In all honesty, I’ve been looking forward to writing this reflection for a few weeks now. I went into this project very excited and passionate about not only what Pippi Longstocking could teach my peers, but more importantly what Pippi could teach me about life, and about growing up. During the project, I felt myself losing steam, and writing each post became more of a task than an exciting break, and creative tangent from my everyday monotony. I’d like this final reflection to represent what I’ve learned from this experience, what Pippi has taught me about growing up, and the lessons I hope to carry forward in creative writing, and blogging in general.

Now, that sounded like a thesis statement, but it wasn’t meant to. In fact, I’m going to work backwards in that sentence in thinking first about blogging and creative writing. I had a personal blog long before taking this class. The URL is “thegirlofthehour.tumblr.com” and it was a collage (that makes it sound sort of neat, but it was actually a mess) of disorganized pictures, quotes, and over-emotional personal statements. I say it was disorganized because it didn’t have a theme; it was just all about me and what stood out to me in the long “news feed” of over-angst teenage Tumbloggers. Anyway, I share this story because I was excited that Pippi Grows Up could finally be a place where my ideas were succinct and organized. Where I could write posts and add photos that followed a theme. And I think that’s important in general about blogging today, and something that I’ve learned: find a niche, and stick with it.

That being said, Pippi “fan fiction” is a difficult niche to stick with. It was unique in the sense that I haven’t found anyone else doing fan fiction of Pippi Longstocking, but of course, the idea of fan fiction has been used in part with many major stories, including Star Wars, for example. I loved the idea initially because it provided me with the opportunity to use the characters that Astrid Lindgren had so brilliantly established in her writings as lenses to better understand my own life. However, I realized as I wrote that Pippi isn’t meant to live my life. Although she is a complex character, with a difficult and shadowed past, she exhibits the qualiies of a character who would reject the idea of having someone dependent upon her. By dependent I mean living their life for them.

This thought process comes from something I’ve been struggling with personally over the past school year. Although I am grateful to be constantly surrounded by such great friends at Wellesley College – some of the best friends I’ve ever had, I’ve realized that I haven’t developed the life skill of independence. I haven’t developed the most important skill that you’re supposed to learn when your parents send you thousands of miles away from home to college. Pippi can’t live my life for me, just like one of my friends, or family members can’t. Now that may be very reductionist of me to say, but I believe that writing about Pippi has taught me that I have to develop a strong, independent, personal voice, and narrative (not just in blogging, but in life).

However, I don’t mean to say that I was completely wrong in my strategy for using Pippi as a lens to better understand my life. I believe that Pippi Longstocking has something to teach every one of us, and that’s something that I found most interesting about having my classmates read my blog posts every couple of weeks. Something that stood out to me the most was when someone in class responded to a post I had made questioning the purpose of the blog. She didn’t seem to understand the functionality of Pippi’s story in her life. Now, I interpreted her comment in two different ways. The first being that not everything in life needs a purpose, and that sometimes creative writing serves as an important and healthy deviation from the monotony, rationality, and busyness of everyday life.

Her comment also made me think about something I could’ve improved upon in my posts. I don’t think Pippi Grows Up had enough of a connection to the audience. I think I could’ve been more receptive to their wants, needs, and attention spans. I found myself throughout the class gravitating towards blog posts of my classmates that allowed me to learn something more about the author, but also how their story could connect with mine – the story of my life. I don’t think Pippi served that function for others. This lesson taught me to always make a personal connection with the audience.

Unfortunately, I don’t see myself continuing the Pippi Grows Up project. Looking back, I think I would’ve enjoyed blogging about a completely different subject, and allowing myself to learn more about it. I am becoming more and more interested in folk music, and how folk traditions and rituals continue to be an integral part of our interactions and identity. I chose to write about Pippi Longstocking because I wanted a break from my work to think about something fun; however, since it ended up becoming a chore to complete the assignments, I wish I had possibly tailored my theme towards something related to sociology, anthropology, and ethnomusicology. I think these themes would have provided me with a lot of material for me to learn from, to teach and engage my classmates, and to be relevant to a greater blogging/internet audience.

That doesn’t mean that I don’t want Pippi to play a large role in my life. In fact, with the comic book, original copy of the book given to me by my father, secondary copy given to me and signed by my closest friend, and the vinyl record of the theme song in Dutch given to me by my mother all sitting right above my desk, she is never far away. Like I have said before, Pippi has great qualities that I hope to continue learning from. She’s taught me to be independent and not let life’s little things get me down. She reminds me to be adventurous and always open to try new things. The story about when someone offered her a salve to cure freckles and asked her if she “suffers from freckles” and she responds that she “doesn’t suffer from them” but in fact, “loves them,” reminds me to accept myself. Her insistence to not attend school, or go to live in a proper children’s home when asked by two kind police officers, has taught me to always challenge conventions. When she gave Tommy and Annika birthday presents on her own birthday, this taught me to always care for my friends the way she does for hers. When she defeated the supposed “strongest man in the world” and told someone to keep in mind that she was the “strongest girl in the world,” she reminded me the strength and power of being a woman. Whether it’s riding her horse through the school gates or dancing with burglars, she taught me the importance of enjoying life, not sweating the small stuff, and to not take myself too seriously. All in all, Pippilotta Delicatessa Windowshade Mackrelmint Ephraim’s Daughter Longstocking, or Pippi for short, is a very remarkable child.

