# Little Mabel

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Series of children's books by Jilly Cooper

Little Mabel Little Mabel (1980) Little Mabel's Great Escape (1981) Little Mabel Wins (1982) Little Mabel Saves the Day (1985) Author Jilly Cooper Illustrator Timothy Jaques Country UK Language English Genre Children's fiction

***Little Mabel*** is a series of children's picture books written by English author [Jilly Cooper](/source/Jilly_Cooper) and illustrated by Timothy Jaques. There are four books in the series: *Little Mabel, Little Mabel's Great Escape, Little Mabel Wins* and *Little Mabel Saves the Day.* All books feature the misadventures of the [mongrel](/source/Mongrel) Mabel and her [street-dog](/source/Free-ranging_dog) father, who is obsessed with dustbins. Based on Cooper's love of mongrels, the books were all generally favourably reviewed with Cooper's humour praised by *[The Bookseller](/source/The_Bookseller), the [Vancouver Sun](/source/Vancouver_Sun)*, and the *[Ottawa Citizen](/source/Ottawa_Citizen).* Two of the books, *Little Mabel Wins* and *Little Mabel Saves the Day*, featured as stories in the British children's programme *[Jackanory](/source/Jackanory)*.

## *Little Mabel* series

- ***Little Mabel*** - Little Mabel is a puppy, whose mother is a police dog and whose father is a street dog. Mabel goes to live with her father's family, but humans and dogs look down on her because she is a mongrel. Frightened by the milkman, Mabel runs away but is brought home by the local fire brigade - just in time for them to put out a real fire.

- ***Little Mabel's Great Escape*** - While Mabel's family goes on holiday she and her father are put into kennels. Determined to escape, Mabel digs a tunnel supervised by her father and they escape. However Mabel's police dog mother is meant to arrest the pair, nevertheless she hides the duo in her kennel. Lured by the smell of dustbins, both dogs escape again, and are accidentally transported home in a bin lorry.

- ***Little Mabel Wins*** - Little Mabel's father is dismayed that mongrels aren't allowed to enter [Crufts](/source/Crufts), so he hatches a plan to cause chaos at the dog show. Accompanied by Mabel he sets off an explosive chocolate-based device which results in all the dogs going wild - all apart from Mabel who is so frightened she sits very still and therefore wins a prize for good behaviour.

- ***Little Mabel Saves the Day*** - Mabel and her family go on holiday to [Somerset](/source/Somerset), but the farm animals frighten Mabel. Her father, who is obsessed with dustbins, befriends a local fox, but ends up threatened by the local hounds. Mabel ultimately frightens them away by wearing a [wellington boot](/source/Wellington_boot) on her head, and the hounds disturb a family birthday.

## Background

Whilst Cooper is better known for her romances and [bonkbuster](/source/Bonkbuster) novels, she has also written a series of four children's books centred on a [mongrel](/source/Mongrel) puppy called Mabel.[1] Known for her fondness for dogs, Cooper has often had mongrels as pets.[2] When interviewed in 2013 to discuss the inclusion of a new class for mongrels at [Crufts](/source/Crufts), Cooper described her book *Little Mabel Wins* as "prophetic" since it featured a protest by Mabel and Dad against the discrimination shown to mongrels there.[2] The series was first published by [Granada](/source/Granada_plc).[3]

## Reception

First in the series, published in 1980, *Little Mabel* was described by *[The Evening Standard](/source/Evening_Standard)* as "silly and joyful".[3] The *[Vancouver Sun](/source/Vancouver_Sun)* described the book as a "winsome tale of an unwanted mongrel", who ultimately triumphs and is praised.[4] The review also praised Cooper's wryness in the humour of the book.[4] *[The Bookseller](/source/The_Bookseller)* described the book as "slightly old-fashioned".[5] However, by April 1981 its first edition had sold out.[6] Followed by *Little Mabel's Great Escape,* this second book was described as "good news for families".[7] A review in *The Bookseller* noted the comparison between kennels and [Colditz](/source/Oflag_IV-C), and described how Cooper's writing had some "cutting edges" despite it being a book for children.[8]

Third in the series *Little Mabel Wins* was reviewed by Richard Conduit in *[The Telegraph](/source/The_Daily_Telegraph)* as a book "that reads aloud very well", however Conduit did not care for Jaques' "overbright" illustrations.[9] The *[Ottawa Citizen](/source/Ottawa_Citizen)* described how the book "poked fun at the British class structure" and saw its core message was one where you should always be true to yourself.[10] The fourth and final book in the series, *Little Mabel Saves The Day,* was reviewed by *The Fiction Magazine* who described it as "a lovely, messy, lively dog story".[11] The *[Cambridge Evening News](/source/Cambridge_News)* enjoyed the illustrations, and described the book as "another outlet for [Cooper's] love of mongrel dogs".[12] It also described the eponymous puppy Mabel as a "pooch you either love or hate".[12]

## *Jackanory*

In a debut for both the author and narrator,[13] *Little Mabel Wins* featured on *[Jackanory](/source/Jackanory)* in 1984, read by [Victoria Wood](/source/Victoria_Wood),[14][15] and was reprised in 1996 for Jackanory Gold.[16] In 1987 *Little Mabel Saves the Day* featured in the television series, read by [Liza Goddard](/source/Liza_Goddard).[17]

