Heidi

Author: Johanna Spyri
Original Title: Heidi's Lehr- und Wanderjahre & Heidi kann brauchen, was es gelernt hat
Genre: Children's book

Original publisher: Friedrich Andreas Perthes Verlag
Date first published: 1880 & 1881
Date first read: 1993/1994

Main character(s): Heidi (an orphaned girl living in the Swiss alps with her grandpa), Ziegenpeter (Peter, a boy goatherd and Heidi's friend), Alpöhi (Heidi's grandpa, her dad's father), Dete (Heidi's aunt, her mom's sister) Klara Sesemann (a young girl in a wheelchair, whom Heidi befriends upon moving to the city), Herr Sesemann (Klara's dad), Frau Sesemann (Klara's grandma, her dad's mother) Fräulein Rottenmeier (the Sesemann's strict housekeeper)
Favorite quote: N/A

Synopsis: *SPOILERS*
Adelheid, called Heidi by everyone, is an orphaned girl, initially raised by her aunt Dete, her mother's sister, after her parents death. When Dete takes on a new job in a different city, she temporarily takes Heidi to live with her grandfather from the other side of the family. Alpöhi is a grouchy old man, who dislikes being among people, especially around "good society" folks, which is why he has moved back to a small house in the Alps, far away from civilization. Initially reluctant to take Heidi in, he slowly warms up to her thanks to her good-hearted and warm nature.

However, just as Heidi has truly been getting used to life in the alps, including making friends with Peter, a goatherd roughly her age, Dete comes to pick her up again, having secured for Heidi a life with a wealthy family in Frankfurt, who will provide her with housing and an education in exchange for Heidi being a companion to the wheelchair bound child in the family, Klara. Klara and Heidi quickly become fast friends, and both the father of Klara, Herr Seseman, and even more so her grandmother take on to Heidi. The latter teaches Heidi how to read and write, which brings Heidi immense happiness. The only one with whom Heidi does not get along so great is the strict housekeeper, Fräulein Rottenmeier, who has been taking care of the Sesemann household since Klara's mother died.

Despite enjoying her time with Klara, Heidi does become homesick and worries about her grandpa being alone. Her worries go so far, that she starts sleepwalking, at which point the family doctor recommends that Heidi return home to the Alps. Heidi returns happily to the Alps, and even gets her grumpy grandpa to be a bit more social, getting him to return to the village church. In the mean time, she keeps writing letters to Klara, and after the doctor visits Heidi, he recommends to the Sesemann family that Klara spend the summer in the Alps, as it would be good for health. Klara promptly arrives and the fresh air and food indeed help her get stronger, which makes everyone happy.

Only Peter is unhappy, being jealous of her and Heidi's friendship and fearing that Heidi will no longer be his friend now that she has Klara. In a fit of jealousy, he destroys Klara's wheelchair, which initially makes Klara despondent, but which turns out to be a good thing. Without her wheelchair, Klara is forced to attempt learning to walk again, which little by little she does with the help of the others, Heidi, Alpöhi, and even a remorseful Peter. By the time her father and grandmother come to pick her up, she can walk completely, which makes the Sesemann family promise to take care of Heidi once her grandpa becomes unable to do so.

Review:
Heidi is an old classic. It was originally subtitled as a "story for children and those who love them," and it truly is meant for such people. It's a story of friendship and optimism, of some adventure and overcoming obstacles - and most of all it has a wonderful series of characters, who lack the bitterness and evil that one sometimes encounters in both stories and real life. Instead, the focus is on kindness and goodness of children and love of family, which really makes it a heart-warming story to read to your little ones. It's a must on every kid's book shelf.