by Johanna Spyri
Recommended Age: 12+

Heidi is one of many books that Johanna Spyri wrote, for both children and adults, but it is the one book she is remembered for. It tells the story of a small girl who has lost her parents. All she has left for family is a shrewish aunt on her mother’s side, and a grumpy old grandfather on her father’s side. Shrewish drags Heidi up a big Swiss mountain and dumps her on Grumpy’s doorstep, and the tale takes off from there.
Actually, Grumpy is known as Uncle Alp, when he isn’t simply called Grandfather. Ostracized from the village at the foot of the mountain, Uncle Alp lives a hermit’s life on the mountain with his two goats and his woodworking to keep him busy. Almost the only person he ever sees is Peter the goat boy. Now Uncle Alp is in charge of little Heidi, a naturally happy girl who derives much of her happiness from nature. Heidi warms his heart, and brings happiness to many other people as well, as she runs around the high meadows and comforts a blind old lady and makes friends with the goats, the flowers, and the sunshine.

Woven into this story is a sort of Sunday School lesson about trusting in God and remembering to pray to Him. A really grouchy reviewer would probably complain that, as the story goes along, the characters become less lifelike and their story more like a piece of religious propaganda. But I’m not quite that grouchy (or shrewish, either). The story does make some excellent points about the relationship between faith and the fortunes or misfortunes of life. But I challenge people of any religion (except, I suppose, religious atheism) to find anything in this book that their religion could not accept. And I dare anyone reading this book not to be moved by the beauty of Heidi’s mountain home, by the strength of her love for it, by her innocence and sweetness, and by the enchanting way all these miraculous things seem to become real through the deceptively simple words of Johanna Spyri. It really is an amazing accomplishment.
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