Nicknames can come from anywhere, but how did the word “nip” become Nippers, then Mippers, then Mipps? In the story, Mipps asks Birdie if she knows how he got his nickname.
Meet the real-life Scooter, my pride and joy, whom my sixth-grade self found malnourished and super skinny at a farm about 25 minutes down the road. I talked my Dad into letting me invest in her, a gorgeous Arabian Pinto mix, and I nurtured her back to health on my family farm in the early 1970’s. We went on to breed her twice; her foals Menty and Misty were absolutely gorgeous miracle babies. I love how our artist perfectly portrays this beautiful mare.
The cool part about realistic fiction is that a large part of it is true; this sneak peek into the real part of our story, Birdie & Mipps, and how my little brother, Mark, came by the nickname Mippers, then Mipps, comes from treasured memories that have lasted a lifetime.
I’m so very grateful for the affirming feedback that the book is receiving; check out this five-star review from passionate educator Mrs. Monty in Florida, as seen on Amazon:
Birdie & Mipps is not only a compelling story but also a fantastic resource for classrooms.
I’m so grateful that our story is resonating with educators like Barbie; it’s my hope that it’ll be a springboard for many cool conversations about the importance of names and the respectful use of nicknames and that it’ll serve as a reminder that how we treat each other matters.
Barbara Gruener 