About me
I’m Linda Lodding—an award-winning children’s book author, lifelong daydreamer, occasional vacuum-cleaner jockey, and firm believer that most things are better with a little mischief.
I was born in New York, but my suitcase has rarely stayed unpacked for long. Over the years, I’ve called the United States, Austria, the Netherlands and Sweden home. These days I live in Stockholm, where I write stories, take far too many photographs, make art, eat cake whenever possible, and continue to be curious about pretty much everything.
Me Riding my Vaccum cleaner
(I'd still rather ride it than use it)
I’ve always loved stories.
As a child, I devoured books by Judy Blume, E. L. Konigsburg, Zilpha Keatley Snyder, Madeleine L’Engle and Laura Ingalls Wilder. I loved stories filled with independent children, unexpected adventures, imperfect families—and just enough trouble to keep things interesting.
Not surprisingly, those are still the kinds of stories I’m drawn to.
My own picture books tend to begin with a curious question, an odd situation, a small act of rebellion or something that simply makes me laugh. I like stories that are funny and surprising, but I also love sneaking bigger ideas in through the side door: kindness, courage, creativity, belonging, freedom, curiosity and the importance of seeing the world from someone else’s point of view.
Here are my many homes
THIS IS MY BIG SISTER, GAIL. SHE TAUGHT ME TO READ.
I grew up loving stories. Now I write them.
I’ve now written ten picture books published in the United States and around the world, including It Started with a Book Ban, Babies Are Not Bears, The Busy Life of Ernestine Buckmeister, A Gift for Mama, Little Red Riding Sheep and Painting Pepette.
Along the way, my books have received awards, starred reviews and recognition in a number of rather lovely places—which still feels slightly astonishing to the girl who once preferred riding the vacuum cleaner and learned to read upside down.
many of the books i loved growing up were either funny or full of muschief and adventure. sort of l ike the books i write today.
I took a slightly winding road to get here.
Before—and alongside—writing books, I spent many years working in communications, storytelling and children’s rights. I’ve written speeches, shaped campaigns, produced events, told stories for organizations and worked with people from all over the world.
It turns out that all of these things have something in common: they begin with curiosity, and with trying to understand how someone else sees the world.
That’s probably why I love writing for children.
Children are wonderfully willing to believe that a sheep might wear a red cape, that a painting might come to life, that a book ban could start a revolution—or that the most sensible response to a serious world might occasionally be a little nonsense.
See? I had really Red Curly Hair but my Bunny, cookie, had straight hair.
I also really like cake.
This is relevant because an alarming number of my books seem to contain sweets.
I can’t entirely explain this.
Research, perhaps.
What if...
When I’m not writing, you’ll often find me wandering through an art exhibition, taking photographs, painting, travelling, chasing tennis balls, poking around flea markets, visiting somewhere I’ve never been before—or sitting in a café thinking about a story when I am supposed to be doing something else.
I still believe that the best ideas often begin with What if…?
And I hope my books encourage children to ask that question too.
Have some cake. Read a book. Come say hello.
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