I’ve started applying the skills I’ve learned from Pippi Grows Up to my new personal blog, clairecerda.wordpress.com. It’s titled “Ask the Girl of the Hour,” which is part of the lyrics of the R.E.M. song that my middle name comes from, “Time After Time (Annelise).” The blog has become a place for me to post quotes, articles, and photos related to my future professional interests, and how sociology and anthropology collide with my other interest, which include writing, playing soccer, photography, travelling, listening to (folk) music, and stargazing. Looking back through my old posts on my personal blog, I start to pick up the Pippi within them – her strong, independent spirit, her caring and appreciative eye for the world around her, and her adventurous and passionate drive. Although I wrote be writing specifically about Pippi anymore, I know that the spunky, resilient, and free-spirited young girl will always be with me.

“I’m so bored, I feel like I’m melting into this chair,” said Tommy as he sat in Pippi and Annika’s room one Saturday morning. Tommy had taken the bus over to visit the girls, and to enjoy a quiet, suburban weekend.

Annika replied, “Tommy, I don’t understand why you come out here. There’s nothing to do.”

“Tommy and Annika, let’s have some fun!,” exclaimed Pippi. Her shout awoke Mr. Nilsson, who was falling asleep even before lunchtime. “Even the monkey is bored.”

Old Man let out a shudder.

“Don’t worry Old Man, I get it. Everyone’s bored.”

“Do you want to watch a movie?,” asked Pippi. “Nooooooooo,” replied everyone. It seems that even the radiator and the clanking pipes had an input.

We’ve all been there. Movies sound boring. Homework is out of the question. Board games are no fun. Pippi always made up rules half way through the game to make sure she would win.

“Oh, Pippi! We could go play BINGO in the Campus Center!,” said Annika.

“That poor dog. I’m sure he didn’t want his name attached to such an awful game. The person either reads too fast or too slow. You remember last time when I shoved the board away and threw a tantrum because they let the same girl win twice.”

“Sounds like a sore loser to me,” joked Tommy.

“We could play ‘tequocro’,” suggested Pippi.

“What’s that?,” asked Tommy and Annika at the same time.

“Backwards croquet, of course. Everyone in Madagascar plays it.”

“We could go down to the lake and practice fish-walking!,” said Pippi.

“That sounds hard!,” said Annika.

“You can’t walk on fish,” replied Tommy skeptically.

“If you’re fast enough, you can!,” said Pippi and she joined in as Tommy and Annika both laughed, and Mr. Nilsson was jumping up and down in excitement.

The three friends packed a towel to dry themselves off in case they fell into the lake while fish walking, and brought Mr. Nilsson a sunhat to protect his face.

As they approached the lake, they heard a girl shouting, “H-E-L-P!!!”

Pippi, Tommy and Annika ran to the opening where the lake was visible and saw a girl being chased by a small pack of geese. The geese at the college were known for being feisty, but the girls had never heard of anyone being pestered by the feathery fiends.

“Pippi, you have to help her!,” pleaded Annika, as she grabbed a hold of Tommy’s arm in fear.

“Not to worry, Annika. When I was in Iceland, I saved an entire family who was being – “

“Pippi, GO!,” shouted Tommy as he pushed her towards the lake, and the poor girl being chased.

“They probably don’t realize they’re being terribly mean,” thought Pippi in her head. “Maybe they’ll stop if I start chasing them.”

Pippi ran straight towards the first geese. Her arms were spread, her knees were bent, and her red pigtails bounced up and down as she ran.

The geese was so petrified that a beast-like creature that was four times its size was running straight at it, that it turned around, ran towards the edge of the lake, and took off quickly in flight squacking for its friends to join it.

“Hooray, Pippi! Hooray, Pippi!,” cheered Tommy and Annika and Mr. Nilsson.

“Thank you so much, Pippi! You’re so brave. I couldn’t have run straight at it like you did.”

“No problem. I learned the technique from a man in Iceland on one of my adventures. I don’t think he intended it to be used on geese, but I’m glad it worked out. Would you like to go fish walking with us?”

Tommy, Annika, Pippi and their new friend all spent the day by the lake, enjoying the sunshine, and the spring air that made you forget all about the harsh winter, and dark times.

