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Pippi Longstocking
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Pippi Longstocking by A. Lindgren - May BOTM
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Apr 23, 2022 06:40PM
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Astrid Ericsson:Astrid Anna Emilia Lindgren was a Swedish writer of fiction and screenplays. She is best known for several children's book series, featuring Pippi Longstocking, Astrid Anna Emilia Lindgren was born on the 14th of November 1907 on the farm Näs outside Vimmerby, in the county of Småland, and died on the 28th January 2002 in her home on Dalagatan 46 in Stockholm. She wrote 34 chapter books and 41 picture books, that all together have sold a staggering 165 million copies and been translated into more than 100 languages.
Because this is a children's book, I found lots of questions but they are focused on school children.
1. Did you read an Pippi Longstocking's books as a child. Did you enjoy them. Are you rereading the book?
2. Here's some questions found; things to look for while reading.
What did Pippi take off the ship with her?
Why did Pippi throw her shoe into a pool of deep water?
In what ways is Pippi an interesting or an unusual character?
What was the most remarkable thing about Pippi?
Why did Pippi decide to go to school?
What did Pippi say she had in her attic?
3. What qualities does Pippi have that makes her so good at daring things?
4. Does Pippi want the framework of a normal childhood?
5. What role does Mr Nielsson have in the book?
6. Do you think the book is a book you would want your children to read? Is there anything in the book that made you uncomfortable?
7. How did you experience the book? Do you think it deserves a place on the 1001 books you must read before you die?
1. Did you read an Pippi Longstocking's books as a child. Did you enjoy them. Are you rereading the book? No, I didn't read them as a child but I must have seen a TV show as I was aware of the character.
2. Here's some questions found; things to look for while reading.
What did Pippi take off the ship with her? The monkey and the gold
Why did Pippi throw her shoe into a pool of deep water? She is frustrated that Mr. Nillson has run off
In what ways is Pippi an interesting or an unusual character? Without parents around, she devices her own rules of conduct which are largely to be kind to others, to be generous and to be outlandish with her imagination.
What was the most remarkable thing about Pippi? The book says she is the strongest child in the world but really what is most remarkable about Pippi is her antics and the fact that by and large, the adults leave her alone.
Why did Pippi decide to go to school? To get a Christmas vacation
What did Pippi say she had in her attic? Ghosts
3. What qualities does Pippi have that makes her so good at daring things?
She is quite strong and fearless, she has great problem solving skills, she assumes the best of people and she is undeterred by the judgmental comments of others.
4. Does Pippi want the framework of a normal childhood? She actually doesn't really know what that is. She is often lonely. She would like the approval of some of the adults she encounters who do not approve of her and she doesn't know what she has done wrong most of the time. However, she knows she does not want to go to school just to learn her multiplication tables.
5. What role does Mr Nielsson have in the book? He is someone that Pippi can take care of and someone she can entertain herself with also.
6. Do you think the book is a book you would want your children to read? Is there anything in the book that made you uncomfortable? True to the time it was written in, it makes ethnic remarks and assumptions that do not conform to today's values. However, that may make it a good book to read and discuss with children.
7. How did you experience the book? Do you think it deserves a place on the 1001 books you must read before you die?
Well, it is a delightful book and it does represent a young girl as capable and able to take care of herself which may have been counter to the assumption about little girls at the time. It is also a "classic". When I checked it out of the library, all the people around me started talking about how it was their favorite book.
1. No didn't read this one as a child, I'd heard about Pippi Longstocking though.3. She's physically strong and seems to view all new situations with curiosity first rather than fear.
4. Depends on what you'd class as a normal childhood I guess. She didn't enjoy her day at school, but I think she would prefer her Father to return so she could grow up travelling the world with him.
5. Agree with Gail Mr Nielsson is a companion she can play with and care for.
6. I wouldn't be against my kids reading it if they picked it up in the library, but I wouldn't go out of my way to introduce them to it.
7. It's a classic and is an easy short read, I didn't get much out of it today, but I might have done if I'd read it when I was younger.
Here in Sweden I think that every single child has read it or listened to it when their parents have read it to them. And it's the third generation now. I loved, loved, loved this book when I was a child and it is still so very loved in Sweden today. I don't remember everything in it now, my own kids are grownups so it's been a while since I last read it. But here we also love so many other books by Astrid Lindgren so it's difficult to say whether this is the best or not. The Brothers Lionheart and Ronia, the Robber's Daughter have perhaps surpassed Pippi Långstrump (which is her Swedish name) and Astrid has written so many wonderful books. I might come back later to try and answer some of the questions. Both Astrid herself and Pippi Långstrump are national icons in some way. I'll certainly read the books by Astrid Lindgren to my grandchildren - if I will ever have any - and I will reread some of her books to myself, e g Mio, My Son and some others that I'm not sure have been translated into English. Everything she has written is a part of our country's collective soul. Astrid Lindgren was a wise, good hearted and loving spirit.
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She has her monkey, gold, and horse but no mother but thinks he father will show up someday. She does have some remarkable survival skills as she can cook even if she does it out of norm.
Pippi is fearless, often expects the best of people and really is quite surprised when they are frustrated with her. She doesn't really want a so called normal childhood. She really never had one. And I agree that she would like her father to return so she could go sailing around with him.
