Heidi

De: Johanna Spyri

Narrado por: John McDonough

Orphaned at an early age, the young girl Heidi finds a home high in the Swiss Alps with her reclusive grandfather. There, each glorious day is filled with discovery, adventure and the friendship of a gentle goat boy, Peter. But when Heidi is sent away from her mountain paradise to a large, cold city, she is determined to find a way to return to the place she loves.

For generations, children around the world have fallen under the spell of this small alpine girl. Heidi is the heartwarming story of an exuberant child’s goodness, courage, and love. Filled with unforgettable characters and majestic scenery, it is an enduring classic of children’s literature.

Author Johanna Spyri lived her entire life in a small Swiss town near Zurich. Heidi, first published in 1881, is a largely autobiographical work that echoes Ms. Spyri’s affection for the countryside, flowers and animals that surrounded her. John McDonough brings Heidi vibrantly to life, enriching this beloved tale with the warmth and drama of his narration.

Public Domain (P)1996 Recorded Books

Soothing narration of a beautiful classic

We adore this story and especially love John McDonough as narrator. We have heard him read many stories and he is a warm, welcome friend in our home now. Heidi is a beautiful classic that we can listen to over and over. There is charm, humor, wisdom, beauty. Timeless!

My favorite book.

I always come back to read this. God, nature, nourishment and love = life is the theme

Sweet story

Listened to this book with my 6 year old daughter. We loved it! It’s well written and the story is wonderful. Highly recommend!

Wonderful Narration of a Beautiful Story

Listened to this version with my kids. The narrator sounds like the Alm-uncle, or Heidi’s grandfather is telling us the story.
Having only seen the movie as a child, I was surprised and delighted that this is such a heartfelt, sincere, and Christ-centered book about redemption, community, love and forgiveness. It was enjoyed by my 4 kids (ages 9 and under) and equally enjoyed by me!

A life of love and peace

Wonderful story of how to look at life even if it is not always comfortable and create for yourself a microcosm of love and peace around you. Heidi is timeless in creating friends and stepping up to improve the life of those around you.

Story of hope and redemption

I have always loved this story. An aunt who has been raising her dead sister’s child leaves her at the paternal Grandfather’s hut in the Swiss Alps. He’s got a reputation for being a mean recluse but takes good care of her. Then, the aunt comes back a few years later and takes the granddaughter with her to the big city of Frankfurt to be a companion for an invalid child. I don’t want to give any more of the story away, but through adversity and God’s intervention, this little girl is able to change so many lives for the good. The story has a Christian emphasis so if that offends you, don’t read. If all you have seen are movie adaptations, please give this book or audio rendition a chance. The story is simple, yet full of fantastic descriptions of life on the alps and in the city. I could really imagine being there on the alps with the beautiful flowers and wind whistling through the trees. At another part of the story I always cry because I can empathize with the heartfelt sadness Heidi is dealing with. Most of the movies embellish the story or downright change events which ruin the wholesomeness and simplicity. One movie version I saw had the child kidnapped to sell by one of the staff but she’s saved when Grandpa comes to steal her back to the alps. The police think he’s the one kidnapping her so a police chase on wagon and horseback ensues. I laughed my butt off, but the story was ruined.

Sunshine as Medicine

My mom gave a beautiful collectible hardback edition of this book to Millie and we have been working through it over the last couple of months. It was longer than I expected. The story is about a little orphan girl named Heidi. She is taken up to the Swiss Alps to live with her grandfather whom the locals call the Alp Uncle. He is an old hermit, living in the mountains with a couple of goats, and his work as a cheese maker keeps him busy. The little girl is left brusquely in the grandfather’s care, but she immediately makes herself at home. She heals the old man’s heart with her joy, cheer, and kindness. The grandfather in turn teaches her to care for the goats and help around the cottage. The plot turns when Aunt Dete comes back to the Alps, steals Heidi, and takes her to Frankfurt to be the study partner for a young invalid named Klara. Poor little Heidi does not know why she’s been taken away from her grandfather, whom she has grown to love, and the other people of the village. She remains true to herself, kind, obedient, and gentle. She learns to read, and she wins the hearts of the workers in the house, Klara, her father, and her grandmother. Heidi’s heart never adjusts to Frankfurt, and eventually, she begins to have night-walking events. The house servants are tricked into thinking she is a ghost. The mystery is solved by Klara’s doctor and father, who discover Heidi’s need to return to her grandfather in the Alps before she wastes away. Heidi takes many presents back with her, which she shares with Peter, the goatherd, and his family. Back in the Alps, Heidi returns to full health. She helps Peter learn how to read despite his objections. The good doctor from Frankfurt visits Heidi deep in grief after losing his daughter to sickness. Heidi helps him heal and recover in the beauty and wonder of the mountains. When the weather is suitable, Klara and her grandmother visit Heidi and her grandfather. The grandfather takes charge of Klara, giving her the best and most gentle care. In the mountains, with Heidi and the goats, Klara finds a new appetite for life and food. Living on the goats’ milk and other natural foods she begins to gain strength she never knew being trapped in her invalid chair. Finally, Klara’s healing and restoration come to a wonderful point where she can stand and walk on her own. This is a wonderful story of kindness and redemption. There are Christian themes woven cleverly into the story in such a way that they feel natural and support the narrative. They resonate deeply with me. I very much enjoyed listening to this book with my beautiful daughter. Like Heidi, her laughter and dancing with delight are light and joy in my heart. Thank you, Mom, for this beautiful book.

This is for little girls who love to laugh and for old men who need that laughter for healing.
(Rated G, Score 10/10, audiobook read by John McDonough, 10:37, Hardcover, 336p.)

LOVE IT

NOTHING! It is perfection! Heidi has and will always remain one of my favorite books of all times. Loved it as a youngling and love it as an oldling lol. I have it memorized but still will binge read/listen to it.

A lovely book

My daughters and I listened together and thoroughly enjoyed Heidi. Mr. McDonough is an amazing narrator.

Wholesome, old fashioned story of innocence

Well read, well paced. Nice translation of the original. The story aims to encourage and uplift and I feel it succeeds. It’s more based in faith and trust than modern stories, and shows the sense and sentiment of the late 1800, but in its essence it is timeless.