“Weeeeeeeeeeee!” Pippi slid down the banister of the escalator on her way down to baggage claim, while Annika and Tommy were fast-walking but mostly running from excitement. They were so happy to have landed in Boston after a long flight, and were ready for the journey that lay ahead of them.

Pippi grabbed everyone’s luggage and carried them like a pizza man would carry pizza boxes, or a waiter would carry plates – with no effort and high over her head so all Tommy and Annika could see as they walked outside was their luggage floating over the crowd of people staring into their phones and walking with their heads down to their next destination.

Old Man the horse had arrived on the cargo flight just a few minutes later, and the three friends and all of their luggage rode into the city whistling and excited. Tommy was the first to be dropped off, and as Annika shed a few tears for her brother, she waved goodbye and rode off with Pippi west of the city.

Only approximately thirteen miles away from the city, the two girls and horse and Mr. Nilsson stumbled across a small town, where the streets were lined with the most beautiful lampposts and a brick tower lay in the distance as they looked to their left.

“Pippi, we’re here!,” shouted Annika and she almost fell backwards off of Old Man in her excitement. Riding up to the very modern looking building, Pippi exclaimed, “This building looks like someone stronger than me just picked it up and plopped it in the middle of this campus! It doesn’t match with anything!”

“Oh Pippi, you know that there isn’t anyone as strong as you,” replied Annika. Pippi cartwheeled off of Old Man and helped Annika onto the ground, unloaded the suitcases and carried them up the small hill to their assigned dormitory.

As they walked down the hallway in their new dorm, Pippi looked into an open door and a girl was hunched over a desk, scribbling furiously at a piece of paper. The light from her single lamp cast a shadow across the paper, and Pippi wondered to herself first of all, what she could possibly be working on since it was the weekend, and also, how she could see with the large shadow of her head covering most of the paper.

Walking into her new room, Pippi put down the suitcases and started jumping and doing flips on the bed, while Mr. Nilsson climbed the pipes in the corner of the room and perched himself in a little L-shaped nook laughing. Another student heard the noise coming from the room and made herself at home, entered the room, and with her hands on her hips said, “Well, now you don’t look much like a Wendy, do ya?” Annika walked in shortly afterwards and cautioned Pippi to be careful to not hit her head on the ceiling, and to help her unpack.

“Actually, my name is Pippilotta Delicatessa Windowshade Mackrelmint Ephraim’s Daughter Longstocking, but you can call me Pippi! This is my friend Annika.”

“Oh, my name is Zhang Wei, but you can call me Julie.” Annika introduced herself, Julie left the room, and both girls continued unpacking. Pippi was supposed to be helping her but instead, she was trying on her best dress and clean stockings to be ready for a meeting with her coach in a few minutes.

Pippi walked into the coach’s office, and he stood up to greet her.

“Welcome! You must be Pippilotta. I must say, you’re shorter and much skinnier than expected! Especially for someone who can lift as much as you can!”

There was a silence in the room. Pippi was standing straight as a board, saluting her coach. You see, growing up on a pirate ship where her father was the captain, she had learned the importance of patience and waiting to speak until it was your turn.

“Permission to speak, sir?”

“Oh, Pippilotta-“

“Please, sir, call me Pippi!”

“Well, uh, Pippi, please don’t call me “sir,” but you can call me “Coach.”’

“Ok coach, so what can I do for ya?,” asked Pippi as she sat down, and kicked her feet on the desk in front of her.

“What do you plan on majoring in? Don’t all of you always have a five-year plan?”

Pippi just shook her head. “No, coach, I think of plans the same way I think of the wind on my father’s pirate ship. It’ll guide me, but the steering is the most important part!”

Coach muttered as he continued to ask questions.

“So Pippi, do you plan on studying abroad? What do you want to do when you graduate? When are you applying to medical school?”

“Oh coach, I don’t have any answers yet. I’m still thinking about what I want to eat for lunch. What’s good around here?”

“The dining hall, Pippi. Get used to it. I’ll see you later, enjoy your orientation.”

Pippi walked out wondering why the coach had so many questions, almost as if she needed to know all the answers! Attending school is supposed to give you more answers, not more questions, right? Pippi shook her head as she walked towards her first orientation meeting.

“My dad is the captain of a ship and my momma is up in Heaven,” said Pippi to an inquisitive classmate who came up to talk to her.

“Oh, so you’re one of those that owns a fancy yacht and you went to prep school? I couldn’t have guessed from your lack of pearls and nice attire.”

“Oh, you like my dress?,” asked Pippi. “I made it myself!”

“Wow, that’s so hipster.”

Pippi chuckled. She made a mental note to check out the hipster club when she was finally settled into school. Since she had won a hula hoop contest in Hawaii when she was a young girl, she thought she would be good at stirring her hips. That’s definitely what a hipster was: someone who was part of a club where they moved their hips in circles while making their own clothes. Seemed difficult, but Pippi moved on to another conversation.

