When an aunt drops five-year-old Heidi off to live with her grandfather in the Alps—the two of them alone in a small hut on a hill—she's initially very lonely. Soon, however, she comes to appreciate her new, simple life; she loves walking through the pastures with her friend Peter the goatherd and spending quiet time with her grandfather. Three years later, Heidi's aunt returns to take her to the town to become a companion for Clara, a sick little girl of a wealthy family. But even though Heidi bonds with Clara and brings new life to the household, she becomes more and more homesick and wants desperately to return to her grandfather.<br /><br />Since its original publication in Switzerland in 1880, Johanna Spyri's classic story has delighted generations of children. The book has been translated into more than fifty languages and has sold over fifty million copies. Simple writing, a lovely, relatable plot, and a recognition of the importance of family and nature make <em>Heidi </em>a great book for families to read aloud. Now with charming full-color photographs of the scenery around which Heidi would have grown up, this is a fantastic gift for children at any time of year.<br />