''Nippers'' was a children's book series for early readers established by

Leila Berg Leila Berg (12 November 1917 – 17 April 2012) was an English children's author. She was also known as a journalist and a writer on education and children's rights. Berg was a recipient of the Eleanor Farjeon Award. Biography Berg was brought u ...

and published by Macmillan Educational in the United Kingdom from 1968 to 1983. The series deliberately featured working-class characters and settings.

History

Berg, who contributed many titles to the series herself, explained her motivation in a letter to the ''

Times Literary Supplement ''The Times Literary Supplement'' (''TLS'') is a weekly literary review published in London by News UK, a subsidiary of News Corp. History The ''TLS'' first appeared in 1902 as a supplement to ''The Times'' but became a separate publication ...

'': 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". Nevertherless, ''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 Beryl Agatha Gilroy (''née'' Answick; 30 August 1924 – 4 April 2001) was a Guyanese educator, novelist, ethno-psychotherapist, and poet. ''The Guardian'' described her as "one of Britain's most significant post-war Caribbean migrants." She emi ...

and Petronella Breinburg. Other contributors included

J. L. Carr Joseph Lloyd Carr (20 May 1912 – 26 February 1994), who called himself "Jim" or "James", was an English novelist, publisher, teacher and eccentric. Biography Carr was born in Carlton Miniott in the North Riding of Yorkshire, next to Thirsk ...

Charles Causley Charles Stanley Causley CBE FRSL (24 August 1917 – 4 November 2003) was a British poet, school teacher and writer. His work is often noted for its simplicity and directness as well as its associations with folklore, legends and magic, especi ...

, Mary Cockett,

Helen Cresswell Helen Cresswell (11 July 1934 – 26 September 2005) was an English television scriptwriter and author of more than 100 children's books, best known for comedy and supernatural fiction. Her most popular book series, ''Lizzie Dripping'' and ''The ...

Joan Eadington Joan Eadington (born 1926), also known by the pen name Joan Eadith, is a British author best known for her books for children. Eadington lived in Middlesbrough and several of her books are set there.''Who is Jonny Briggs'', "Books for Young Child ...

Nigel Gray Nigel Gray (1947 – 30 July 2016) was an English record producer. His album credits include ''Outlandos d'Amour'' (1978), ''Reggatta de Blanc'' (1979), and ''Zenyatta Mondatta'' (1980) for the Police, ''Kaleidoscope'' (1980) and '' Juju'' (1981) ...

Trevor Griffiths Trevor (Trefor (disambiguation), Trefor in the Welsh language) is a common given name or surname of Welsh language, Welsh origin. It is an habitational name, deriving from the Welsh ''tre(f)'', meaning "homestead", or "settlement" and ''fawr'', ...

, Geraldine Kaye,

Janet McNeill Janet McNeill (14 September 1907 – October 1994) was a prolific Irish novelist and playwright. Author of more than 20 children's books, as well as adult novels, plays, and two opera libretti, she was best known for her children's comic fantas ...

, Helen Solomon and

Jacqueline Wilson Dame Jacqueline Wilson (née Aitken; born 17 December 1945) is an English novelist known for her popular children's literature. Her novels have been notable for featuring realistic topics such as adoption and divorce without alienating her lar ...

. 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.

Books in the ''Nippers'' series

* Jill Bavin, ''Saturday Morning''. 1971. Nippers - Orange ; Level 2. Illustrated by Mary Dinsdale. *

, ''A Day Out''. 1968. Nippers - Red ; Level 1. Illustrated by Ferelith Eccles Williams. * Leila Berg, ''Bouncing''. 1971. Nippers - Red ; Level 1. Illustrated by

Margaret Belsky Margaret Constance Belsky ''née'' Owen, better known by her pen name Belsky, (20 June 1919 – 26 January 1989), was a British cartoonist and illustrator. Belsky was born on 20 June 1919 in Wareham, Dorset to Albert Edward Owen and Margaret Con ...

