Liane Schneider’s Conni series is one of the most famous children’s book series in German, and follow the everyday life and adventures of a young German girl named Conni. Since the first book was published in the early 1990s, the Conni world has expanded to over 100 stories across four different series, audiobooks, cartoons, movies, activity books and games. There are different series for all ages: Meine Freundin Conni (preschoolers), Conni & Co (elementary schoolers), Conni15 (tweens and teens), Jakob (about Conni’s younger brother, for toddlers). Many Conni stories have been published as Pixi-Bücher or in the Lesemaus format. Some US libraries have Conni books, and they are very available on Amazon and the secondhand market. There are also audiobooks and an animated series based on the books. In this article, I will focus on the original series, Meine Freundin Conni, for ages ~2-6.
In my opinion, a Pixi set of 8 mini Conni books is the best value option for anyone just starting out with Conni. Toddlers and preschoolers love the tiny Pixi books and will want to hold them with you. Several Pixi collections have been published in recent years, so you should be able to find a set that will appeal to your child. Do note that different illustrators have provided art for the series over the years. The original illustrations were provided by Eva Wenzel-Bürger and have a retro charm, however my son and I prefer the illustrations by Janina Görrissen in the modernized new editions. If they are available, I would strongly recommend purchasing the modernized editions, as they are also updated with details that make them more relatable to kids today. Of the following series, I can especially recommend set 275, which we read backwards and forward for a few years.
Here are examples of the illustration style of the old and new editions.
Modernized Editions — Most Recommended
Pixi set 275, illustrated by Janina Görrissen. This set includes eight small (4″ x 4″) books, each with a different Conni adventure. This is the format that worked best with my son from age 2-3. He really loved being able to hold each tiny book and page through it himself. I also like the mix of stories in this set. I’d say that Conni besucht Oma und Opa and Conni macht das Seepferchen were the best of the mix. We read them over and over, partly because the relationships between Conni and the other characters (her grandparents, cousin, and a friend) were so nicely presented and relatable. The set contains: Conni kommt in den Kindergarten, Conni geht zum Kinderarzt, Conni ist wütend, Conni besucht Oma und Opa, Conni geht zur Zahnärztin, Conni macht das Seepferdchen, Conni backt Pfannkuchen, Conni geht aufs Töpfchen
Das neue große Conni-Buchi This hardcover anthology contains 12 stories (10 classics, 2 new) with modernized text and the new illustrations by Janina Görrissen. I love that you will get so many stories, however, this is a hardcover anthology, which means it is pretty heavy and won’t be something your toddler or preschooler can handle by themself. Additionally, the Conni anthology editions in general have a lower ratio of text to pictures on the page vs. the picture book editions, so I wouldn’t pick them for every kid. If your child is super visual or really needs to handle the books, consider the Lesemaus or Pixi editions. Stories in the anthology: Conni hilft Papa, Conni macht Musik, Conni geht zur Zahnärztin, Conni spielt Fußball, Conni geht zelten, Conni geht auf Reisen, Conni übernachtet im Kindergarten, Hereinspaziert! Conni im Zirkus, Connis erster Flug, Conni ist krank.
Lesemaus Editions: these are simple square paperbacks with a stapled binding, similar to the Berenstain Bears or Magic School Bus picture book editions.
LESEMAUS 6: Conni macht das Seepferdchen In this book, Conni learns to swim with her best friend. The original version didn’t include the friend, which left the story a little flat.
LESEMAUS 65: Conni besucht Oma und Opa Connys parents go on a weekend trip to Paris, so she has to stay with her grandparents. She expects to have a terrible time, but she ends up loving playing trains with Opa, making strawberry jam with Oma and playing in the garden with her cousin.
LESEMAUS 101: Conni kommt in die Schule This is a great story to get your kids familiar with the traditions related to starting school (Einschulung) in Germany.
LESEMAUS 192: Conni und der Nikolaus On December 6th, St Nicholas visits children in Germany, leaving chocolates, nuts, small toys and other treats in their shoes. Conni und der Nikolaus is perfect for families who want to explore this special German holiday.
Classic Editions
Pixi set 220, illustrated by Eva Wenzel-Bürger: Conni beim Friseur, Conni macht einen Ausflug, Conni geht verloren, Conni entdeckt die Bücher, Conni geht zum Zahnarzt, Conni in den Bergen
Pixi set 260, illustrated by Eva Wenzel-Bürger: Conni übernachtet bei Julia, Conni geht nicht mit Fremden mit, Conni streitet sich mit Julia, Conni geht einkaufen, Conni und der Läusealarm, Conni bekommt Taschengeld, Conni verkleidet sich, Conni und der Wackelzahn
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