I thought it was good fun to introduce my little girl to Pippi Longstocking. Even more so when I discovered there’s a new illustrated editon with the most lovely pictures. Nostalgic as I am, they made me ditch my old copy with the black-and-white drawings. (Besides, the new one has the new German spelling and grammar rules.) How delightful to hear her ask about “Pippi, Tommy, ‘Ika!” And her big smile when she discovered my good old Pippi towel.

Then we started showing her the movies. In small bits, under parental supervision. In German. (Better than those mindless cartoons on the telly…)

Except that last Saturday she undid the hand of a display dummy in the supermarket, and today she tried riding her rocking cow first cross-legged and then standing up.

When does Pippi become too much PippI?