. * Leila Berg, ''Finding a Key''. 1968. Nippers - Red ; Level 1. Illustrated by Jenny Williams. * 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. * Leila Berg, ''Jimmy’s Story''. 1968. Nippers - Orange ; Level 2. Illustrated by Richard Rose. * Leila Berg, ''Julie’s Story''. 1970. Nippers - Orange ; Level 2. Illustrated by Richard Rose. * Leila Berg, ''Lesley’s Story''. 1970. Nippers - Orange ; Level 2. Illustrated by Richard Rose. * Leila Berg, ''Letters''. 1970. Nippers - Red ; Level 1. * Leila Berg, ''Paul’s Story''. 1970. Nippers - Orange ; Level 2. Illustrated by Richard Rose. * Leila Berg, ''Plenty of Room''. 1975. Nippers - Red ; Level 1. Illustrated by Joan Beales. * Leila Berg, ''Robert’s Story''. 1970. Nippers - Orange ; Level 2. Illustrated by Richard Rose. * Leila Berg, ''Susan’s Story''. 1970. Nippers - Orange ; Level 2. Illustrated by Richard Rose. * Leila Berg, ''The Jumble Sale''. 1968. Nippers - Red ; Level 1. Illustrated by George Craig. * 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 __NOTOC__ Trevor Stubley RP RBA RSW RWS (27 March 1932 – 8 January 2010) was a Yorkshire portrait and landscape painter, and illustrator. Stubley was born in Leeds and received art training at Leeds College of Art, and in 1953 at Edin ...

. * 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 Charles Front is a British illustrator, best known for designing the lettering on the 1965 Beatles album ''Rubber Soul''. He has illustrated several books, including ''A Child's Bible'', ''Never Say Macbeth'', ''The Great White Whale'', ''The L ...

. *

, ''The Red Windcheater''. 1970. Nippers - Blue ; Level 5. Illustrated by

George Adamson George Alexander Graham Adamson MBE (3 February 1906 – 20 August 1989), also known as the ''Baba ya Simba'' ("Father of Lions" in Swahili), was a Kenyan wildlife conservationist and author. He and his wife, Joy, were depicted in the film ''B ...

. *

Irma Chilton Irma Chilton (born Mair Elizabeth Irma Evans, 12 November 1930 – 1990), also known as I. M. Chilton, was a Welsh children's writer in the English and Welsh languages. She was a recipient of the Tir na n-Og Award presented by the Welsh Books Cou ...

, ''The Lamb''. 1973. Nippers - Blue ; level 5. Illustrated by Dorothy Clark. * 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. * Mary Cockett, ''The Lost Money''. 1968. Nippers - Blue ; Level 5. Illustrated by Mary Dinsdale. * 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. *

, ''John’s First Fish''. 1970. Nippers - Blue ; Level 5. Illustrated by Prudence Seward. * Ronald Deadman, ''The Pretenders''. 1972. Nippers - Green ; Level 4. *

, ''Come on! Get Up!''. 1973. Nippers - Orange ; Level 2. Illustrated by Joan Beales. * Joan Eadington, ''Conkers''. 1975. Illustrated by Trevor Stubley. * Joan Eadington, ''Fishing''. 1975. Illustrated by

Gerald Rose Gerald Hembdon Seymour Rose (born 1935) is a British illustrator of children's books. He won the 1960 Kate Greenaway Medal from the Library Association, recognising the year's best children's book illustration by a British subject, for ''Old Win ...

