I don't want to write for adults. I want to write for readers who can perform miracles. Only children perform miracles when they read. Astrid Lindgren More Quotes by Astrid Lindgren More Quotes From Astrid Lindgren Give the children love, more love and still more love – and the common sense will come by itself. Astrid Lindgren common-sense giving children Don't let them get you down. Be cheeky. And wild. And wonderful. Astrid Lindgren cheeky wonderful Everything great that ever happened in this world happened first in somebody’s imagination. Astrid Lindgren imagination world firsts What the world of tomorrow will be like is greatly dependent on the power of imagination in those who are learning to read today. Astrid Lindgren imagination today world There is very little you can beat into a child, but no limit to what you can hug out of it. Astrid Lindgren hug discipline children A childhood without books – that would be no childhood. That would be like being shut out from the enchanted place where you can go and find the rarest kind of joy. Astrid Lindgren healing book children If I have brightened up one single sad childhood, then I have at least accomplished something in my life. Astrid Lindgren childhood sadness children I don't mind dying, I'll gladly do that, but not right now, I need to clean the house first. Astrid Lindgren dying mind house And so I write the way I myself would like the book to be – if I were a child. I write for the child within me. Astrid Lindgren writing book children You understand Teacher, don't you, that when you have a mother who's an angel and a father who is a cannibal king, and when you have sailed on the ocean all your whole life, then you don't know just how to behave in school with all the apples and ibexes. Astrid Lindgren kings mother teacher If I have managed to brighten up even one gloomy childhood – then I’m satisfied. Astrid Lindgren gloomy childhood satisfied What should a good children’s book be like? If you ask me, I can tell you after thinking long and hard: It must be good. Astrid Lindgren book children thinking But still, if it's true, how can it be a lie? Astrid Lindgren stills ifs lying I have noticed several times that people don't think I know how to behave even when I'm trying as hard as I can. Astrid Lindgren trying people thinking As the children were sitting there eating pears, a girl came walking along the road from town. When she saw the children she stopped and asked, "Have you seen my papa go by?" "M-m-m," said Pippi. "How did he look? Did he have blue eyes?" "Yes," said the girl. "Medium large, not too tall and not too short?" "Yes," said the girl. "Black hat and black shoes?" "Yes, exactly," said the girl eagerly. "No, that one we haven't seen," said Pippi decidedly. Astrid Lindgren girl eye children But Nightshirts aren't dangerous," Pippi assured her. "They don't bite anybody except in self defense. Astrid Lindgren dangerous defense self No Fridolf, bother all this learning. I can't study anymore because I must climb the mast to see what kind of weather we're going to have tomorrow. Astrid Lindgren study tomorrow weather Then she yelled after the girl, 'No, we haven't seen any bald 'uns all days. But yesterday seventeen of 'em went by. Arm in arm! Astrid Lindgren ems girl yesterday I have never experienced being madly in love the way most people seem to have been, although it is not something I would miss. Instead I have had an enormous ability to love my children and my grandchildren and my great grandchildren. Astrid Lindgren missing children people The girl hurried away, but then Pippi shouted, "Did he have big ears that reached way down to his shoulders?" "No," said the girl and turned and came running back in amazement. "You don't mean to say that you have seen a man walk by with such big ears?" "I have never seen anyone who walks with his ears," said Pippi. "All the people I know walk with their feet. Astrid Lindgren girl running mean