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Children's reading lists

9 must-read classic children’s books, as chosen by our readers

Heidi

Johanna Spyri (1827-1902) was born in Switzerland in the village of Hirzel, which has magnificent views of the Alps. She wrote almost fifty books, but it was Heidi who brought her great fame.

At the age of five, little orphan Heidi is sent to live with her grandfather in the Alps. Everyone in the village is afraid of him, but Heidi is fascinated by his long beard and bushy grey eyebrows. She loves her life in the mountains, playing in the sunshine and growing up amongst the goats and birds. But one terrible day, Heidi is collected by her aunt and is made to live with a new family in town. Heidi can't bear to be away from her grandfather; can she find a way back up the mountain, where she belongs?

Ladybird Classics: Heidi

This beautiful hardback Ladybird Classic edition of Heidi by Johanna Spyri is a perfect first illustrated introduction to the classic story for younger readers. 
 It has been sensitively abridged and retold to make it suitable for sharing with young children from 5+, whilst retaining all the key parts of the story including Heidi's friendship with Peter, her life in Frankfurt with Clara, and fascinating details about life in the mountains. 
 Detailed full-colour illustrations throughout also help to bring this classic tale to life. 
 
 Other exciting titles in the Ladybird Classics series include Alice in Wonderland, Gulliver's Travels, The Secret Garden, Oliver Twist, Treasure Island, A Christmas Carol, Peter Pan, The Three Musketeers, The Jungle Book and The Wind in the Willows.

Johanna Spyri (Author) Johanna Spyri (1827-1902) was born in Switzerland in the village of Hirzel, which has magnificent views of the Alps. She wrote almost fifty books, but it was Heidi who brought her great fame.

This Ladybird Classic is an abridged retelling of the classic story of Heidi by Johanna Spyri, making it perfect for introducing the story to younger children, or for newly confident readers to tackle alone. 
 
Beautiful new illustrations throughout and a gorgeous larger format with ribbon marker bring the magic of this classic story to a new generation of children.

Come and explore the Swiss mountains with Heidi!

The narrative is so simple, yet so evocative that you can almost smell the Alpine trees...It was one of the first books to celebrate the way children see the world around them and was intended, according to Spyri, as 'a story for children and those who love children'.

The story of the orphan sent to live with her grandfather on his alp, her stay in Frankfurt and triumphant homecoming is, arguably, more popular with the world's children, than the Harry Potter series

Like Huck Finn and Harry Potter, Heidi is an orphan in a strange, foreign world who overcomes obstacles, remains strong and good-humoured and evokes emotions and sympathies that children can relate to

Many a childhood vision of the Alps was founded on the nineteeth-century Swiss classic

So what makes these different to any other set of classics? In a moment of inspiration Random House had the bright idea of actually asking Key stage 2 children what extra ingredients they could add to make children want to read. And does it work? Well, put it this way...my 13-year-old daughter announced that she had to read a book over the summer holiday and, without any prompting, spotted The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas...and proceeded to read it! Now, if you knew my 13-year-old daughter, you would realise that this is quite remarkable. She reads texts, blogs and tags by the thousand - but this is the first book she has read since going to high school, so all hail Vintage Classics!

National Association for the Teaching of English

Johanna Spyri was born in a country village in Switzerland in 1827. Her father was a doctor and she had five brothers and sisters. Later she moved to the capital Zurich to go to school and she eventually settled there with her husband Bernhard,who was a lawyer. Johanna began writing in 1871 and wrote many stories which quickly became very popular. Her husband and son both died tragically in 1884, but Johanna consoled herself with charity work and writing, as well as looking after her orphaned niece. She died in her Swiss village home in 1903. Heidi is Johanna Spyri's best known and most popular novel - it has been translated from German into over fifty languages and over fifty million copies have been sold worldwide.

'I would rather be with my grandfather on the Alp than anywhere on earth!' 
 
When Heidi is sent to live in the Swiss mountains with her bad-tempered old Grandfather, everyone in the village feels sorry for her. What will a little girl do in such an isolated home, and with such a grumpy companion? But Heidi soon discovers a secret: Grandfather isn't nearly as cross as he looks - plus she can play all day in the fields among the bright flowers. But then Heidi is whisked away again to be a companion to a injured girl in the city. She longs for her beautiful mountain home - how will she ever get back again? 
 
BACKSTORY: Find out which character you most resemble and try out some Heidi-inspired activities!

Johanna Spyri (1827-1902) was born in Switzerland in the village of Hirzel, which has magnificent views of the Alps. She wrote almost fifty books, but it was Heidi that brought her great fame.

The abridged, downloadable audiobook edition of Johanna Spyri's charming tale, Heidi, wonderfully read by Sarah Greene. 
 
At the age of five, little orphan Heidi is sent to live with her grandfather in the Alps. Everyone on the village is afraid of him, but Heidi is fascinated by his long beard and bushy grey eyebrows. She loves her life in the mountains, playing in the sunshine and growing up amongst the goats and the birds. But one terrible day Heidi is collected by her aunt and made to live with a new family in the town. Heidi can't bear to be away from her grandfather; can she find her way back up the mountain, where she belongs?

Ciara Jansen stars in a BBC Radio full-cast dramatisation of the classic children's story.

Johanna Spyri (1827 – 1901) was a Swiss-born author of novels, notably children's stories, and is best known for her book Heidi.

Ciara Jansen stars in a BBC Radio full-cast dramatisation of the classic children's story. When Heidi, a lively orphan girl, goes to live with her grandfather in a little hut high in the Alps she soon learns to live in perfect harmony with her surroundings, leading a carefree life with her constant companion, Peter, a young goatherd. But her happiness is short-lived when she is sent to stay with a rich city family as a companion for the sick Clara. Although she becomes fond of the older girl, Heidi is terribly homesick. Will she ever be able to return to the Alps and the happiness she once knew with her friends? Johanna Spyri's touching story of the adventures of a young Swiss girl is one of the most popular children's stories ever written. Heidi's pleasure in the beauty of the Swiss mountains and her rich relationships with her friends and family are perfectly evoked in this warm and lively full-cast radio dramatisation.

Johanna Spyri

Relax into the idyllic beauty of this stunning Puffin Clothbound Classic edition of Heidi. 
 
'Let's enjoy the beautiful things we can see, my dear, and not think about those we cannot.' 
 
Little Heidi goes to live with her grandfather in his lonely hut high in the Alps and she quickly learns to love her new life. But her strict aunt decides to send her away again to live in the town. Heidi cannot bear being away from the mountains and is determined to return to the happiness of life with her grandfather. 
 
Gift the best-loved classics to a new generation with Puffin’s stunning Clothbound Classics. Bound in high-quality cloth with dazzling new foil-stamped designs, these coveted and highly collectable hardback editions will be treasured forever. The perfect gift for book lovers and new readers alike.

Johanna Spyri

Books by Johanna Spyri

Articles featuring Johanna Spyri

9 must-read classic children’s books, as chosen by our readers

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