. * Joan Eadington, ''Kickerdonkey!''. Nippers - Orange ; Level 2. 1974. Illustrated by Margaret Belsky. * Joan Eadington, ''The Big Dig''. 1975. Nippers - Red ; Level 1. Illustrated by Ray Fishwick. * Joan Eadington, ''The Terrible Rattle''. 1973. Nippers - Yellow ; Level 3. Illustrated by Richard Rose. * Joan Eadington, ''Thigh’s Team''. 1971. Nippers - Green ; Level 4. Illustrated by Geraldine Spence. *

, ''A Visitor From Home''. 1973. Nippers - Green ; Level 4. Illustrated by Shyam Varma. * Beryl Gilroy, ''Arthur Small''. 1976. Nippers - Red ; Level 1. * Beryl Gilroy, ''Knock at Mrs. Herbs’''. 1973. Nippers - Green ; Level 4. Illustrated by Shyam Varma. * Beryl Gilroy, ''New People at Number 24''. 1973. Nippers - Green ; Level 4. Illustrated by Shyam Varma. * Beryl Gilroy, ''New Shoes''. 1976. Nippers - Green ; Level 1. Illustrated by Ferelith Eccles-Williams. * Beryl Gilroy, ''No More Pets''. 1975. Nippers - Yellow ; Level 3. Illustrated by Margaret Belsky. * Beryl Gilroy, ''Outings for Everyone''. 1975. Nippers - Yellow ; Level 3. Illustrated by Prudence Seward. * Beryl Gilroy, ''Rice and Peas ''. 1975. Nippers - Red ; Level 1. Illustrated by Beryl Sanders. * Beryl Gilroy, ''The Paper Bag''. 1973. Nippers - Yellow ; Level 3. Illustrated by Shyam Varma. * Beryl Gilroy, ''The Present''. 1975. Nippers - Green; Level 4. Illustrated by Nicole Goodwin. *

, ''Tip’s Lot''. 1972. Nippers - Blue ; Level 5. Illustrated by George Adamson. * Margaret Heseltine, ''Bri's Accident''. 1973. Nippers - Blue ; Level 5. Illustrated by Prudence Seward. * Geraldine Kaye, ''Bonfire Night''. 1968. Nippers - Blue ; Level 5. Illustrated by George Adamson. * Geraldine Kaye, ''Christmas is a Baby''. 1975. Nippers - Yellow ; Level 3. Illustrated by Richard Butler. * Geraldine Kaye, ''Eight Days to Christmas''. 1970. Nippers - Blue ; Level 5. Illustrated by

Shirley Hughes Winifred Shirley Hughes (16 July 1927 – 25 February 2022) was an English author and illustrator. She wrote more than fifty books, which have sold more than 11.5 million copies, and illustrated more than two hundred. As of 2007, she lived i ...

. * Geraldine Kaye, ''Ginger''. 1972. Nippers - Orange ; Level 2. Illustrated by Shirley Hughes. * Geraldine Kaye, ''In the Park''. 1970. Nippers - Yellow ; Level 3. * Geraldine Kaye, ''Pegs and Flowers''. 1975. Nippers - Red ; Level 1. Illustrated by Richard Butler. * Geraldine Kaye, ''The Rainbow Shirt''. 1970. Nippers - Yellow ; Level 3. Illustrated by

Lynette Hemmant Lynette Hemmant was born in London, grew up in South Wales, Australia and the Home Counties. She went to St Martin’s School of Art before her sixteenth birthday, graduated in 1958 and started working as an illustrator of children’s books for ...

. *

, ''Growlings''. 1975. * Janet McNeill, ''It's Snowing Outside''. 1968. Nippers - Yellow ; Level 3. Illustrated by Carol Barker. * Janet McNeill, ''Look Who’s Here''. 1976. Nippers - Red ; level 1. Illustrated by Gerald Rose. * Janet McNeill, ''The Day Mum Came Home''. 1976. Nippers - Red ; Level 1. Illustrated by Prudence Seward. * Janet McNeill, ''The Day They Lost Grandad''. 1968. Nippers - Yellow ; Level 3. Illustrated by Julius. * Janet McNeill, ''The Family Upstairs''. 1973. Nippers - Blue ; Level 5. Illustrated by Trevor Stubley. * 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. * Richard Parker, ''Me and My Boots''. 1971. Nippers - Blue; Level 5. Illustrated by George Adamson. * Barbara Paterson, ''The Boy in the Park''. 1972. Nippers - Orange ; Level 2. Illustrated by Gareth Floyd. * 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. * Denise Robertson, ''The New Pet''. 1973. Nippers - Green; Level 4. Illustrated by John Dyke. * Rachel Scott, ''The School Trip''. 1976. Nippers - Red; Level 1. Illustrated by Nicole Goodwin. * Christine Thompson, ''The Play''. 1973. Nippers - Orange ; Level 2. Illustrated by Prudence Seward. * Nancy Tuft, ''Scruff’s New Home''. 1970. Nippers - Green ; Level 4. Illustrated by Prudence Seward. *

