Tommy and his sister Annika have a new neighbor, and her name is Pippi Longstocking. She has crazy red pigtails, no parents to tell her what to do, a horse that lives on her porch, and a pet monkey named Mr. Nilsson. Whether Pippi's scrubbing her floors, doing arithmetic, or stirring things up at a fancy tea party, her flair for the outrageous always seems to lead to another adventure.

Pippi es una niña de nueve años que no tiene ni padre ni madre, pero esta niña extraordinaria que ha viajado por todo el mundo sabe arreglárselas sola. Pippi tiene el pelo de color zanahoria, recogido en dos trencitas, tiesas como palos, sabe cocinar y llevar una casa, y es muy fuerte, tan fuerte que puede levantar un caballo. Pippi piensa que es una ventaja no tener padres ya que nadie la manda a la cama cuando más se está divirtiendo ni nadie la obliga a tomar aceite de hígado de bacalao cuando le apetecen caramelos de menta. Astrid Lindgren nos relata la divertida historia, llena de ternura y humor, de este singularísimo personaje, Pippi, que vive en compañía de su inseparable mono Míster Nelson y su caballo, haciendo mil extravagancias que proporcionarán unas horas inolvidables a nuestros lectores. ( )

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Annika and Thomas desperately wish that someone their age would move in next door so they can have a playmate. They get more than they bargained for when they find that Pippi Longstocking has moved in with her monkey, Mr Nilsson and her horse that lives on the porch because he gets in the way in the kitchen and doesn't feel comfortable in the living room.

Pippi Longstocking is the type of child that would drive a parent mad. And most adults. Any child that answers the question of 'why are you walking backwards?' with 'don't we live in a free country? Can't a person walk any way she likes? - is the type of child that would drive most adults mad.

On the other hand, she's probably also the type of child most other children love. With her red plaited pigtails and vibrant outlook on life she is a colourful icon and a fun and interesting character to enjoy.

I liked parts of this, other parts just baffled me. It probably doesn't help reading this as an adult. I find a lot of things these days fly straight over my head that my niece and nephew think is hysterical. Or I don't have a sense of humour. One of the two. I have no doubt most kids will love it though.

Whether or not you want to take the chance that the kid your reading to will revolt, I guess depends on whether or not they're your child or you can hand them back - or if they're old enough to read it themselves.

One thing that did strike me though - the guns. This is the second book in as many days to have children carrying pistols. The other was Christopher Robin from Winnie-the-Pooh. I mean, I know - different eras and all but jeez. Although at least Pippi is a bit older, I'm not sure Christopher Robin is even four. The idea of my four year old niece with a gun is terrifying. And I know Pippi says "Never let children carry guns" and that but was it necessary to include it at all?

Still interesting book. 3.5 stars for target audience. ( )