Heidi

Heidi (1881) is a children’s novel written by Swiss author Johanna Spyri. One of the best-selling books of all time, Heidi is not only a defining work of Swiss literature, but a beloved masterpiece of children’s fiction. It was adapted into a 1937 film starring Shirley Temple, and has since gone on to inspire numerous feature films, television series, and animated works. It is especially popular in Japan, serving as source material for the early hit anime series Heidi, Girl of the Alps.

Heidi, a young orphan girl, is sent by her aunt to live with her grandfather in the Swiss Alps. A reclusive man, he is known as the Alm-Uncle by the townsfolk he avoids and disdains. Although initially wary of Heidi’s presence, he soon softens, learning to love the young girl and to appreciate her inherent goodness and unusual intelligence. Although she wants to go to school, he refuses on account of his distrust of the town and its people. Despite this, Heidi befriends a neighboring family—a young goatherd named Peter, his mother Brigitte, and her elderly mother—who eventually accept her as one of their own. When her aunt Dete returns to take her to Frankfurt, however, her newfound life in the country is exchanged for one of service in the city. There, she works as a companion for Clara, the crippled daughter of a wealthy family. The two become fast friends, and in exchange for her love and affection, Heidi is encouraged to learn reading and writing, as well as to study the teachings of Christianity. She misses the countryside, however, and longs to return to the Swiss Alps once more. Beloved by readers around the world for well over a century, Johanna Spyri’s Heidi is a classic tale of faith and friendship with lessons for children and adults alike.

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