Heidi
Johanna Spyri
When I was 5 years old, I was forced to take dancing lessons while the Brother was forced to take accordion lessons. I hated dancing class. The Knights of Columbus Hall where the classes were given had no heat or it wasn't turned on. I hated wearing the pink beginner tights. I liked clacking around in the tap shoes, but Ma wouldn't let me practice inside the house on the wood floors. I spent most of my time in class being miserable and crying. Eventually, I was taken out of class.
While the Brother still had to endure accordion lessons, Dad took me to the library. He would leave me upstairs in the children's library where I could look at the books and choose to take some books home with my own library card. As I got older, I would go downstairs to the adult library and wander among the stacks enjoying the scent of the books before going to find Dad in the reference area consulting the law books and catching up on his work.
So for the next several weeks, a list of my favorite books, some I have read as a child, others as an adult and some I have read more than once.
This week, Heidi by Johanna Spyri
If you haven't read this book, you can download it for free at Project Gutenberg. You can also find it in the children's section of your public library or favorite bookstore.
I actually read this one summer when I was a child. Every summer I read 100 books. The library put the event on every summer. To qualify, I had to answer a random question or two from the book when I returned it to prove I had read it. I could check out four books at a time. Thanks for the great memories.
ReplyDeleteAT school we participated in a book club. After the first 5 books read, you got a pin. A pin for 10 books. So proud to wear the pin and then certificates for every 5 after that. I think you just had to have your parents sign a sheet saying you read the books.
DeleteI used to love Heidi, it was one of my fave books! Valerie
ReplyDeleteMaybe time to revisit
DeleteAnother good one! :D
ReplyDeleteA classic
DeleteI never read the book but I saw the movie. I like the link - thanks.
ReplyDeleteThe book has been made into a movie several times. I love them all, but my favorite version is the one with Shirley Temple
DeleteMy parents used to "park" me in front of the telly to watch "Heidi". I already hated the melody at the beginning. There is even a book?! Is Klara walking? And I remember "Alm-Öhi", the Grandfather.
ReplyDeleteTo me it was a "pain" ;-) Once a week! Over endless times. Years? Heidiiii, Heidiiii... (argh!)
Heidi was published in 1881. Is Klara walking? Spoilers 😉
DeleteFabulous post
ReplyDeleteI still have my childhood copy of Heidi.
ReplyDeleteI've never read this, but if I remember correctly a film version used to be shown on tv back in childhood days. If that story matches the book, it was a good one, but a always a little sad when Heidi had to leave her grandfather in the mountains.
ReplyDeleteI had this book when a child, one of my favourites.
ReplyDeleteAll the best Jan
I have never read this one, or heard of it.
ReplyDelete