Heidi: ix (Wordsworth Children's Classics)

Balm to jaded spiritsPerhaps because so much children;s literature is the product of women that girls feature prominently in the dramatis personnæ, but that is not always tenable. The most attractive character in Captain Marryat's 'Children of the New Forest' is Patience Heatherstone and one of the most compelling sections of Mark Twain's 'Huckleberry Finn' features a girl. The capacity of 'Girls' [the Feminine] to elevate human values is prominent in children's stories, and Heidi must be, with Anne Shirley in 'Anne of Green Gables' amongst the most most delightful agents of human elevation, who moves and delights us not because she is perfect but because endowed with imagination and instinctive compassion, and because, after a difficult early life she is resilient and transforms the most embittered even despite themselves.There is a remarkable passage in 'The Railway Children' where the author and creator expresses a fondness for one of her own characters [Bobby or Roberta] I think that this reveals an important feature of 'Children's literature'' That the narrative is very often taken over by the character they have created and it has more to do with a human inclination than is often accepted only reluctantly by most men and many women. Heidi 'saves' Grand-father' despite himself because that is in the divine nature of Girls. This is a very moving as well as delightful story and in the maelstrom of modern times, with all its complexes and tribulations the need for simplicity of mind is a powerful resuscitation. It I not because of conventional attitudes prevail. In Arthur Ransome's celebrated series of 'Swallows and Amazons' the girls are the most vivid and inventive characters, and perhaps it is one of the latent truths in respect to the 'feminine' that explains the perenniel delight that 'Pride and Prejudice' has for the reader. It is not to demean that classic novel of Jane Austen to say that it is of all her works the one that approaches most closely to a children's story because of its feisty and undaunted heroineBenedict Cowell

I'm an adult and I still really enjoy reading Heidi. She is a such a sweet and naive character, and there is a lot of humour in this book

Started this book as a school reader but 8 year old daughter found it quite difficult to read. Be ok for an older child or adult.

Boring

I bought this book for my wife after she said she had enjoyed it as a child. She thoroughly enjoyed it again after all these years

Noice !

Another £1.99 Wordsworth classic book that I've bought. I read or have them read, to or by the grandchildren depending on their age. I have a few of these books now & love the way the grandchildren have taken to them, I also, to be truthful, enjoy them as its been so long since I read them. I recommend these books without hesitation to everyone.

How can anyone young or old not love this book. It arrived within 2 days of ordering. Excellent condition and good sized print.I have several copies of this book already, but I teach Speech & Drama and have to lend copies to students. This was a good price for that purpose.