About the author
Johanna Spyri (1827–1901) was a Swiss author best known for the children's novel Heidi. Public information about her life is limited; what can be confirmed is that she was Swiss and lived through the middle and later decades of the nineteenth century. Her writing often centers on childhood and growing up. Heidi tells of the orphan girl Heidi's experiences between the Alps and the city, with a warm and natural style that blends everyday emotions with mountain scenery. The book won her a wide readership and is commonly classified as inspirational coming-of-age reading; it remains one of the classics of children's literature, influential across borders and generations.