Astrid Anna Emilia Lindgren (née Ericsson), (1907 – 2002) was an immensely popular children’s book author as well as a lifelong philanthropist. She was born in Vimmerby in the province of Småland, in Southern Sweden where she grew up on a farm. Astrid was the second of four children of Samuel August, a tenant farmer, and Hanna Jonsson Ericsson. During their childhood years, they were nurtured into storytelling, and were taught how to use their imagination and creativity in the world of literature. Her childhood years were full of love and laughter. Many of the settings and characters in Lindgren’s books can be traced back to her own childhood. 
Lindgren submitted a revised version of the manuscript to the annual Rabén & Sjögren (publishers) writing contest, where it won first prize. The book was published in December of 1945, and became an instant success. Rabén & Sjögren hired Lindgren as a children’s book editor in 1946; she was soon put in charge of their children’s book impornt, where she worked for many years. As one of the world’s best loved writers, Astrid Lindgren has written more than seventy novels and storybooks, with over 145 million books sold worldwide.
