On March 7, the Swedish residence in New York City opened its doors to librarians and other members of the children’s book community for a gathering in honor of International Women’s Day and the 80th book birthday of the strongest girl in the world: Pippi Longstocking. The event was held in partnership with the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award and Astrid Lindgren Company, PEN America, and the Swedish Institute.

Erik Ullenhag, Consul General of Sweden to New York City, kicked off the afternoon festivities by citing the tremendous impact of Lindgren’s storytelling. He noted that from the time of its publication in 1945, Pippi Longstocking was a cultural sensation, with some critics praising it as “a revolution in the nursery,” while others decried the nonconforming heroine as “an unpleasant thing.” Ullenhag remarked that, in addition to being “a goldmine of quotes,” the story is a beacon of “an independent childhood”; Pippi and her author are “feminist icons,” embodying the courage of all women.

Next, children’s literature historian Leonard S. Marcus led a panel on the enduring relevance and resonance of the Pippi Longstocking books. The speakers were Johan Palmberg, Lindgren’s great-grandson and member of the ALMA jury; Laurie Halse Anderson, 2023 recipient of the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award; Jonathan Friedman, Sy Syms managing director of U.S. free expression programs at PEN America; and Jamia Wilson, feminist activist, writer, and VP and executive editor at Random House.

'Obstinate, Headstrong Girl'

Marcus opened the discussion with a brief overview of Pippi’s publication history, including its translation into more than 80 languages worldwide. The book has also come up against its share of critics and censors. It was banned outright in Iran, and Marcus referenced how an early French translation downsized the horse that Pippi lifts to a pony, in a misguided attempt to make the tale more plausible—itself a form of censorship.

After reading aloud quotations from Lindgren underscoring how she centered the child’s point of view in her work, Marcus asked Palmberg about his first memories of encountering his grandmother’s creation. “Pippi was like the rain or the wind; she was always there,” Palmberg said. He recalled listening to the stories on cassette tape over and over as a boy.

Anderson said that as a child she struggled to read, and when she finally learned, “It was like this huge treasure cave had opened to me.” Lindgren’s book marked a turning point: “Pippi picked up a horse—not a pony!—and that changed me.” Anderson was drawn to the protagonist’s “brazenness and absolute joyfulness,” noting how she “dispatches with bullies” but immediately resumes her characteristic kindness. Pippi embodies the golden rule of courage and comedy: punch up, not down. Another one of Anderson’s childhood heroines was Wonder Woman, and she mused about the possible influence of the comic book on Lindgren’s imagination. “Can you think of another superhero who is a child?” she asked.

Wilson’s early experience with Pippi Longstocking highlights the book’s global reach. At the age of six, Wilson moved with her family from South Carolina to Saudi Arabia, where she said she spent a lot of her time in the library. When she found Lindgren’s book—which skirted the censors—it offered a way for her to connect with her classmates. And when a family from Stockholm moved in next door, she instantly bonded with her new neighbors over Pippi. “I see her as someone who brings people together,” she said. Pointing to her braids, Wilson said that as a young woman of color, she related to the feisty redhead and her pigtails, realizing, “It’s okay that I’m different from everyone else.”

Friedman of PEN America said that he was more of a “book-skimmer” than an avid reader as a kid, but he was always aware of Pippi Longstocking. Growing up in Canada, he found that a lot of his cultural references came from the U.S.; still, he was interested in other global influences. Lindgren’s stories show children that “there’s something more to the world,” Friedman said, adding that Pippi is “part of the echelon of global characters. Powerful, rebellious, opinionated—boy, do we need that right now.”

Pivoting to speak about Lindgren’s work from an adult perspective, Marcus posed the question of whether the book would be published today. Wilson replied, “We need fiction [like Pippi Longstocking]” that foregrounds “the visionary leadership of the child... to expand ourselves.”

Anderson agreed that the book is essential, adding that the heroine “carries within her the powers and strengths of all children. It’s earth-shaking.” However—and perhaps for the very reason of its radical empowerment—she said, “I’m not sure it would be published today.”

Marcus raised the issue that as the book moves through history, certain aspects are now seen as objectionable, including racial and cultural stereotypes. When the 1960s television series based on the books re-aired in 2014, parts were edited out, causing some uproar in Sweden. Marcus asked the panelists, “When is it okay to change a text?”

Friedman pointed out that there are many problematic classics in the children’s canon and suggested that the approach to altering or reframing a text depends on whether the author is alive, the family oversees the estate, or it’s being managed by a larger company. He warned that the urge to update older works by smoothing over the offensive parts and the movement by conservatives to ban books may represent “different sides of the same coin.” He wondered, “Why can’t we reckon with the problems instead of hiding them?”

Wilson agreed, saying, “I believe that the conversation should be about media literacy and cultural competency.” Rather than shelter the reader, “We need to teach young people to engage with nuance and context and give kids the tools to come to their own critical evaluation.” For Wilson, there’s no single solution; “the conflict must be generatively confronted.”

Passing the Torch

When asked what Pippi Longstocking represents for the Swedish people, Palmberg replied that her influence is so large “she almost symbolizes Sweden itself.” She stands for the values the country hopes to present to the world: “anti-authoritarianism, free thinking, and free-spiritedness.” A key part of honoring and extending that legacy is the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, which was founded by the Swedish government in 2002, the year of Lindgren’s death, with the mission “to promote every child’s right to great stories.” It is the largest award for children’s literature, with a prize of five million Swedish kronor (just under $500,000 at present exchange rates).

Reflecting on how the award had changed her life, Anderson said, “It might have saved my soul.” When she received the call from the committee two years ago, she said, “I was deeply depressed” by the current political climate. She felt that everything she had worked for in her writing “was under attack.” The prize validated her efforts in the fight for authentic representation and free expression. “I’ve never felt more seen than when I read the judges’ description of my work. We are family,” she said of the extended ALMA community, gesturing to fellow laureate Jacqueline Woodson, who was also in attendance. Looking ahead, Anderson hopes to see Pippi Longstocking paired with the “spiritual descendants” of Lindgren—books by contemporary children’s authors such as Meg Medina, Linda Sue Park, and Kelly Yang—in classrooms and libraries.

During the q&a that followed, a member of the audience asked, “Will Pippi be banned?” While Friedman stressed that titles with BIPOC and LGBTQ+ authors and characters are primarily under fire, Wilson pointed out that another book starring a redheaded girl, Freckleface Strawberry by Julianne Moore, has been banned. Friedman acknowledged the librarians who are on the frontlines of the battle against censorship, saying, “It takes so much bravery.” Let’s bring it back to Pippi—full circle.”

The birthday celebration continues throughout 2025, with 60 performances of a new Pippi Longstocking play by the Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre in all five boroughs of New York City, among other events. Also in honor of Lindgren, Penguin Random House and the Swedish Women’s Educational Association are donating a total of 7,500 books, which will be distributed across New York Public Library branches.

This year’s Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award laureate will be announced at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair on April 1.