Astrid Anna Emilia Lindgren (listen to pronunciation (help·info), née Ericsson, November 14, 1907 – January 28, 2002) was a Swedish children's book author, whose many titles were translated into 85 languages and published in more than 100 countries. Astrid Lindgren grew up on a farm in Vimmerby, Småland in Sweden and many of her books are based on her family and childhood memories. Pippi Longstocking, her most famous character, however, was originally invented by her bed-ridden daughter, Karin.