Heidi

Heidi by Johanna Spyri is a timeless classic that continues to inspire and captivate new generations. The addition of illustrations by Carole Aufranc provides a new take on this ageless tale. Heidi is heartwarming and touching, blending together the strong bonds of love with the iconic phrase, “Home is where the heart is”. Heidi is sure to be cherished by anyone who reads it.

I enjoyed the illustrations in this re-telling of Heidi - the papercut style is evocative of the folk/ rustic aspect of the story. Cutting down a full length novel to picture book length is difficult. I think most of the story is very well done, there are definitely some parts of the story that get lost in the shortening though. The first 75% or so flows really well. I loved the descriptions of Heidi's life in the mountains. The transition to the city and how hard it is for Heidi to adjust was good as well. There is a beautiful illustration of Heidi's homesickness and sadness where she becomes the mountain she once lived on. Once Heidi is sent back to her grandpa though, the story seems crunched into the last few pages without enough text. Heidi goes from not being able to read to teaching Peter how to read without any mention of when she herself learned. I understand wanting to fit in all the main characters, but Peter's grandmother could have been left out, she plays no part in this version of the story and it's surprising that she gets a whole page that has only one sentence. I can't remember what the explanation for Klara's recovery is in the original, but it feels very abrupt here and I have no idea how or why she is now able to walk. I think this book is worth getting, particularly for folks who are fans of the original Heidi, but maybe be prepared for plot questions if you're reading it to a child.

I just reviewed Heidi by Johanna Spyri (Author); Carole Aufranc (Illustrator). #Heidi #NetGalley

I loved Heidi as a child, so this illustrated version feels very nostalgic to me. I agree with other reviewers that some of the story may seem rather abrupt if you aren't already familiar with the book, BUT the illustrations are gorgeous. I hope that this shorter version might entice reluctant readers to discover a new favorite!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Helvetiq for my copy of Heidi by Johanna Spyri (Author); Carole Aufranc (Illustrator) in exchange for an honest review. It publishes October 17, 2023.
What a beautiful version of this wonderful story! It was well-adapted for littles, and the illustrations were so sweet! This would make an excellent gift for any budding reader in your life!

This would be good to have at a home library or a book for kids to read for fun in the classroom. It was very enjoyable.