Classic
Heidi
by Johanna Spyri
Summary
Orphaned Heidi is left with her gruff, reclusive grandfather in the Swiss Alps and wins him over with her open heartedness, thriving among the goats and mountain air until she is sent away to Frankfurt as a companion to the invalid girl Klara. Spyri contrasts the healing power of the mountains with the constriction of city life, letting Heidi's homesickness and eventual return carry the emotional weight. The story's warmth and its vivid Alpine setting made it the most famous work of Swiss literature.
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Historical Context & Significance
Spyri published the story in two parts in 1880 and 1881, and it quickly became a children's classic across Europe. It has been translated into dozens of languages and adapted for film and television around the world.