4.5 Stars

Aunt Deta takes a five-year-old Heidi to the Alps and hands over to her grumpy grandfather. The man had been leading a solitary life at the top of a mountain. However, Heidi’s innocence and easy affection melt his heart. They form a strong bond, and Heidi also makes friends with Peter, the goatherd, and his family (mother and grandma). 

But Aunt Deta arrives again to uproot Heidi and take her to Frankfurt. This brings Clara and her family into Heidi’s life. It also brings loneliness and homesickness. What happens next? 

Well, not many would be unaware of Heidi’s story. My first introduction to it was the show on Cartoon Network (the good old version). I watched it with my parents, and we fell in love with the glorious setting, Heidi and her grandpa. I found an abridged and illustrated version in my school library, though the show remained a favorite. 

Now, years later, I picked up the full version for a reading challenge. The translation is easy and written in simple sentences (suitable for the target audience). My copy has a few B&W sketches, too. They are cute, but I could only see Heidi, with her rosy cheeks and yellow-red frock from the cartoon. 

The story in the second half is different in both versions. The book is more faith-oriented and has many references to God. The cartoon (as far as I remember) is more of my style with a focus on nature. Still, it’s a sweet read, and one cannot help but smile at the purity of Heidi’s love for people in her life. 

I purchased a paperback, and it did help me enjoy the contents a little more. The bookshop had old, older, and oldest editions with tiny, tinier, and tiniest prints. I valued my eyes more and, hence I came home with a newer edition. I don’t normally say this, but if you want the maximum enjoyment from the story, go for the cartoon and then read the book. In this case, the show is better!