Publisher's Synopsis
Heidi by Johanna Spyri
The novel begins with Aunt Dete taking her niece, Heidi, to stay with the young woman's grandfather, a goatherd who lives alone in the Swiss Alps. Dete, who has cared for Heidi since she was orphaned as a baby, has a new job and can no longer care for the child. However, the villagers express concern that Heidi lives with her grandfather. He is a bitter old man who has become lonely and has rejected religion. However, Heidi stays with him, and the odd couple -- after some initial reluctance on Grandpa's part -- are happy together. Far from the oppression of her aunt, the girl's spirits soar and her kindness and faith soften the old man's heart. She quickly comes to love life in the mountains and becomes friends with Peter the goatherd and his blind grandmother, among others.
However, three years after leaving Heidi, Aunt Dete reappears, having found a job for her niece in Frankfurt as the companion of a girl in a wheelchair, Clara Sesemann. Dete thinks the change will be good for Heidi, especially since Grandpa has refused to send her to school or church. Heidi reluctantly leaves, and her departure is especially upsetting to Peter's grandfather and grandmother. Once at the Sesemann house, Heidi learns to love Clara and becomes close to Clara's grandmother, who teaches her about God. However, the servants, particularly the ruthless and stern Miss Rottenmeier, make Heidi unhappy and she desperately misses the mountains. The ghostly sightings are revealed to be Heidi, whose nostalgia has made her sleepwalking. A friendly doctor intervenes and Heidi returns to the mountain to receive a cheerful welcome. Encouraged by her, the grandfather prays and the two attend church. Her return to society is completed when she vows to live with Heidi in the village for the winter. Clara visits later, and a jealous Peter causes his wheelchair to break. However, with the help of Heidi and Peter, Clara begins to walk. An emotional Mr. Sesemann promises Grandpa that he will take care of Heidi when the old man dies.