NEEPS AND TATTIES
A storybook specially written in Scots, for children and supported by Nil by Mouth.
A morality tale for vegetables and other living things! (‘servit in Scots wi a wee tait o English’)
‘Nobody even remembers why or when the trouble started, but the poor Neeps and Tatties are stuck in a miserable age-old animosity.
Brilliantly written by American author Carey Morning and beautifully illustrated by Anna York, the heart-warming tale explores themes around acceptance, racial diversity, discrimination and the importance of food within different cultural traditions. The main character in the book, ‘The Haggis’ comes to town with the aim of bringing everyone together. ‘Happy thegither...is that no the wey that we’re aw meant tae be?’
The book powerfully shows how we can build bridges higher than walls and how past grudges and grievances can be washed away by the dreams of tomorrow. Courage and innocence overcome decades of enmity which results in friendship and fellowship. You can listen to the story below:
The story has proved to be hugely popular with schools in the run up to Burns Night as a fresh way of using Scots to convey important social messages and was a finalist in the 2021 Scots Language Awards and The Herald GenAnalytics Diversity Awards 2022.
Since its launch, more than 1,000 books have been given away free of charge to educational establishments and libraries across all 32 Local Authority areas.
This year we are delighted to have had support from Aberdeenshire, Angus, Argyll & Bute Council, Dundee City, Scottish Borders, South Lanarkshire and West Dunbartonshire councils which will see a set allocation of teacher copies reserved exclusively for schools in these areas.
We have also secured sponsorship from a range of businesses and Trust Funds which allow teachers from outside these local authority areas to apply for hundreds more copies. But be quick – once available they get snapped up quickly!
Nil by Mouth have developed resource packs to accompany the book and online video versions to assist teachers with home schooling and exploring themes of acceptance, difference and discrimination. If your school would like to request a copy of the book and gain access to the free resources, then please note your interest at mail@nilbymouth.org