Lindgren, Astrid. Pippi Longstocking. 1945.
Plot: Pippi Longstocking, a nine-year-old living without parents but with a monkey, decides to use the gold she gained through her travels to buy a horse and a house in a small Swedish village. She quickly becomes close friends with her two clean, well-mannered neighbors. Her exploits continue to gain the favor of her two friends, even if they alienate her from some other members of the village. Street-wise, tough, and determined, the raggedy girl conquers the police, school, orphanage, and thieves by overwhelming them with her common sense, deliberate justice, abnormal strength, and striking personality. Yet, she also helps the town through her fearlessness, and saves two boys from a fire and providing an even greater show than the circus. Pippi Longstocking arrives, and nothing will ever be the same.
Genre: Fiction, Adventure
Reading Level: Grades 4-8
Similar Titles: Ramona the Pest, Harriet the Spy
Personal Thoughts: The book offers the story of the ultimate vicarous character. Pippi enjoys riches, animals, strength, understanding, and freedom without work, school, or obligations, but she remains friendly, kindly, and just. While she runs in danger of becoming a "Mary Sue" (an unrealistic character with no faults), her flaws in social events and the stunned responses balance the character nicely. She remains cheerful, indomitable, and appealing.
At least five additional books and a number of films feature the protagonist.
As a side note, some of the more modern translations avoid potentially stereotypical terms, such as substituting "cannibal" for "native." Also, most modern covers do not picture the heroine with a gun in her hand, as my copy did.
No comments:
Post a Comment