue ; Level 5. Illustrated by Prudence Seward.Ronald Deadman, The Pretenders . 1972. Nippers - Green ; Level 4. ISBN 0333130383
Joan Eadington , Come on! Get Up! . 1973. Nippers - Orange ; Level 2. Illustrated by Joan Beales. ISBN 0333140818 Joan Eadington, Conkers . 1975. Illustrated by Trevor Stubley. ISBN 0333179447
Joan Eadington, Fishing . 1975. Illustrated by Gerald Rose . ISBN 0333179439
Joan Eadington, Kickerdonkey! . Nippers - Orange ; Level 2. 1974. Illustrated by Margaret Belsky. ISBN 0333130391
Joan Eadington, The Big Dig . 1975. Nippers - Red ; Level 1. Illustrated by Ray Fishwick. ISBN 0333173066
Joan Eadington, The Terrible Rattle . 1973. Nippers - Yellow ; Level 3. Illustrated by Richard Rose. ISBN 0333140796
Joan Eadington, Thigh’s Team . 1971. Nippers - Green ; Level 4. Illustrated by Geraldine Spence. ISBN 0333122518
Beryl Gilroy , A Visitor From Home . 1973. Nippers - Green ; Level 4. Illustrated by Shyam Varma. ISBN 0333143418 Beryl Gilroy, Arthur Small . 1976. Nippers - Red ; Level 1. ISBN 0333180984
Beryl Gilroy, Knock at Mrs. Herbs’ . 1973. Nippers - Green ; Level 4. Illustrated by Shyam Varma. ISBN 0333143426
Beryl Gilroy, New People at Number 24 . 1973. Nippers - Green ; Level 4. Illustrated by Shyam Varma. ISBN 0333140877
Beryl Gilroy, New Shoes . 1976. Nippers - Green ; Level 1. Illustrated by Ferelith Eccles-Williams. ISBN 0333180992
Beryl Gilroy, No More Pets . 1975. Nippers - Yellow ; Level 3. Illustrated by Margaret Belsky. ISBN 0333173007
Beryl Gilroy, Outings for Everyone . 1975. Nippers - Yellow ; Level 3. Illustrated by Prudence Seward. ISBN 0333173015
Beryl Gilroy, Rice and Peas . 1975. Nippers - Red ; Level 1. Illustrated by Beryl Sanders. ISBN 0333172981
Beryl Gilroy, The Paper Bag . 1973. Nippers - Yellow ; Level 3. Illustrated by Shyam Varma. ISBN 0333143434
Beryl Gilroy, The Present . 1975. Nippers - Green; Level 4. Illustrated by Nicole Goodwin. ISBN 0333173023
Trevor Griffiths , Tip’s Lot . 1972. Nippers - Blue ; Level 5. Illustrated by George Adamson. ISBN 0333130480 Margaret Heseltine, Bri's Accident . 1973. Nippers - Blue ; Level 5. Illustrated by Prudence Seward. ISBN 0333130537
Geraldine Kaye, Bonfire Night . 1968. Nippers - Blue ; Level 5. Illustrated by George Adamson. ISBN 0333105451
Geraldine Kaye, Christmas is a Baby . 1975. Nippers - Yellow ; Level 3. Illustrated by Richard Butler. ISBN 0333173058
Geraldine Kaye, Eight Days to Christmas . 1970. Nippers - Blue ; Level 5. Illustrated by Shirley Hughes . ISBN 0333235312
Geraldine Kaye, Ginger . 1972. Nippers - Orange ; Level 2. Illustrated by Shirley Hughes. ISBN 0333031741
Geraldine Kaye, In the Park . 1970. Nippers - Yellow ; Level 3.
Geraldine Kaye, Pegs and Flowers . 1975. Nippers - Red ; Level 1. Illustrated by Richard Butler. ISBN 0333173031
Geraldine Kaye, The Rainbow Shirt . 1970. Nippers - Yellow ; Level 3. Illustrated by Lynette Hemmant .
Janet McNeill , Growlings . 1975. ISBN 0333172418 Janet McNeill, It's Snowing Outside . 1968. Nippers - Yellow ; Level 3. Illustrated by Carol Barker. ISBN 0333264703
Janet McNeill, Look Who’s Here . 1976. Nippers - Red ; level 1. Illustrated by Gerald Rose. ISBN 0333235428
Janet McNeill, The Day Mum Came Home . 1976. Nippers - Red ; Level 1. Illustrated by Prudence Seward. ISBN 0333182200
Janet McNeill, The Day They Lost Grandad . 1968. Nippers - Yellow ; Level 3. Illustrated by Julius. ISBN 0333235339
Janet McNeill, The Family Upstairs . 1973. Nippers - Blue ; Level 5. Illustrated by Trevor Stubley. ISBN 0333140826
Janet McNeill, The Nest Spotters . 1972. Nippers - Yellow ; Level 3. Illustrated by Geraldine Spence.
