Funny enough, for someone growing up in Germany it is most common to name the Swedish Astrid Lindgren as your favourite children’s book author. I am no exception. Week after week I couldn’t wait to go to the library to take out another one of her books and follow the adventures of her incredibly independent heroes.

Whether they were strong and stubborn like Pippi Longstocking, funny and outspoken like Karlsson-on-the-roof or fierce and fearless like Ronja, the robber’s daughter, they all had one thing in common: They were not scared of grown ups. It was my first experience with anarchy. When I read her books to my daughters now, I can see how timeless her stories are. They still have the wonderful influence to make children more rebellious.