Pippi Longstocking

Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren

Pippilotta Delicatessa Windowshade Mackrelmint Ephraim’s Daughter Longstocking is one of my most favourite book characters because she is awesome. She is called Pippi for short, and Pippi is awesome for many reasons. I will tell you some of them now.

One reason Pippi Longstocking is awesome is that she lives life by her own rules. Pippi is nine years old and lives alone at Villa Villekulla, a house on the outskirts of a small town. Well, actually, she doesn’t live alone, she lives with her monkey Mr. Nilsson and her horse Old Man. She doesn’t live with her parents though, so Pippi runs the show. This means no one to tell her to go to school, no one to tell her how to dress and no one to tell her when to go to bed! How would you like that?

Pippi likes it a lot and she spends her days having picnics in the woods, going treasure hunting and convincing her friends next door to try new and exciting things. That’s another reason Pippi is awesome, she loves life and can make fun for herself, her friends and anyone else just trying to mind their own beeswax.

A nine year old living alone and causing ruckus doesn’t go unnoticed even in make believe book world. Pippi faces lots of challenges. You can read about the time some policemen come to her house – it’s a bizarre little tale that ends with Pippi holding a kicking and complaining police officer over her head (that’s how strong she is!). She is always up for the challenge, Pippi, and extremely brave – another reason she is awesome.

Sometimes Pippi is just silly and rude, and maybe you wouldn’t want her around all the time, I think she could be quite annoying if you were trying to sit quietly and read a book with your cat and a biscuit. Also, I wouldn’t advise you do some of the things Pippi does. Please, never eat a mushroom you find in the bush (it could be deadly!). Sometimes though, Pippi is lovely and fun, and when you read books about her she makes you feel fun too. That is the most awesome thing about Pippi.

You can read about Pippi in Pippi Longstocking, Pippi Goes Aboard and Pippi in the South Seas.

 Astrid Lindgren told the Pippi stories to her daughter Karin when she was sick. She also wrote lots of other books. The library has heaps, so check them out and tell me what you think.

Lucy Longstocking age 8 dressed up for a school book fair.