Oh, Pippi, My Pippi

Way back when, I saved my pennies to order Scholastic Books when pennies really did buy books!  Most books were 35 cents.  I had quite a collection of Astrid Lindgren and Beverly Cleary books.  But there was just something very unique about Astrid Lindgren's Pippi with her home Ville Villekula, her friends Tommy and Annika Settergren and her animal best friends Mr. Nilsson (a monkey) and "Little Buddy" her horse.

Pippi Långstrump/Pippi Longstocking was a girl after my own heart.  She lived in a colorful, clever,untidy house where treasures awaited in a chest of drawers as welll as a treasure box full of gold coins serving her monetary purposes.  She was strong and strong-minded and had a way of putting bullies and bad guys in their rightful places.  She was loyal to her friends.  Her spunkiness got her into (and out of) sticky situations.  And somehow she coped with a father out at sea.


Knowing that Astrid Lindgren wrote these books in the county we are visiting, I knew I had to do a bit of research to see if any of our destinations would have a Pippi and Astrid Lindgren connection.  I hit "pay dirt" as one might say in the city of Stockholm!  The Junibacken Children's Museum on Djurgarden Island is a very special place indeed.  A indoor train takes visitors of all ages past scenes from several different Astrid Lindgren books:  Madicken, Karlson-on-the-Roof, Ronja, the Robber's Daughter, Emil i Lonneberg, and the Brothers Lionhart.  Then there is the pint-sized-coolest-ever Ville Villekula.  Which, of course, I made myself right at home inside with all the pint-sized children.

Here's her messy room; here's her Little Buddy giving rest to this little buddy.

This museum in special in other ways, too.  It is devoted to Swedish children's literature with areas
to play in the environments related to books and book characters:  pirate ships, airplanes, winter wonderlands and much, much more.  Authors have their artwork from books on exhibit.  I only wish I could bring Miss E here!  This museum is also home to the largest children's book store in all of Sweden! A.M.A.Z.I.N.G!!!

But, wait!  There's more!  It also is a place for having fika and/or lunch with pancakes, cream
and lingonberries and Swedish meatballs with potatoes.

Such a sweet way to wrap our visit to Junigarden, wouldn't you say?
Pippi most certainly would approve.