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Pippi Longstocking
by Astrid Lindgren
A girl with a horse on her veranda, a suitcase of gold and no grown-ups at all moves in next door and refuses to attend school.
A story about children, funny and silly in tone. We would put it with children of 7–10, and at a reading age of about 8 for reading alone.
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Our take on this book
Pippi Longstocking lives entirely alone in a ramshackle house with a horse on the porch and a monkey on her shoulder, is strong enough to lift that horse over her head, has a suitcase full of gold coins and answers to no adult whatsoever — to the delight and occasional alarm of the ordinary children next door. Astrid Lindgren's 1945 creation is one of the great anarchic heroines: gloriously rude to pompous grown-ups, kind to those who deserve it, and utterly free in a way children find intoxicating. The episodic adventures are very funny, and Pippi's cheerful defiance of every rule is the whole appeal. There is nothing frightening; even the burglars and bullies come off worst against Pippi's strength and wit. For a six- to nine-year-old it is a joyous, liberating read — a heroine who does exactly as she pleases and always lands on her feet — and a classic that has made independent-minded children feel gloriously seen for generations.
If they like this, try these
Chosen by matching age, reading age, tone and subject — not by what is selling.
George's Marvellous MedicineRoald Dahl
Mr Gum and the Biscuit BillionaireAndy Stanton
RatburgerDavid Walliams
You're a Bad Man, Mr Gum!Andy Stanton
Excellent Excuses (and Other Good Stuff)Liz Pichon
Or let them write their own.
Nothing gets a child reading like a story they invented themselves. Your child plans the characters and the plot, and we write, illustrate and print it as a real book with their name on the cover as the author.
Find another book
Tell us the age, the reading age and what they like, and we will suggest a handful.