In a high pitched, nasally voice, a girl skipped over and asked “SO, were you student body president in high school? I’ve talked to so many girls who were top 10 in their class, it’s crazy!!”

Since Annika was standing next to Pippi, and Pippi didn’t know what to respond since she had never been class president, or wasn’t top 10 of her class, she let Annika respond. Annika happened to be class president with Tommy, and had graduated with straight A’s.

When the girls started talking about grades, Pippi interjected, “Why do you think they stopped after F, huh? How do you think E, F, G, H, I, J, K, and all the way down until Z, feel?”

“Oh Pippi, that’s silly.”

Pippi didn’t think it was so silly. She had seen how all the girls she had met up until now were very studious, well-prepared, well-dressed, perfectionists, grade-conscious, type-A, overachievers, planners, determined, go-getters, and the list goes on.

“Annika, I don’t think I belong here. I don’t think I’m enough like these girls.”

“What, you mean, not Wendy enough?”

“Wendy?,” replied Pippi quickly.

“Yeah! Wendy! She’s like the “typical” student here.”

“My papa told me to never be ordinary. It takes away the fun of life! I mean, if I were just like everybody else, then I wouldn’t be me! And that would be boring.”

“Oh Pippi, but we are all a little Wendy. That’s why we’re here. But you’re the best Wendy of all, because you’re Pippi first. You’re spunky, loving, caring, determined, self-resilient, generous, kind, funny, and free-spirited. But, you also work hard, study a ton, and have dreams for your future.”

Pippi wasn’t fully convinced. What she did know, is that she wanted to learn to be more studious, but not to an extreme. She wanted to have a successful future, but she wanted to define success her own way. She wanted to follow her passions, and do what Pippi loves. In the end, for Pippi, it didn’t matter about the grades, or the sports, or the five year plan, but what mattered were the people around her that cared about her, and supported her, and that she loved. She was just one big ship sailing across the Pacific waiting for the wind and current of life to guide her.

“Weeeeeeeeeeee!” Pippi slid down the banister of the escalator on her way down to baggage claim, while Annika and Tommy were fast-walking but mostly running from excitement. They were so happy to have landed in Boston after a long flight, and were ready for the journey that lay ahead of them.

Pippi grabbed everyone’s luggage and carried them like a pizza man would carry pizza boxes, or a waiter would carry plates – with no effort and high over her head so all Tommy and Annika could see as they walked outside was their luggage floating over the crowd of people staring into their phones and walking with their heads down to their next destination.

Old Man the horse had arrived on the cargo flight just a few minutes later, and the three friends and all of their luggage rode into the city whistling and excited. Tommy was the first to be dropped off, and as Annika shed a few tears for her brother, she waved goodbye and rode off with Pippi west of the city.

Only approximately thirteen miles away from the city, the two girls and horse and Mr. Nilsson stumbled across a small town, where the streets were lined with the most beautiful lampposts and a brick tower lay in the distance as they looked to their left.

“Pippi, we’re here!,” shouted Annika and she almost fell backwards off of Old Man in her excitement. Riding up to the very modern looking building, Pippi exclaimed, “This building looks like someone stronger than me just picked it up and plopped it in the middle of this campus! It doesn’t match with anything!”

“Oh Pippi, you know that there isn’t anyone as strong as you,” replied Annika. Pippi cartwheeled off of Old Man and helped Annika onto the ground, unloaded the suitcases and carried them up the small hill to their assigned dormitory.

Walking into her new room, Pippi put down the suitcases and started jumping and doing flips on the bed, while Mr. Nilsson climbed the pipes in the corner of the room and perched himself in a little L-shaped nook laughing. Another student heard the noise coming from the room and made herself at home, entered the room, and with her hands on her hips said, “Well, now you don’t look much like a Wendy, do ya?” Annika walked in shortly afterwards and cautioned Pippi to be careful to not hit her head on the ceiling, and to help her unpack.

“Actually, my name is Pippilotta Delicatessa Windowshade Mackrelmint Ephraim’s Daughter Longstocking, but you can call me Pippi! This is my friend Annika.”

“Oh, my name is Zhang Wei, but you can call me Julie.” Annika introduced herself, Julie left the room, and both girls continued unpacking. Pippi was supposed to be helping her but instead, she was trying on her best dress and clean stockings to be ready for a meeting with her coach in a few minutes.

Pippi walked into the coach’s office, and he stood up to greet her.

“Welcome! You must be Pippilotta. I must say, you’re shorter and much skinnier than expected! Especially for someone who can lift as much as you can!”

There was a silence in the room. Pippi was standing straight as a board, saluting her coach. You see, growing up on a pirate ship where her father was the captain, she had learned the importance of patience and waiting to speak until it was your turn.

“Permission to speak, sir?”