## See also

- *[Intelligent and Loyal](/source/Intelligent_and_Loyal),* non-fiction work on mongrels by Cooper

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Jilly's age of anxiety"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-gloucestershire-echo-jillys-age-of/179517115/). *The Gloucestershire Echo*. 1993-12-13. p. 9. Retrieved 2025-08-23.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_2-1) ["Why our mongrels are a dying breed"](https://web.archive.org/web/20210323152814/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/lifestyle/pets/9904259/Why-our-mongrels-are-a-dying-breed.html). *The Telegraph*. 3 March 2013. Archived from [the original](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/lifestyle/pets/9904259/Why-our-mongrels-are-a-dying-breed.html) on 2021-03-23. Retrieved 2025-08-23.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:1_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:1_3-1) ["A secret slice of life"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-standard-a-secret-slice-of-life/179517371/). *Evening Standard*. 1980-07-15. p. 17. Retrieved 2025-08-23.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:2_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:2_4-1) ["Prince Charles' regal fun makes a charming story"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-vancouver-sun-prince-charles-regal/179517402/). *The Vancouver Sun*. 1980-12-05. p. 128. Retrieved 2025-08-23.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** "Children's books for the window". *The Bookseller*. 28 June 1980. p. 60.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** "Jilly Cooper - best seller". *The Bookseller*. 25 April 1981. p. 49.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** [*Children's Books of the Year*](https://books.google.com/books?id=YvMaAAAAMAAJ&q=little+mabel+jilly+cooper). Hamish Hamilton. 1981. p. 29. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-86203-084-1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-86203-084-1).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** "Some new ventures". *The Bookseller*. 14 March 1981. p. 73.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** Conduit, Richard (1982-06-24). ["Rhymes for skipping"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-telegraph-rhymes-for-skipping/179517227/). *The Daily Telegraph*. p. 15. Retrieved 2025-08-23.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** Finlayson, Jane (1983-01-20). ["Books to entice young readers"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-ottawa-citizen-books-to-entice-young/179517286/). *The Ottawa Citizen*. p. 52. Retrieved 2025-08-23.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** [*The Fiction Magazine*](https://books.google.com/books?id=FIgeAQAAMAAJ&q=little+mabel+jilly+cooper). Fiction Magazine. 1985.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:3_12-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:3_12-1) ["Two hotfoot from Jilly"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/cambridge-evening-news-two-hotfoot-from/179517056/). *Cambridge Evening News*. 1985-11-26. p. 13. Retrieved 2025-08-23.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** "Television - BBC 1". *The Scotsman*. 17 January 1984. p. 18.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** ["Leafing through the history of Jackanory on World Book Day"](https://web.archive.org/web/20250818105954/https://www.bbc.co.uk/webarchive/https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/aboutthebbc/entries/7f170b62-0f36-46be-a7e3-aff179c67799). *BBC*. Archived from [the original](https://www.bbc.co.uk/webarchive/https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/aboutthebbc/entries/7f170b62-0f36-46be-a7e3-aff179c67799) on 2025-08-18. Retrieved 2025-08-18.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** Rees, Jasper; Wood, Victoria (2021-11-11). [*Victoria Wood Unseen on TV*](https://books.google.com/books?id=ch8qEAAAQBAJ&dq=little+mabel+jilly+cooper&pg=RA2-PT196). Orion. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-3987-0748-1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-3987-0748-1).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** ["BBC - Jackanory Gold, Series 1, Little Mabel Wins"](https://web.archive.org/web/20250818110418/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p031g4kd). *BBC*. 8 December 1996. Archived from [the original](https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p031g4kd) on 2025-08-18. Retrieved 2025-08-18.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-17)** St Claire, Lynne (1987-01-23). ["24 hour TV"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-post-24-hour-tv/179517168/). *Evening Post*. p. 2. Retrieved 2025-08-23.

## External links

- Official websites: - *[Little Mabel](https://www.jillycooper.co.uk/books/little-mabel/)* - *[Little Mabel's Great Escape](https://www.jillycooper.co.uk/books/little-mabels-great-escape/)* - *[Little Mabel Wins](https://www.jillycooper.co.uk/books/little-mabel-wins/)* - *[Little Mabel Saves the Day](https://www.jillycooper.co.uk/books/little-mabel-saves-the-day/)*

v t e Jilly Cooper Fiction Rutshire Chronicles Riders Rivals Polo The Man Who Made Husbands Jealous Appassionata Score! Pandora Wicked! Jump! Mount! Tackle! Romance series Emily Harriet Bella Octavia Prudence Imogen Short stories Lisa & Co Araminta's Wedding Children's stories Little Mabel (series) Non-fiction How to Stay Married How to Survive from Nine to Five Jolly Super Jolly Super Too Jolly Superlative Class Violets and Vinegar Intelligent and Loyal Jolly Marsupial Animals in War The Common Years How to Survive Christmas Turn Right at the Spotted Dog Angels Rush In Between the Covers Adaptations It's Awfully Bad for Your Eyes, Darling Riders The Man Who Made Husbands Jealous Rivals Fictional characters Rupert Campbell-Black Related Leo Cooper

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Little Mabel](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Mabel) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Mabel?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.