Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren (novel #230)

“Three cheers for Pippi Longstocking!” shouted the fire chief.

“Hooray, hooray, hooray!” yelled all the people. But someone yelled it four times. And that someone was Pippi.

 

The eponymous heroine is a precocious nine-year old, red haired, pig-tailed, Swedish girl who lives in her house, Villa Villekulla, with her monkey, Mr. Nilsson, and her horse. She lives without parents. Pippi assets…

 

My mum is an angel and my dad is a South Sea Island king.

 

Her father, a ship’s captain, by all other accounts, perished at sea.

 

This first book in the series recounts Pippi’s adventures with two neighbor children. Annika and Tommy know that whatever they may do…

 

…it’s always more fun with Pippi.

 

Pippi is always confident and ever pleased with herself and her own company. One day alone at Villa Villekulla she paints a large picture on the wallpaper.

 

It was a picture of a rather large lady in a red dress and black hat. In one hand she was holding a flower and in the other a dead rat. It was a very beautiful painting, thought Pippi. It brightened up the whole room.

 

Pippi’s full name is: Pippilotta Victoriaria Tea-cozy Apple-minta Ephraim’s-daughter Longstocking.

 

This may seem like an odd thing for me to read. I needed a book with an item of footwear in the title, and since I stick mostly to classics, this satisfies both. It is definitely a young person’s story, but lengthy enough and grammatically complex enough to be considered a children’s novella.

 

I read it, or another edition in the series, as a child. It didn’t make much of an impact. I don’t think it has aged well. Pippi is confident to the point of arrogant, daring to the point of reckless, and independent to the point of disrespectful. I know it’s a whimsical story and allowed to be fantastic, but many of Pippi’s actions are quite dangerous. Pippi swallows a red death cap mushroom, for instance, with no concern and no ill effect. It was written in a more innocent age, but I’m still a bit incredulous. Not sure what the message is supposed to be.

 

I think children might still enjoy it, and mostly for that I give it…

 

3 1/2 out of 5 stars

 

 

This novel satisfies the “footwear” category: (title must mention a type of footwear) in the What’s in a Name 2024 challenge.

 

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The Wonderful Adventures of Nils by Selma Lagerlöf (novel #181)

(translated from the Swedish by Velma Swanston Howard)

 

Once there was a boy. He was – let us say – something like fourteen years old; long and loose jointed and towheaded. He wasn’t good for much, that boy. His chief delight was to eat and sleep; and after that – he liked best to make mischief.

 

This children’s book was originally written and published as two: The Wonderful Adventures of Nils, and Further Adventures of Nils. My version, like most today, is combined into one. It’s also a sneaky book, intended to teach Swedish children about Swedish geography, topography, and spelling. But it is disguised as a fanciful story that would appeal to children. 

 

It is set in very early 20th Century Sweden, and is of course, the adventures of Nils – Nils Holgersson. Nils as you can see from the quotation, was a mischievous lad, and a source of sorrow and concern for his parents. His chief form of mischief was tormenting the animals on the family farm. One day while left alone, he captures a magical elf, who eventually turns the tables, and turns Nils into an elf. Tiny elf Nils discovers he can talk to the animals, and learns they are none too anxious to help him. 

 

And then the real adventure begins. One of the tame geese, Morten-Goosey-gander, takes off to follow a flock of wild geese, with Nils on his back. Neither Goosey-gander, nor the wild geese are keen to have Nils along, but he eventually makes himself useful, and they develop a mutual devotion and loyalty. There are many adventures, perils, and comic circumstance along the way, as Nils becomes a kind and compassionate human being. 

 

I think the purpose of Lagerlöf’s writing was a noble effort. I don’t think it would teach much geography, if the children didn’t read it with a map at hand – but perhaps that was the norm. If I were starting over, I’d read it with a map. I can’t say I enjoyed it much, but I wouldn’t expect to. Lagerlöf weaves some Scandinavian folk-legend into the tale that I found interesting, but that was about it. I believe it’s an important work. Glad to have read it, glad to be done.

 

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

 

This book satisfies A Children’s Classic in the Back to the Classics Challenge 2021.

 

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