Happy Times in Noisy Village [Paperback]

Astrid Lindgren (Author), Ilon Wikland (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 7 and up | Grade Level: 2 and up | Series: Noisy Village

Welcome to Noisy Village! Well, it's not really quite what it sounds. Lisa, who tells the story, lives on Middle Farm with her parents and two brothers, Karl and Bill. Britta and Anna live at North Farm and Olaf and Kerstin live at South Farm. It is because the houses are right next door to each other in a clump as they liked to do these things in rural Sweden years ago, and because the because the children make so much racket that the farmhouses came to be so honestly and happily named. A large linden tree grows between Middle and South Farms and so the boys in the two houses visit each other by climbing through the branches--even the girls do it sometimes, like the night they all waited for Olaf to go to sleep so that they could pull out his loose tooth without his knowing it! That is only one of the many escapades designed to make readers young and old wish they could step right into the pages of this little book.
Join the fun in this companion volume to The Children of Noisy Village (published by Viking Penguin). Illustrated with delightful line drawings by Ilon Wikland; translated by Florence Lamborn.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Though best known for her books about the mischievous and larger-than-life Pippi Longstocking, author Astrid Lindgren, born in 1907, wrote numerous other books about children and family life that were more conventional. Her writing was greatly influenced by a vividly remembered childhood on a farm called Naas in southern Sweden. Here she met a surprising variety of people whose characters later enriched both her real stories and her fairy tales, a number of which, as in the stories of Noisy Village, also reflect the rural serenity of Smaaland as it was when she was a child.
Astrid Lindgren showed a talent for writing early in her life but she purposely decided that she would never write a book. Nevertheless, after her marriage to Sture Lindgren in 1931, she did begin telling stories from her childhood to her two children, Lars and Karin. It was Karin, sick with pneumonia, who one day said to her mother, Tell me about Pippi Longstocking, and thus was born the character who became the focus of many family storytelling sessions and, later, the star of Astrid Lindgren s first book. For after falling and spraining her ankle one winter, Mrs. Lindgren finally changed her mind about writing and set down the tales of Pippi for her daughter s tenth birthday in 1944. This manuscript went on to win first prize in a contest and the prolific career of writing was launched.
Astrid Lindgren was honored many times in many ways during the course of her lifetime, winning the prestigious Hans Christian Andersen Medal in 1958, and receiving the tribute of a set of commemorative Swedish stamps designed by illustrators of her books upon her eightieth birthday.
There are many imaginative ways of feeding a child s imagination. We have much to be grateful for in Astrid Lindgren s appealing portrayal of a simple rural life of another day in her Noisy Village books, as well as in her humorous and fanciful tales that so effortlessly carry children into worlds beyond their own.
Astrid Lindgren died on January 28, 2002 at the age of 94.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 7 and up
  
• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Bethlehem Books (July 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1883937663
• ISBN-13: 978-1883937669
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #172,357 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Astrid Lindgren (1907-2002) created the character of Pippi Longstocking to entertain her daughter. Lindgren was awarded the Hans Christian Andersen Medal for her contribution to international children's literature.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantasy Village, January 13, 2004

By 

Izabela Olszewska (Washington, DC United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Happy Times in Noisy Village (Paperback)

I received this book from my parents for my 11th birthday (many years ago) and this past Christmas I bought one for my 7 year old son, whose favorite characters are Ninja Turtles and Pokemons. We have read this book together during quiet Christmas time and now he doesn't go to sleep without reading at least one chapter from it. He says: "It makes me feel warm inside, mommy, and I feel happy." The book shows how simple things in life (baking cookies, going to school, pulling tooth out...) can become extraordinary adventures for children. Moreover, each and every child can relate to the children from Noisy Village. Astrid Lindgren is a real writing magician. I cannot wait for her other books to be published.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Noisy Village is the Place to be!, August 8, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Happy Times in Noisy Village: 2 (Hardcover)

The series of "Noisy Village" was the X'mas gift given to me 20 years ago. My dad picked up the books and signed with "To My Daughter of Noisy Village ... From Father in Quiet Village". I enjoyed all the stories. I enjoyed the beautiful illustrations too. Someday, I thought, I'd go visit this tiny village of three houses and a bunch of kids with my mom, dad and my baby sister. 20 years has passed and my parents still keep the books for me in their house - I wanted to take the books when I moved but my new place did not have any extra room - and everytime I come visit my parents I never forget to visit the Noisy Village too.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars warm , happy , heartwarming., December 22, 2006

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Happy Times in Noisy Village (Paperback)

a perfect seqel to The Children Of Noisy Village . It has the same heartwarming feel. The children are back hilariusly running through the year . Whether its producing a Cherry Company , Joking a perfect April fools day ,Or making tunnels in the Hay , If you loved the children of noisy village I am positive you will love this just as much.