Richard Parker, Lost in a Shop . 1968. Nippers - Orange ; Level 2. Illustrated by Carol Barker. ISBN 0333056396
Richard Parker, Me and My Boots . 1971. Nippers - Blue; Level 5. Illustrated by George Adamson. ISBN 0333007638
Barbara Paterson, The Boy in the Park . 1972. Nippers - Orange ; Level 2. Illustrated by Gareth Floyd. ISBN 0333130545
Peter Pickering, Uncle Norman . 1968. Nippers - Green ; Level 4. Illustrated by Julius.
Denise Robertson, The New Bath . 1970. Nippers - Green ; Level 4.
Denise Robertson, The New Car . 1972. Nippers - Green; Level 4. Illustrated by John Dyke. ISBN 0333131584
Denise Robertson, The New Pet . 1973. Nippers - Green; Level 4. Illustrated by John Dyke. ISBN 0333140761
Rachel Scott, The School Trip . 1976. Nippers - Red; Level 1. Illustrated by Nicole Goodwin. ISBN 0333181026
Christine Thompson, The Play . 1973. Nippers - Orange ; Level 2. Illustrated by Prudence Seward. ISBN 0333143450
Nancy Tuft, Scruff’s New Home . 1970. Nippers - Green ; Level 4. Illustrated by Prudence Seward.
Jacqueline Wilson , Ricky’s Birthday . Nippers - Orange ; Level 2. Illustrated by Margaret Belsky. ISBN 0333143469
Books in the Little Nippers series
Leila Berg, The Doctor . 1972. Little Nippers Book 8. Illustrated by Biro . ISBN 0333131282
Leila Berg, Doing the Pools . 1972. Little Nippers Book 2. Illustrated by Richard Rose. ISBN 0333131266
Leila Berg, Hospital Day . 1972. Illustrated by Shirley Hughes. ISBN 0333131274
Leila Berg, Knitting . 1972. Illustrated by George Him. ISBN 0333131223
Leila Berg, My Brother . 1972. Illustrated by Linda Birch. Little Nippers Book 6. ISBN 0333131231
Leila Berg, Put the Kettle On! . 1972. Illustrated by John Dyke. Little Nippers Book 4. ISBN 0333131258
Leila Berg, That Baby! . 1972. Little Nippers Book 1. Illustrated by Margaret Belsky. ISBN 0333131290
Leila Berg, Well I Never! . 1972. Little Nippers Book 3. Illustrated by George Him . ISBN 0333131304
Leila Berg, A Band in School . 1975. Illustrated by John Dyke. ISBN 0333179420
Charles Causley , When Dad Felt Bad . 1975. Illustrated by Richard Rose. ISBN 0333172116 Beryl Gilroy, In Bed . 1975. Illustrated by Robert Hales. ISBN 0333179498
Beryl Gilroy, Bubu's Street . 1975. Illustrated by George Him. ISBN 0333179498
Beryl Gilroy, Once Upon A Time . 1975. Illustrated by Joan Beales. ISBN 0333179471
Nigel Gray , My Cat . 1975. Illustrated by Terry Reid. ISBN 0333187415 Helen Keenan, My Tooth . 1975. Illustrated by Richard Rose. ISBN 0333179501
Janet McNeill, My Auntie . 1975. Illustrated by Janet McNeill. ISBN 0333172426
Janet McNeill, Go On, Then . 1975. Illustrated by Terry Reid. ISBN 0333172434
Helen Solomon, A Present from the Seaside . 1972. Nippers- Blue; Level 5. Illustrated by John Dyke. ISBN 0333130456
Helen Solomon, Billy Finds a Pigeon . 1971. Nippers - Blue ; Level 5. Illustrated by John Dyke. ISBN 0333122488
Helen Solomon, Dad’s Pie . 1976. Nippers - Red ; Level 1. ISBN 0333181018
Helen Solomon, Gran’s Glasses . 1976. Nippers - Red ; Level 1. Illustrated by Richard Rose. ISBN 0333185293
Helen Solomon, The Jazz Band . 1972. Nippers - Green; Level 4. Illustrated by Val Biro .
References
^ a b c Karen Sands-O'Connor (2017). "Leila Berg and Nippers". Children's Publishing and Black Britain, 1965-2015 . Springer. pp. 26–52, 88. ^ a b Linda Newbery; Yvonne Coppard (2013). Writing Children's Fiction: A Writers' and Artists' Companion . A & C Black. p. 50.
External links