Pippi Longstocking

Story

Who moved into Villa Villekulla, next door to Annika and Tommy? It’s Pippi Longstocking! She brought a suitcase filled with gold coins, a monkey called Mr Nilsson and a friendly horse that she can lift up with exceptional strength. With her mismatched stockings, freckly cheeks and eccentric ideas, she brings joy and laughter to the little Swedish village and gets into all sorts of mischief.

Why we chose it

Pippi Longstocking has become one of the world’s favourite and best-loved children’s characters, embodying a perfect example of female strength, rebellion and resilience

Where it came from

On a cosy winter night, Astrid Lindgren’s daughter Karin asked her mum to tell a story about a certain Pippi Longstocking, a name that became known all over the world. When, a few years later, Astrid had to spend a lot of time resting her ankle after a fall she started writing Pippi’s adventures on paper. That’s when everything began for the famous children’s author Astrid Lindgren (1907-2002), and she couldn’t imagine the huge success that was to come.

Where it went next

Today, we can read Pippi Longstocking in more than 75 different languages, and watch many different films and TV series adaptations. A live-action film will be released for Pippi’s 75^th Anniversary in 2020, alongside a global campaign in support of Save the Children and an entertaining musical circus show in collaboration with Cirkus Cirkör.

A new edition translated by Tiina Nunnally with illustrations by Lauren Child was published in 2007. Dannah Miller and Helena Middleton adapted the Pippi stories to create a one woman storytelling show.

Associated stories

Two more chapter books followed the great success of Pippi’s first book: Pippi Goes Abroad (1946) and Pippi in the South Seas (1948). Astrid Lindgren also created three picture books: Pippi’s After Christmas Party (1950), Pippi on the Run (1971) and Pippi Longstocking in the Park (2001), all illustrated by the amazing Ingrid Van Nyman.