“Oh, Pippilotta-“

“Please, sir, call me Pippi!”

“Well, uh, Pippi, please don’t call me “sir,” but you can call me “Coach.”’

“Ok coach, so what can I do for ya?,” asked Pippi as she sat down, and kicked her feet on the desk in front of her.

“Well, first of all, you’re really not a Wendy, are ya?”

The rest of the meeting was a blur. Pippi was so confused. Why had Julie called her Wendy, and so had the coach? She looked down at her dress. It did not read “Wendy” anywhere on a nametag, or on her application to the college. She had never even met a person named Wendy before!

Who was this Wendy everyone was speaking about?

Pippi was determined to find out. She walked around her orientation programs and everyone she spoke to, she asked about this mysterious Wendy character.

One girl was shocked, “O.M.G. you’ve NEVER heard of WENDY?”

“No, could you describe her to me?,” asked Pippi.

Another girl chimed in, “Well, Wendy represents the oppression of people’s individuality on campus, because she is an ideal-“

The other girl interrupted, “Ok, wait. She needs the basics. She’s always dressed well for class, and has very fair skin. She is usually wearing earrings and a necklace. She has extra pencils for taking notes in class, and has always completed ALL of the reading assignments. As difficult as it may be to get an A, Wendy gets A’s. She has had an internship every single summer, and never completes an assignment late. She has a very type-A personality, and always wants to lead group projects. She’s an overachiever, but has the mentality that she will one day make a difference in the world.”

Pippi thanked the girls for their help, and walked away. She thought to herself, “Wow, in all my adventures, I’ve never met anyone quite like Wendy!” She became more determined to find her.

She stood on a chair and loudly shouted, “Would Wendy please raise her hand?”

Everyone turned to face Pippi, and slowly raised their hands. Someone shouted from the crowd, “We are all Wendy.”

Annika grabbed Pippi and pulled her down from the chair. “Pippi, what are you doing?”

“Annika, WHO is Wendy? Have you met her?”

“Pippi, Wendy exists within every one of us! She is in a sense our role model, but also who we strive not to be. We are all a part of this beautiful community, because we are somehow close to Wendy, but what makes us stand out as women who will make a difference in the world is how we develop and bring to life the things that make us not-so Wendy. The things that make you Pippi, are what will make you happy.”

“Oh Annika, I’ve been confused all day! Thank you so much!” The two friends hugged, before Annika walked away. Pippi was left thinking. She learned from Wendy that not everything needs to have a purpose, and that life is about following your passions and what allows you to smile and be happy. She knew that she would learn and live better that way.

When Pippi was away sailing the seven seas as a pirate on her father’s ship, the mailman had many problems trying to fit all the mail she had received through the small slot in the door. He resorted to stuffing it through the barely open window near the front of the house. Over many months, Pippi accumulated so much mail that she could rake it around and create large piles that her, Tommy and Annika would play in.

Pippi had decided that she would open one letter a day because she felt that if she opened everything at once, that there wouldn’t be anything to look forward to while sipping her morning coffee.

Today she decided to open a large white envelope. It had a very “official” looking seal in the corner, and was addressed to her using her full and proper name. Captain Longstocking clearly didn’t think too much about how Pippi’s name would go on an envelope, because it was so long that it barely fit.

She began to read the letter and because it took so long to read it because Mr. Nilsson kept making a trail of flour dust around the kitchen and making a mess, the summarized version is that Pippi had received something of a scholarship.

“What could I possibly be receiving a scholarship for, Mr. Nilsson?,” asked Pippi.

As she read on, she learned that someone had seen her talent for super strength on display at the circus and was somehow affiliated with a small college in America, which was interested in bringing Pippi aboard to help improve their weight lifting team.

This made Pippi very excited, because she knew that Tommy and Annika were headed to school in America very close by, and they could all now complete the journey together.

Although Pippi knew she would be sad to leave her home at Villa Villekula, she was excited for the new adventure that lay ahead for her. Over the next few weeks and with the help of Tommy and Annika, she packed up her gold coins, some clothes, and new outfits for Mr. Nilsson, and was ready to go to college.

Tommy and Annika had traveled many times before on a plane with their parents around Europe, and knew the procedure about security and dealing with the “mean men in ugly uniforms,” as Pippi referred to them.

“Are you going to take my shoes away, sir? You know, my Papa bought me these shoes because he said that I could have them until my foot is about two feet long –“

The agent interrupted her, “Madame, please remove your shoes. They will not be taken from you, they are in fact dirty and too big for my feet. But they’re so big that Lord knows what could be hidden in there.”

“Oh sir, don’t worry. All of my gold coins are safe and sound. You know, in Japan, they put crickets in their shoes to give you a leg up when you’re walking.”

