¡Sí, estos son mis libros de la niñez! … Y en éste, y otros volúmenes a los que reúno bajo EDICIONES PEUSER, deseo rendir un humilde homenaje en primer lugar, a esta gran editorial que iluminó con literatura, a una innumerable cantidad de familias (como la mía), de conocimiento y pasión por la vida.
Y vaya también las gracias a mi padre por su visión, al acercarme estas joyas literarias a mis ojos anhelantes de colosales mundos nuevos, y despacharlos colmados de viajes… entre simples baldosas.
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Adorou. ( )

It's been many years since I last read Heidi. Having just returned from a visit to Zurich, the home of the author, I felt it was time to revisit the Swiss Alps. The book has three parts: the first, when Heidi goes to live with her grandfather on the mountain; the second, when Heidi is taken to Frankfurt to be Clara's companion; and the third, when Heidi returns to the mountain and her grandfather. Each one is portrayed vividly with its challenges and triumphs.

The story opens as Heidi's Aunt Dete, who has cared for her since she was a year old, takes Heidi to live with her grandfather. Dete has been offered a job where it is inconvenient to take Heidi with her. As she drags the five-year-old Heidi through the village, the people are horrified by the idea of Heidi living with the reclusive and grouchy old man, but Dete won't be deterred. One sees the villagers' point when Dete arrives at the grandfather's hut, and he is less than welcoming. But once Dete is gone, we see a softer side of him as he makes room for Heidi in his life. Heidi is a sweet child who looks at everything as an adventure, from sleeping in the loft on a bed made of hay to exploring the meadows with the goats and Peter, the goatherd. She is a compassionate and empathetic child who thinks of others before herself. I loved her interactions with Peter's blind grandmother. She's no pushover, though, and has the occasional run-in with Peter. And so, three years pass as Heidi grows healthy and happy. The only negative is her grandfather's refusal to send her to school in the village, though Heidi doesn't miss it.

Then Aunt Dete reappears. She has a chance to ingratiate herself with a wealthy family in Frankfurt. They are looking for a companion for their invalid daughter, Clara, and want someone "innocent and unspoiled." She and grandfather engage in a shouting match, and when he storms off, she kidnaps Heidi, making promises she does not intend to keep. Poor Heidi thinks she can go home anytime, so she doesn't fuss. Upon arriving in Frankfurt at the Sesseman home, young Clara is enchanted by Heidi, though the housekeeper, Fraulein Rottenmeier, takes her in immediate dislike. Poor Heidi has no clue how to behave in a home like this and makes all kinds of blunders, many of which are highly amusing. But Clara is kind and finds Heidi vastly entertaining. Heidi has a fair share of stubbornness too, which comes out when it is time for lessons. Having listened to Peter's tales of woe about reading, Heidi refuses to try to learn. It isn't until Clara's grandmother comes to visit that anything changes. I loved how she found just the right motivator to break through Heidi's stubbornness, and once she did, there was no holding Heidi back. But all is not well with Heidi. She is dreadfully homesick, and though she tries to hide it, her health is soon affected. The ghost scene is funny and heartbreaking as the depth of her unhappiness becomes clear. I loved the doctor and his insistence that Heidi must return to her mountain home. Though sad, Clara sends Heidi off with a bounty of gifts.

Finally, Heidi returns home to her beloved mountain and grandfather. In the time she's been gone, he's become even more of a hermit and grouch. However, their reunion is sweet and emotional. Peter, too, is overjoyed to have his friend back. As shown in her reunion with Peter's grandmother, Heidi continues to be a sweet ray of sunshine. The old lady's appreciation of the soft rolls Heidi brings her is nothing compared to the joy she gets when Heidi reads to her. That isn't all Heidi has learned, and she soon has her grandfather ending his isolation and rejoining the world of the villagers.

Meanwhile, Heidi invites Clara to visit. Though illness delays her trip, the good doctor from Frankfurt pays Heidi and her grandfather a visit. The doctor, suffering from a personal tragedy, finds healing in the simple life he experiences there. I loved seeing Heidi's joy in showing him around her mountain. The downside is Peter's jealousy at having to share his friend, a foreshadowing of future trouble. The doctor and Heidi's grandfather become good friends. The doctor returns to Frankfurt convinced that Clara will benefit greatly from a trip to Heidi's mountain, and plans commence for the following summer.

I loved Heidi's excitement over her friend's imminent visit. I loved the portrayal of the procession up the mountain - the horse bearing Clara's grandmother, Clara being carried up in a sedan chair, and her wheelchair carried up by still others. Grandfather surprises everyone with his tender care of Clara, and grandmamma is impressed. The time passes quickly, and soon they must go back down the mountain. Grandfather suggests that Clara be allowed to stay on the mountain with Heidi in hopes of benefitting from the stay. I loved seeing the joy of the two girls as they spent hours together. Once again, Peter's jealousy over sharing his friend is apparent, and this time it takes a destructive turn. He pushes Clara's empty wheelchair down the mountain, where it is destroyed, hoping to force the girl's departure. Instead, Clara and Heidi are more determined than ever to enjoy their time together. The healthy lifestyle works wonders for Clara, and soon grandfather encourages her to try standing. A trip to the high meadow with Peter and the goats gives Heidi the idea for Clara to try walking and forces Peter to help. After getting a taste for it, Clara becomes determined to leave the chair behind forever. I loved the surprise the girls had for grandmamma on her next visit up the mountain. It was topped only by the surprise appearance of Clara's father.

As Clara's visit ends, with promises to visit again the following summer, life on the mountain returns to normal. Heidi's grandfather has now been fully reintegrated into village life, and when winter comes, he and Heidi move to a house in the village. Heidi continues her schooling and drags Peter along with her, using the lesson learned from grandmamma to motivate him. Heidi encourages grandfather to continue helping Peter's family. The doctor retires from Frankfurt and moves to the village, giving Heidi another person who will watch over her.

The author's vivid descriptions made the settings come alive. I could practically smell the flowers in the meadow and hear the wind in the fir trees. The goats and their unique personalities were great. I admit to laughing out loud at the description of the monkey in the classroom and Fraulein Rottenmeier's reaction. The description of Heidi's homesickness made me ache for her, while I cheered at her joy the closer she got to home.

Peter was the one character that I was ambivalent about. When it was just him and Heidi, things were good. He showed her how to get on in the mountains and provided her with friendship. He's also lazy, doing the minimum of what he needs to do to get by. This was especially true when it came to reading to his grandmother. He's also selfish, which shows in his jealousy at sharing Heidi with the doctor and Clara. His destruction of the wheelchair was thoughtless and cruel, and he deserved the pangs of conscience he felt. I felt that he got off a little too easy regarding the consequences of his actions.

I especially noted during this reading the sometimes over-the-top preachiness of some sections. This is common in children's literature of the time. Stories for kids were written to teach as well as entertain, and morality was rarely subtle. ( )

This is a very uplifting story of a young girl. If you enjoy positive, happy, bright stories this is for you. It is a classic that everyone should read when they are young. If you haven't yet, you truly should because it will remind you of what is important in life. ( )

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