Pippi Longstocking – A Mini Unit
Here’s a short unit using the classic tales of the irrepressible heroine, Pippi Longstocking. There are a couple of books in this series by Astrid Lindgren, including Pippi Goes On Board and Pippi in the South Seas.
Book Summary:
Pippi Longstocking lives in an old house in Villa Villekulla. She lives with a monkey named Mr. Nilsson and a horse. Her mother in an angel in heaven and her father is a king on a cannibal island. Her next-door neighbors are named Tommy and Annika. They are her best friends. The Pippi Longstocking books are full of many exciting adventures.
About the Author:
Astrid Lindgren was born in Sweden in 1907. Though her teacher predicted that she would grow up to write books, she didn’t begin until after she had children of her own. She began writing down all the stories that she had made up for her children over the years.
Suggested Vocabulary Words:
astonishment
cannibal
commands
courageous
disdainfully
expedition
foliage
foreigner
humiliating
injustice
innocent
playmate
promenade
pursuade
radiant
Suggested Discussion Questions and Activities:
1. In this story, Pippi lives on her own. Would you like to be on your own? Explain your answer.
2. Describe Pippi’s appearance. You may also draw a picture of Pippi and the other characters who appear in the story.
3. Pippi tells many stories. Which one is your favorite? Explain your answer.
4. What do you think of Pippi’s behavior? How does her behavior make you feel?
5. How does Pippi handle the five boys beating up Willie? What would you have done different? Explain your answer.
6. What do you think of Pippi’s behavior in school? Was she right or wrong? Explain your answers.
7. What is so funny about the way that Pippi cleans her floors?
8. Think about having Pippi as a friend. What are the positive and negative parts of having Pippi as a friend?
9. Make a list of all the places that Pippi says she has been. Find them on a map and/or world globe.
10. Pippi did a lot of cooking for a nine year old. Who taught her to cook? Why kinds of things did she cook? Find a recipe for one of the items that Pippi cooked. Try and make it to share with family and/or friends.
You may also wish to check out the Pippi Longstocking movie(s). There is a classic live action version, another live action version that was made in 1988, and more recently some cartoon version (1997, 2000).
