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Suddenly, Dete appears again, and Heidi finds herself confined in a stone house in a stone city where she is expected to be companion to the invalid Clara. Dete sees this as a great opportunity for Heidi, one that will provide her with an education and polish. But, bitterly unhappy away from her grandfather and the outdoor life she has grown to love, Heidi at last makes her way back to the Alm. How Klara finally comes to the mountains as well, and the surprising events that follow, form the heartwarming ending to a story that has been loved for generations by children all over the world.
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Creators
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Publisher
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Release date
December 15, 2008 -
Formats
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OverDrive Listen audiobook
- ISBN: 9781400128839
- File size: 165368 KB
- Duration: 05:44:30
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Languages
- English
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Levels
- Lexile® Measure: 1000
- Text Difficulty: 5-7
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Reviews
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September 2, 1996
This truncated retelling of orphan Heidi's simple life in the Swiss Alps and her sojourn in the big city seems almost as indebted to the Shirley Temple film as to Johanna Spyri's 1880 novel. Krupinski's (A New England Scrapbook) heroine mimics Temple, curls, button nose and all, though she lacks the actress's expressive smile and gestures. Similarly blank-faced characters contrast with Krupinski's serene, lushly idealized landscape paintings: the people seem like wax dolls, but the glowing blankets of flowers make the Alps heaven on earth. The text emphasizes the sensual joys of fresh goat's milk, fir trees "with their piney scent," Heidi's sweet-smelling bed in her grandfather's hay loft, etc., but that is its only demonstrable strength. Both Heidi's relationship with her grandfather and the idealized subplot about wheelchair-bound Klara's learning to walk are woodenly described; little space is given to dialogue and even less to Heidi's emotions. The plot, too, is severely condensed: "Many more good things happened after that day." The book succeeds as a portrayal of the joys of mountain life, but otherwise fails to do justice to Spyri's story of a girl's courage and persistence. Ages 5-9. -
Heidi--whose life is transformed when she is sent to live with her stern grandfather in the Swiss Alps--also joyfully transforms the lives of others--her grandfather's, of course, as well as that of Peter the goatherd and his granny. Teresa Gallagher performs all these roles and more with an astonishing range; her Heidi is girlish, bubbling, and impetuous, her Peter terse and sometimes sulky. Gallagher moves smoothly between these voices and then back to that of the narrator, never missing a beat. This carefully abridged version is also top-rate and feels expansive. It includes all one's favorite parts and invites younger and older listeners alike to enjoy this classic children's tale. A word of caution: Your children may want to eat nothing but bread, cheese, and goat's milk for days after listening. J.C.G. (c) AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine -
This sweet orphan girl touches everyone she meets. Her gruff grandfather, invalid friend and shepherd cousin all benefit from knowing her. Reader Ciara Janson sounds appropriately childish and innocent. Richard Johnson as Grandfather sounds gruff from loneliness, but also loving and concerned about Heidi and her friends. The rest of the characters are also well cast. The hysterical house mistress and Heidi's aunt are especially enjoyable. While the volume is uneven and Grandfather sounds too close to the microphone, original music enhances the production, as do realistic sound effects. A.G.H. (c) AudioFile 2000, Portland, Maine
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October 13, 2003
Spyri's classic tale of an orphaned girl sent to live with her gruff, hermit-like grandfather in the Swiss Alps gets some spring in its step via British actress Gallagher's bright interpretation. Sweet, inquisitive Heidi doesn't take long to begin chipping away at her grandfather's grumpy exterior and melting his heart. She also makes fast friends with Peter the goatherd and his family, all of which helps her adjust—and grow to adore—her new rural life. But an unexpected summons back to the city she left behind threatens to ruin everything. Fans already know the happy ending, which never seems to grow stale. Like so many of the best audiobook narrators, Gallagher excels at distinguishing her roster of character voices, young, old, male, female. Classical music selections sprinkled in and around the track changes and breaks in the text include "Scandinavian Festival" by Grieg, "Slavonic Dances" by Dvorak and a selection of Norwegian violin pieces—all helping to set a bucolic scene. Ages 8-up.
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