The Red Bird (Astrid Lindgren book) facts for kids

The Red Bird (original Swedish title: Sunnanäng) is a special children's book by the famous author Astrid Lindgren. It tells a magical story about two children. The book was first published in Sweden in 1959.

Story Summary

The story is about two siblings, Anna and Mattias. Their parents have passed away. They live with a farmer who makes them work very hard. The farmer does not let them play. Anna and Mattias feel like "gray mice" because they are so sad.

They look forward to school, hoping things will be better there. But even at school, nothing changes for them. One day, on their way home, a bright red bird appears. The children follow the bird. It leads them to a beautiful, warm place called Sunnanäng.

In Sunnanäng, many children are playing happily. There is also a kind mother who cares for all the children, including Anna and Mattias. The siblings have a wonderful time playing and laughing. But soon, they must return home. They learn that once the gate to their home closes, they cannot open it again.

Anna and Mattias start visiting Sunnanäng every day after school. On their very last day of school, they decide to stay in Sunnanäng forever. They close the gate behind them.

Publishing History

The story Sunnanäng was first released in Sweden in 1959. It was part of a book that included several short stories. Ilon Wikland drew the pictures for this first Swedish edition. This version was not translated into English.

Later, the story was published in Sweden as its own picture book. For this version, Marit Törnqvist created new illustrations. This picture book was finally translated into English in 2005. It was then known as The Red Bird.

Book Projects Around the World

The Red Bird has been used in many special projects in different countries. These projects often help children learn and connect.

Helping Children in Iran

The rights to the book in Iran were given to the Koodaki Institute. This institute studies the history of children's literature. Marit Törnqvist and Astrid Lindgren's family donated these rights.

The institute uses the book for a project called Read with Me. This project helps children in parts of Iran who do not have much access to education. Children are taught to share their books with others. Siblings are also encouraged to read stories to each other. This helps them learn important skills for school.

Marit Törnqvist, the illustrator, also led workshops in Isfahan and Tehran. These workshops used the book to help children who need support learn to read.

Welcome Gifts for Refugee Children

In Sweden, 30,000 copies of The Red Bird were given to refugee children. These books were in Arabic. The project was started by Saltkråkan AB, which is Astrid Lindgren's family company. The children's book publisher Rabén & Sjögren also helped. They worked with the migration agency and Save the Children.

The idea for this project came from Marit Törnqvist. She visited a refugee center and brought an Arabic copy of the book. She saw how happy the adults and children were. They looked at the pictures, read, and laughed. Marit believed that all Arabic-speaking children should get the book as a welcome gift. She hoped Sweden could become a kind of Sunnanäng for them.

Connecting Children in Germany

In Marburg, Germany, the book was used for an event. It was called "German and Arab children read a fairy tale by Astrid Lindgren." This event helped German and Arab children meet and connect with each other.

Art Exhibitions

Marit Törnqvist's beautiful pictures for the book have been shown in many places. These include museums and libraries around the world. Some places where her art was displayed are the New York Public Library and the Canoon Cultural Center in Iran. Her work was also shown in the Swedish Museum Näktergalen and several libraries in the Netherlands.