, ''Ricky’s Birthday''. Nippers - Orange ; Level 2. Illustrated by Margaret Belsky.

Books in the ''Little Nippers'' series

* Leila Berg, ''The Doctor''. 1972. Little Nippers Book 8. Illustrated by

Biro A ballpoint pen, also known as a biro (British English), ball pen (Hong Kong, Indian and Philippine English), or dot pen ( Nepali) is a pen that dispenses ink (usually in paste form) over a metal ball at its point, i.e. over a "ball point". ...

. * Leila Berg, ''Doing the Pools''. 1972. Little Nippers Book 2. Illustrated by Richard Rose. * Leila Berg, ''Hospital Day''. 1972. Illustrated by Shirley Hughes. * Leila Berg, ''Knitting''. 1972. Illustrated by George Him. * Leila Berg, ''My Brother''. 1972. Illustrated by Linda Birch. Little Nippers Book 6. * Leila Berg, ''Put the Kettle On!''. 1972. Illustrated by John Dyke. Little Nippers Book 4. * Leila Berg, ''That Baby!''. 1972. Little Nippers Book 1. Illustrated by Margaret Belsky. * Leila Berg, ''Well I Never!''. 1972. Little Nippers Book 3. Illustrated by

George Him George Him (4 August 1900 – 4 April 1982) was a Polish born British designer responsible for a number of notable posters, book illustrations and advertising campaigns for a wide range of clients. Biography Him was born Jerzy Himmelfarb in 190 ...

. * Leila Berg, ''A Band in School''. 1975. Illustrated by John Dyke. *

, ''When Dad Felt Bad''. 1975. Illustrated by Richard Rose. * Beryl Gilroy, ''In Bed''. 1975. Illustrated by Robert Hales. * Beryl Gilroy, ''Bubu's Street''. 1975. Illustrated by George Him. * Beryl Gilroy, ''Once Upon A Time''. 1975. Illustrated by Joan Beales. *

, ''My Cat''. 1975. Illustrated by Terry Reid. * Helen Keenan, ''My Tooth''. 1975. Illustrated by Richard Rose. * Janet McNeill, ''My Auntie''. 1975. Illustrated by Janet McNeill. * Janet McNeill, ''Go On, Then''. 1975. Illustrated by Terry Reid. * Helen Solomon, ''A Present from the Seaside''. 1972. Nippers- Blue; Level 5. Illustrated by John Dyke. * Helen Solomon, ''Billy Finds a Pigeon''. 1971. Nippers - Blue ; Level 5. Illustrated by John Dyke. * Helen Solomon, ''Dad’s Pie''. 1976. Nippers - Red ; Level 1. * Helen Solomon, ''Gran’s Glasses''. 1976. Nippers - Red ; Level 1. Illustrated by Richard Rose. * Helen Solomon, ''The Jazz Band''. 1972. Nippers - Green; Level 4. Illustrated by

Val Biro Balint Stephen Biro (Budapest, October 6, 1921 – July 4, 2014) was a children's author, artist and illustrator. He received his education in Budapest and London. His studio was located in Amersham in Buckinghamshire. Writing From an interview ...

References

{{reflist

External links

Nippers , Leila Berg, author & story-teller

''Little Nippers'' books written and edited by Leila Berg
Macmillan Publishers books Series of children's books 1968 establishments in the United Kingdom Book series introduced in 1968