Reveling in Pippidom
Pippi Goes On Board by Astrid Lindgren
If a stranger should come to a certain little Swedish town and should happen one day to find himself at a certain spot on the edge of it, he would see Villa Villekulla. Not that the cottage is much to look at—it’s rather a ramshackle old place with a tangled garden around it. But it would be natural for a stranger to pause and wonder who lived there, and why there was a horse on the porch. If it was evening, and beginning to get dark, and if he caught a glimpse of a little girl strolling around in the garden looking as if she had no idea of going to bed, he might think, “Now I wonder why that little girl’s mother doesn’t see that she goes to bed. All the other children are fast asleep by this time of night.”
—Astrid Lindgren
from Pippi Goes On Board
Thus begins the reader’s introduction to Pippi Longstocking, a beloved, whimsical character that is honest, curious, and unphased at the often angry responses of the very serious adults around her who simply cannot abide by her takes on life. (A lesson we could all use a little more of these days, imho, at least speaking for myself)
Pippilotta Delicatessa Windowshade Mackrelmint Efraim’s Daughter Longstocking , daughter of Captain Efraim Longstocking, formerly the Terror of the Sea, now a cannibal king, but who everybody calls Pippi, together with her horse whom she carries and her pet monkey Mr. Nilsson, is Astrid Lindgren’s 9 year old version of Paul Bunyan. She lives by herself and is unlike other children. She not only can take care of herself, but does so with relish and a sincere twinkle in her eye.
Astrid Lindgren invites us into Pippi’s world through two seemingly normal neighbor children, Tommy and Annika:
“For you see, “ explained Tommy to Annika, as they ran through the garden gate at Villa Villekulla, “I think more funny things will happen were Pippi is.”
Annika thought so too.
And, indeed, with Pippi, the world is turned on its head, as we are encouraged to discern between “normal” and fantastical, the extra-ordinary and the nonsensical. Tommy and Annika accompany Pippi in her discovering and explaining the world around them through refreshingly unjaded eyes.
She walked up to the ticket window. “Can’t I go in for half price if I promise to look with just one eye?” she asked with a sudden attack of economy.
But the ticket seller wouldn’t hear anything like that.
Undaunted by the horrified looks and responses, Pippi ventures forth into the world. She is unscathed by what others would find tragedy, tackles what would otherwise be impossible, and often heroically saves the day without skipping a beat. Then she carries on without drama as if all were normal. This kind of story is so refreshing to re-read after being so bombarded by a world where emotional outbursts are encouraged and victimization nearly mandatory. We all have a lot to learn from Pippi.
The tiger had torn the hem of Pippi’s dress. Pippi looked at the rags and said, “Does anyone have a pair of scissors?”
Mademoiselle Paula had a pair, and she wasn’t angry with Pippi any more.
“Here you are, you brave little girl,” she said and gave Pippi the scissors.
Pippi cut her dress off a few inches above the knees.
“There!” she said happily. “now I’m finer than ever. My dress is cut low at the neck and high at the knees; you really couldn’t find a finer dress.”
She tripped off so elegantly that her knees hit each other at each step. “Chawming!” she said.
I ask you, as fantastical as her character is, isn’t it actually charming to read about a character who exhibits grace in the face of hardship?
If you’ve never read a Pippi book, you should drop everything at once and go do so! Even if you have, I highly suggest you do so again! Read it to your kids! Read it to your grandkids! Then read it again for good measure! Don’t let it being a children’s book be a reason not to read it! It’s actually a book where we can all have a good chuckle while remember what it means to be truly charming.
Unschooler Perspective:
Pippi’s world is very much like our own, but without a little girl who can lift and carry horses up gangplanks or people on kitchen doors. It is one that is rooted in very real experiences, yet one sparkling with imagination. This opens the door wide for not only what was in the book, but also what is not! Each chapter is an invitation to a new adventure:
Pippi at Home in Villa Villekulla
Pippi Goes Shopping
Pippi Writes a Letter and Goes to School—But Only a Little Bit
Pippi Goes to the School Picnic
Pippi Goes to the Fair
Pippi Is Shipwrecked
Pippi Gets Unexpected Company
Pippi Has a Farewell Party
Pippi Goes Aboard
So, each chapter can be a lesson in itself, whether it be writing a letter to grandma or reading and playing out Robinson Crusoe or Treasure Island.