Pippi Longstocking
From Encyclopedia Jr, free information reference for Kids
Pippi Longstocking (
Pippi is a nine-year-old girl, who lives with a complete lack of adult supervision. She is very unconventional, assertive, rich and extraordinarily strong, being able to lift her horse one-handed without difficulty. She frequently mocks and dupes the adults she does encounter, an attitude likely to appeal to young readers; however, Pippi usually reserves her worst behavior for the most pompous and condescending of adults.
The first four Pippi books were published in 1945-48, with an additional series of five books published 1969-71. Two final stories were printed in 1979 and 2000. The books have later been translated into a large number of languages.
With the publication of the first Pippi book, Lindgren rejected established conventions for children's books. Although well received by contemporary critics, the book was controversial among some social conservatives who desired children's books that, by their standards, would set a good example for children.
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[edit] Pippi and her world
Pippi's full name is Pippilotta Delicatessa Windowshade Mackrelmint Efraim's Daughter Longstocking (in the Swedish original Pippilotta Viktualia Rullgardina Krusmynta Efraimsdotter Långstrump). Her fiery red hair is worn in braids that are so tightly wound that they stick out sideways from her head.
Pippi lives alone with her monkey, Mr. Nilsson, and her horse, Old Man, in an old house named Villa Villekulla, located in a small Swedish village. Her friends and next-door neighbors, Tommy and Annika Settergren, accompany her on her adventures; though the children's mother disapproves of Pippi's sometimes coarse manners and lack of education, Mrs. Settergren knows that Pippi would never put Tommy and Annika in harm's way, and that Pippi values her friendship with the pair above nearly all else in her life.
Though lacking in much formal education, Pippi is very intelligent in a common-sense fashion, and has a well-honed sense of justice and fair play. She will show respect (though still in her own unique style) for adults who treat her and other children fairly. Her attitude towards the worst of adults (from a child's viewpoint) is often that of a vapid, foolish and babblemouthed child, and few of her targets realize just how sharp and crafty Pippi is until she's made fools of them. Pippi has an amazing talent for spinning lies and tall tales, though they are usually in the form of humorously strange stories rather than lying with malicious intent.
Pippi is the daughter of seafarer Efraim Longstocking, captain of the sailing ship Hoptoad, from whom Pippi inherited her common sense and incredible strength, being the only person known who can match Pippi in physical ability. Captain Longstocking originally bought Villa Villekulla to give his daughter a more stable home life than that on shipboard (though Pippi loves the seafaring life, and is indeed a better sailor and helmswoman than most of her father's crew). Pippi retired to the Villa after her father was believed lost at sea, determined that her father was still alive and would come to look for her there.
As it turned out, Captain Longstocking was washed ashore upon a South Sea island known as Kurrekurredutt Isle, where he was made the "fat white chief" by its native people. The Captain returned to Sweden to bring Pippi to his new home in the South Seas, but Pippi found herself attached to the Villa and her new friends Tommy and Annika, and decided to stay where she was, though she and the children sometimes took trips with her father aboard the Hoptoad, including a trip to Kurrekurredutt where she was confirmed as the "fat white chief"'s daughter, Princess Pippilotta.
[edit] Books
There are altogether eleven Pippi Longstocking books. Among them are the following:
[edit] Adaptations
[edit] Film
An American
An animated
[edit] Television
A Swedish
The Swedish series was re-edited as four poorly dubbed feature films for U.S. distribution. They became weekend television staples in several cities in America throughout the 1970s and 1980s. The original series, newly dubbed using British actors, became available in 2002.
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[edit] Other language titles
Names for Pippi Longstocking in other languages:
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[edit] Pippi Longstocking in popular culture
- In the 2006 film
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- In the second season finale of
- An episode of
- In one episode of