The guard ignored her and continued to yell at the crowd of people still in line. Tommy laughed as he nudged Pippi forward, almost like the big brother of the two ladies he was travelling with. Annika cautiously removed all the liquids from her bag, proceeded to place every item of clothing and luggage in an individual bin to ensure that she was following the rules.

Pippi did a cartwheel through the security machine and as soon as she stood back up again a guard shouted from across the room, “Young girl, please come with me!”

Tommy rushed over to the guard, “Sir, please forgive her. We are headed to Boston in America and it is her first time travelling. She has been offered an athletic scholarship, and it is very important that we make our flight.”

Annika batted her eyelashes a couple of times and made a few compliments to the guard as the three friends walked to the gate.

Pippi, Tommy and Annika had a long flight ahead of them. But while sitting on the plane, Tommy was eagerly anticipating the new classes, new friends, and new city he was going to be living in. Annika was thinking about her brother and her dear friend Pippi, and although she was happy, she was sad because she knew she wouldn’t be seeing them as often as her brother would be very busy and Pippi would be at another school.

Pippi was gazing out of the window watching the moon cross over the wing of the plane. As Mr. Nilsson slept silently in her lap, she rubbed his soft belly and whispered, “Gotta make Papa and Mama proud, Mr. Nilsson.”

Before closing her eyes for the night, she looked over at her two friends and smiled. She knew this adventure and growing up would be difficult, but easier with their love, and she was excited for the challenges and opportunities this journey would bring.

At two o’clock, once they were finished with their lessons, Tommy and Annika ran to Pippi’s house. They opened the gate, and fed horse a sugar cube in order to convince him to move away from the front door and further down the porch. They let themselves into the house, as they normally did.

“Pippi! Pippi! Where are you?,” both children shouted as soon as they got inside.

They heard Mr. Nilsson give a small screech from Pippi’s bedroom upstairs. He scurried down the banister of the staircase and placed one finger over his mouth, indicating that the children should quietly follow him to find their friend.

Tommy and Annika walked upstairs only to find that Pippi was laying perfectly still, and perfectly straight in bed. All they could see sticking out of a blanket draped over her body, were her feet which were rested upon her pillow, and two carrot-colored braids that stuck straight out of her head at the foot of the bed.

“It is absolutely unfair!,” said Pippi as she threw off the covers disappointedly. “On one of my adventures to Africa, a tribesman told me about a princess that fell asleep for a hundred years, and woke up three feet taller when she first went to sleep! I’ve been laying in bed asleep since I finished giving Mr. Nilsson a bath, and I haven’t grown an inch.”

Pippi stood out of bed and the three walked downstairs and sat around the kitchen counter.

“Pippi, Tommy and I are going to present the movie that was made about you in show & tell on Friday during school! We are so excited!,” said Annika as she chewed through a caramel candy.

“Oh, I love shows! In China, everyone turns their backs on the stage during a show and watches the character’s shadows on the wall in front of them. Makes for a totally different perspective.” Tommy and Annika laughed, and Pippi handed a piece of candy to Mr. Nilsson who proceeded to throw it at horse who had managed to fit his head perfectly into the window from the porch and drink from the sink.

“What should I wear to the show?,” Pippi asked.

Tommy giggled. “Oh Pippi, this isn’t a show like a play, or anything like that! This is a time where everyone picks something that they want to share with the class. We want to show the video so that everyone at school can get to know you better!”

Pippi jumped off the counter. “Tommy and Annika, I would be honored to be lead role in your show.”

On Friday morning, Tommy and Annika were so excited that they couldn’t sleep. They skipped to school, and volunteered to go first in show & tell.

“Good morning, class! Tommy and I are very excited to tell you today about the animated movie that was released, which tells the story of our dear friend, Pippi Lonstocking.”

The troublemaker boy in the class, Ryan, interrupted in this moment and shouted, “Isn’t that the girl that couldn’t do math?”

The teacher authoritatively and sternly said, “Ryan, please don’t interrupt Tommy and Annika during their presentation. Pippi was a sweet girl who has promised to come back to school once she’s more settled in town. Please continue Annika.”

Annika, a shy and soft-spoken girl, did not want to speak first. She was very nervous and cleared her throat anxiously before she spoke: “Thank you. Tommy, would you like to start us off?”

“Hi class. Today Annika and I are each going to tell three of our favorite stories that are portrayed in the animated movie. Most of these stories were originally told in the book written by Astrid Lindgren, but we feel the movie gives a greater perspective of our dear friend and her adventures.”

“But first a bit of history,” and Annika proceeded to explain how the animated movie was made in the United States during the year 1997 and was directed by Michael Schaack and Clive A. Smith. From this movie stemmed a television series, which ran on HBO in the United States and on Teletoon in Canada.

“We want to show you the trailer made for the movie released in 1969 first, because it inspired the 1997 animated film.”

