Original Art: Handwritten draft of a Pippi Longstocking story by Astrid Lindgren

Era: 1970s

Region: Sweden

Astrid Lindgren (1907–2002) is one of the world’s most beloved children’s authors, with 34 chapter books and 41 picture books sold in over 200 million copies and translated into more than 100 languages. Born on a farm outside Vimmerby, Sweden, Lindgren developed a lifelong love of books and storytelling nurtured by her parents. She published her first story at age 13 and later wrote for local publications.

Beyond writing, Lindgren was a committed humanist and independent thinker, advocating for children’s rights, gender equality, and animal welfare. Her beliefs infused her work with courage, humor, and love.

Inspired by a story request from her daughter Karin, Lindgren created Pippi Longstocking—a girl with superhuman strength, a pet monkey, and a horse on her porch. Pippi’s adventures showcase wit, courage, and humor, often outsmarting authority figures and bullies. Over time, Pippi has become a global symbol of freedom, imagination, and creativity, inspiring generations of readers, authors, and artists.

Lindgren wrote her manuscripts in shorthand before typing final versions, leaving a rich archive now housed at the Royal Library in Stockholm.

This notebook reproduces Lindgren’s shorthand draft of a Pippi Longstocking story, paired with illustrations of Pippi and her iconic house on a pink and mint green background.