Astrid Lindgren’s daughter Karin was sick in bed and wanted her mum to tell her a story. “Tell me about Pippi Longstocking”, she pleaded, and in that instant Astrid invented what was to become one of the world’s most famous children’s book characters. “Since the name was remarkable, it had to be a remarkable girl”, Astrid said.

When the book about Pippi Longstocking was written, there was an ongoing debate in Sweden about youth delinquency, a debate that had been ongoing for a while and that Astrid was undoubtedly aware of. Astrid did not intend for the book about Pippi to be a part of this debate, even though she was well aware of the book's rebellious nature. For many children, Pippi was liberating and refreshing, offering a delightful contrast to the rather authoritarian parenting ideas that were prevalent at the time.

When the book was published in 1945, it received a very positive reception. However, after a year or so, objections arose that Pippi was tasteless and lacked manners, and that she might, in the worst case, inspire other children to mimic her behavior, like pouring sugar on the floor. A debate about Pippi emerged.

Astrid entered the debate and defended all children who simply want to explore the world in a safe environment. Astrid wrote that children should be treated with the same respect as adults and coined the phrase that has been quoted countless times: "Give children love, more love, and even more love, and the common sense will come by itself."

Another contemporary debate related to Pippi has revolved around the well-behaved girl Annika in contrast to the wild and free-spirited Pippi, and which of these female archetypes our society values. Debates about Pippi have also flared up in other parts of the world – in China in 2008, Pippi's treatment of the police was questioned. It is certain that neither Pippi's popularity nor her ability to provoke discussion seems to have diminished since 1945.