Kirsten Langbo

Kirsten Langbo (13 September 1909 – 18 January 1996) was a Norwegian children's writer, singer-songwriter and entertainer.

Personal life She was born in Gran Municipality to farmer Iver Paulsen Jorstad and Dagny Franziska Aleksandra Pedersen, and grew up in a family with thirteen siblings. She moved to Vancouver, Canada, where she married papermaster Georg Gulbrandsen Langbo around 1930, and the couple eventually settled in Drammen.

Career After having raised her own children, Langbo started writing humorous articles for the newspaper Drammens Tidende. Her signature tune was a vocal imitation of a trombone solo (a version of "Bavarian polka" played with her lips). She also appeared in television shows for NRK, as ventriloquist with hand puppets. She made her literary debut in 1957 with the anthology Morn igjen. Further the children's books Berte fra Barnetimen (1958), Mirisak (1967), Pappa Tusenbein (1969), and Ola på Rundtomgard (1977). In 1978 she wrote the memoir book Heme hos oss. Langbo became a popular entertainer, and toured in Norway with her puppet shows and songs. More than eighty songs by her are registered.

She was awarded the and Hadelandsprisen. She died in Gran on 18 January 1996, aged 86.