Astrid Lindgren
Writer (1907 - 2002) Stockholm, Sweden

"Give children love and more love, and then common sense will come of itself," said Astrid Lindgren, thus summarizing an idea that she made a reality throughout her life. This writer knew how to recreate the world of childhood, explaining both the painful and the fantastical experiences. Her most famous character is Pippi Langstrumpf, a rebellious, brave, and indomitable girl who lives alone and dresses in an outlandish way, breaking the mold of children's literature, which, at that time, offered a sweetened reality and stereotypical characters. Pippi's irreverent nature was the reason why, at first, publishers rejected its publication. Today, however, this character is considered a pioneer in the fight for feminism, like its creator. When Astrid died at the age of 94, hundreds of people gathered silently outside her house to lay flowers and draw. Particularly women and children who in their childhood had been nourished by the fantasy, humor, and warmth of his stories.