Who doesn't want a pet monkey and a horse. I think they're companions but they also are appealing to children.
There isn't anything in the book that troubled me. All in all, Pippi is a good character with many wonderful traits who doesn't do things because it is the right thing to do. She is imaginative and full of energy.
I think that it should be on the list because of the importance of the author to Sweden. This is probably the most translated and therefore a good pick to represent the author and Sweden.
1. No, I didn't read Pippi Longstocking as a child. It wasn't translated into English until 1954, when I was already 10, and it probably took a bit longer to get to New Zealand!2. Pippi took the monkey, Mr Nelson in the version I read, and the chest of gold - I am not sure where she acquired her horse. She threw her shoe in the water because Mr Nelson was lost. She is almost a comic book character because she is superhumanly strong. She lifts her nameless horse off the porch, strings the policemen up by their belts and carries two children across a plank of wood, for example. She does not understand conformity, nor attempts to understand it. She is free of any societal constraints and expectations such as going to school or having to go to bed on time. I think that is her appeal for normal children!
3. She is fearless. The episode with the children in the burning building, for example. All the adults do nothing because they believe nothing can be done, but Pippi is resourceful, skilled and courageous and she rescues the children. She is also shameless at drawing attention to herself, for example at the tea party, or when she performs at the circus. I think that these qualities would also appeal to children.
5. Pippi seems to have an insouciant relationship with both the monkey and the horse. Somehow she looks after them, but she doesn't dote on them like most children would with pets. When her father turns up she is pleased to go to Camy Camy island with him, but there are no tears of joy at him being found alive. She had maintained that he would be king of a tribe of cannibals, and he turned out to be ruling a small island after all.
6. I think that my daughters would have loved it, but I don't remember them reading it. I must ask them and my granddaughter if they ever read these stories, and, if so, what they thought of them. I will report back!
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I think that illustrators and translators don’t get enough recognition. What are your thoughts?
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Kristel wrote: "I have another couple of questions. If you read the actual book, was your book illustrated and who was the illustrator. Also who was the translator. I think that illustrators and translators don’..."
The Swedish illustrator who has created Pippi is Ingrid Vang Nyman
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Kristel wrote: "Thank you for adding the illustrator, Nike."I find the words written about the illustrator beautiful and strong.
Kristel wrote: "here's a video of her art, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2MbQ..."Oh, great - it was all about Pippi and it really sets the spirit for a reread! Thank you =)
I read the books from Open Library and missed these charming illustrations. Thank you so much Kristel for finding and sharing. I discovered that my elder daughter read Pippi in school and can’t remember too much, (it was over 50 years ago was her remark) but my younger daughter vividly remembers the television show which she adored. Don’t you remember the plaits that stuck out when I did a novelty dance? They were based on Pippi. My granddaughter has yet to respond to my query!
I did read a physical library book and was able to see the illustrations which really added to the charm of the book.
1. I never read Pippi as a child.3. She is fearless and feels confidence in herself. (She gets up and performs in the circus for example). She knows her own worth; she is happy speaking to adults, and has no doubts that she can look after herself. She won't confirm to social expectations and loves her freckles , delights in her imagination and makes little effort to conform to adult expectations. Adults cannot deal with her; children love her.
4. I think she loves her father and her life aboard ship but she rejects many of the ways which could have led to her having a more "traditional" childhood; the children's home, going to school etc. She does not really have time for most adults.
6. I don't have any children but I would give it to them. I think the message of female empowerment holds up well (you basically need to destroy society to be a truly empowered person!) but, particularly in later books and the introduction of the black subjects of her father, the Cannibal King, there would need to be some context explained and discussions held with children, I think. For example, the description of Sweden as a "white country" is less true than it was in the 1940s. However, Pippi is happy to play with her father's subjects and this can provide a positive way into the topic.
7. It is a children's book which I hold against it being on the list, but on the other hand it is of a unique importance to Swedish culture. I think the latter point predominates.
The translation I read was by Edna Hurup and the illustrator was Tony Ross.
1. This is my first time reading Pippi
3. She is brave, fearless, not scared of getting hurt or looking stupid she just makes an assessment and goes for it.
4. No Pippi works to her own rules and doesn't need structure imposed by adults
5. Friend and companion
6. I don't have children but I can't see any reason for them not to read it.
7. I would have enjoyed this had I read it when I was younger as it was I found it entertaining enough but not something I would revisit. My favourite bit was the burglars and how Pippi handled them. I would let it stay on the list because of its place in Swedish literature and influence.
I read the Oxford University Press paperback translated by Susan Beard and illustrated by Mini Grey
3. She is brave, fearless, not scared of getting hurt or looking stupid she just makes an assessment and goes for it.
4. No Pippi works to her own rules and doesn't need structure imposed by adults
5. Friend and companion
6. I don't have children but I can't see any reason for them not to read it.
7. I would have enjoyed this had I read it when I was younger as it was I found it entertaining enough but not something I would revisit. My favourite bit was the burglars and how Pippi handled them. I would let it stay on the list because of its place in Swedish literature and influence.
I read the Oxford University Press paperback translated by Susan Beard and illustrated by Mini Grey
Reading 1001
Books mentioned in this topic
The Brothers Lionheart (other topics)Ronia, the Robber's Daughter (other topics)
Mio, My Son (other topics)