The 1969 version of the Pippi Longstocking movie was significant because Astrid Lindgren herself wrote the script for it. She was dissatisfied with the interpretations of Pippi Longstocking in previous films, and decided that she wanted to play a large role in the production of this version. The song playing in the background of the trailer is the original Pippi Longstocking theme, which is significant because Pippi loves to sing it herself, “I am Pippi Longstocking! If you say it fast, it’s funny.”…etc.

http://youtu.be/uHIS7WXrNqU

The class applauded excitedly. Tommy and Annika continued with their presentation with much more confidence than when they started.

“Now Tommy will begin with the first of his three favorite stories of Pippi and her adventures.”

“My first story is of the first time I met Pippi. You’ll see why I was instantly captivated by her unique dress, her knowledge of far away lands, and her friends Mr. Nilsson and horse.”

http://youtu.be/ap8e0K15U9I?t=11m14s (please start at 11:14 and stop at 14:38, or continue if you’d like!)

The class laughed at Pippi and the occasional whisper could be heard about how Tommy and Annika were famous because they were in a movie.

“My turn now!,” exclaimed Annika excitedly. “After we met Pippi, she taught us how to make pancakes. But this wasn’t any ordinary breakfast. She loves singing and dancing, and the pancakes were of course, the best I’d ever had!”

Tommy added, “Oh, and the lady in purple, that’s Mrs. Prysselius. She’s the one that wants Pippi to go live in a children’s home.”

http://youtu.be/ap8e0K15U9I?t=14m38s (please start at 14:38 and stop at 20:00!)

Everyone giggled because they knew how mean Mrs. Prysselius could be.

“Next, I’d like to tell the story of when Pippi came to school. I know you all know the story since you were here, but I thought you would enjoy it from an animated perspective!”

http://youtu.be/ap8e0K15U9I?t=28m57s (please start at 28:57 and stop at 33:29!)

Annika began as soon as the class was finished laughing and had quieted down about pointing themselves out in the film and giggling. “Mother will never forget the time that Pippi came to our tea party. Pippi made quite a mess, but I couldn’t stop laughing.”

http://youtu.be/ap8e0K15U9I?t=35m (please start at 35:00 and stop at 38:52!)

“Annika and I love this story about Pippi. It always makes me laugh to think about, because it’s the time when Officers Kling and Klang visited Pippi’s house on orders from Mrs. Prysselius. She wasn’t happy!”

Annika added, “Our mom even wrote a letter to them about Pippi!”

http://youtu.be/ap8e0K15U9I?t=44m2s (please start at 44:02 and stop at 47:44!)

“Last one Annika,” whispered Tommy to his sister. “I hope we’re not boring them with all of these clips!”

Annika began, “My favorite moment of my friendship with Pippi happens after she entertains two burglars, and defeats Adolf, the strongest man in the world. It’s even after her father returns from being lost at sea. My favorite moment is when Pippi decides she’s leaving to continue her life as a pirate with her father, and his crew. It was in fact, where Pippi grew up, and although both Tommy and I were sad she was leaving, we knew that she would be happy.”

Tommy added, “We had never had as good a friend as Pippi, and we knew that whether she was in the South Pacific somewhere, or in some tribal kingdom on the other side of the world, that she would always be our friend. She’s so much fun to be around, incredibly caring, while at the same time, strong, brave, and self-resilient. She never takes “no” for an answer, and lives by the motto that she will always ‘come out on top.’”

“Anyway,” Annika began timidly, after becoming slightly emotional from her brother’s response, “here’s the final scene of the movie. Hope you enjoy, and thank you for allowing us to present and better introduce you to our forever friend, Pippi Longstocking.”

http://youtu.be/ap8e0K15U9I?t=1h10m38s (please start at 1:10:38 and stop at 1:12:36 – or when the final song is complete!)

Good evening Officers Kling and Klang,

This is Mrs. Settergreen, and I live in the small house next to Villa Villekulla in our small town. I have just been made aware that a small, nine-year old girl has been living in Villa Villekulla without parents. My children, Tommy and Annika went over to meet her a few days ago and they told me that her mother passed away many years ago, and her father is a pirate who has been made king of a cannibal island somewhere in the Pacific. The children informed me that she does not live quite alone, for she cares for a pet monkey named Mr. Nilsson and a horse that lives on the porch of her house. Apparently her father purchased the house many years ago and he thought they would live together when he grew old and could not sail the seas any longer. But unfortunately, he was blown into the ocean on their latest adventure and now she is waiting for his return. She has been nothing but kind to my children, and despite her odd appearance and manners, I believe that the claims Mrs. Prysselius made against her are misguided. It is my understanding that as officers of our town, Mrs. Prysselius approached you in order to inquire whether or not the child was properly supervised in her house, and if she wasn’t, whether arrangements could be made to move her to a proper children’s home. However, I believe that she is a strong, independent-minded, and remarkable young girl.

