Key Points
A village in the Swiss Alps much like the one Heidi lived in . (Shutterstock)..
The adventures of the cheerful and kind-hearted Heidi as she navigates life with Grandfather, Peter the goatherd, and her sickly friend Clara is famous for its vivid portrayal of the landscape and for Spyris psychological insight into a childs mind..
My mind still returns to the images of toasting a chunk of cheese over a fire, the sunset setting the mountainside alight, drinking fresh goat milk up in the Alps, and sleeping in a bed of soft, sweet hay while looking up at a canvas of stars Heidis life seemed idyllic..
Heidi may seem to be a simple childrens tale but it is much more: it puts the spotlight on the things that matter the power of nature, the need to find ones way back home, and the healing influence of love and friendship..
Despite the controversy and sustained criticism of Spyris black-and-white character portrayals and idealisation of pastoral life, Heidi remains one of the most popular childrens books..