I’m writing you this letter because Tommy and Annika have just informed me that a novel will be published about the story of this young girl, and her adventures with my children. A neighbor of ours in the town wrote the novel, and her name is Astrid Lindgren. She is a fellow Swede and a loving mother, who apparently heard the story of this remarkable child, and wrote the novel to help remedy her sick child’s boredom while stuck in bed. I am told that the novel will tell of the great adventures of the child, including a time where she was fighting bullies, playing tag with some policemen (may I assume this to be you two?), going to school, sitting on a gate and climbing a tree, arranging a picnic, going to the circus, entertaining two burglars, going to a coffee party (where I was present), saving a life, and celebrating her birthday. I hope this novel serves to inform you of the child’s remarkable character, and how she is properly equipped to handle herself in her home at Villa Villekulla.

Please let me know your thoughts on the novel, and how you perceive this child’s behaviors.

Thank you kindly. Please say hello to your wives for me, and let them know that despite what happened at the last coffee party, they are welcome again this week for tea.

Mrs. Settergreen

Dear Mrs. Settergreen,

We are very thankful for your letter about the child living at Villa Villekulla. We filed a report as soon as you wrote to us. We are pleased to report that we have closed the case in regards to the novel written by Astrid Lindgren. We have learned that in fact, it has already been released! The novel is named after the child, Pippi Longstocking. It was released just this year, 1945 but makes no mention of time. It was a quick read for adults like us however, for Lindgren’s daughter and other young children, we believe this is a great chapter book for those looking to challenge themselves to a longer story. There are some illustrations woven within the story however, they are simply complementary to the witty, quick, and fluid writing style. The story of young Pippi and her adventures with your children, Tommy and Annika has changed our perceptions of the young girl. The author’s rich characterization paints the perfect image in our minds of her red pigtails, odd dress, strange habits, and unnatural pets. Each chapter tells a different adventure that Pippi encounters, and therefore, each chapter teaches a different lesson about what makes her so remarkable. We learned from her adventure at the circus where she carried Adolf, the strongest man in the world, that she is the strongest girl in the world and could pick up her horse with just one hand. We learned that there isn’t anything Pippi is afraid of, and that whatever you thought you couldn’t do or weren’t strong enough to do, Pippi could do and Pippi would do. Pippi never minds cleaning up around the house, as long as she gets to scrub the floor with the brush skates that she fashioned for herself, which allow her to skate around the kitchen. There is never a time where Pippi lets anyone or anything defeat her, and she would definitely never let any harm come to her closest friends, Tommy and Annika. She makes herself breakfast in the morning, cleans and repairs her house Villa Villekulla during the day, and counts her many gold coins and dances the schottische at night. All in all, Pippi is a very self-resilient, generous, kind, funny, and free-spirited girl.

She’s taught us to be independent and not let life’s little things get us down. She reminds us to be adventurous and always open to try new things. The story about when someone offered her a salve to cure freckles and asked her if she “suffers from freckles” and she responds that she “doesn’t suffer from them” but in fact, “loves them,” reminds us to accept ourselves. We even make an appearance in the book, which we are very proud of. In the chapter titled “Pippi Plays Tag with Some Policemen,” the author was referring to us! Although the child refused to go to the children’s home, the story shows us to always challenge conventions. When she gave Tommy and Annika birthday presents on her own birthday, this taught us to always care for our friends the way she does for hers. When she defeated the supposed “strongest man in the world” and told someone to keep in mind that she was the “strongest girl in the world,” she reminded us the strength and power of being a woman. Whether it’s riding her horse through the school gates or dancing with burglars, she taught us the importance of enjoying life, not sweating the small stuff, and to not take ourselves too seriously. All in all, with the help of Astrid Lindgren’s novel, we have determined as officers of this small town that Pippilotta Delicatessa Windowshade Mackrelmint Ephraim’s Daughter Longstocking, or Pippi for short, is a very remarkable child and has our permission to remain in her house at Villa Villekulla until the arrival of her father from the Pacific. We will be writing to Mrs. Prysselius to make her aware of this, if she has not picked up a copy of the book already and been inspired herself. We have heard that the book will be published into over 70 different languages! Thank you so much again for writing to us, and for making us aware of this amazing novel. We will recommend it to all who come into our police station, if they haven’t heard of it already. The story of Pippi Lonstocking will never cease to make us smile, question our actions, and enjoy the company of friends and family.

Thank you for writing to us. It is because of citizens like you, that our small town can remain safe from harm – with the help of such charming officers as ourselves! Oh – also, our wives wanted us to inform you that after reading the chapter regarding the coffee party in the novel, they now understand why Pippi acted out and put her face into the entire cake without saving any for the rest of the guests! They graciously accept your invitation for tea, and will see you later on this week.

Enjoy your day!

Sincerely,

Officers Kling and Klang