Heidi by Johanna Spyri (and a speal on Audiobooks)

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Stars: *****

This is the first audio book I’ve ever heard/read. I listened to it on my ipod mini as I walked to and from playgroups and the library with my kids. I’ve always been wary of audio books for two reasons. 1. I didn’t think they were really reading, that they didn’t count. 2. I didn’t think I could follow it.

Well I do agree they should count as saying you read that book and for challenges. It’s the same as reading a book as I visualized what was happening just as if I read the books right from the page. For people who read fast like me, listening to someone else read it took longer so that I could have finished it faster if I read it myself. Also, while I did have a little trouble following it at first, luckily the person reading the book had a great voice that made it easy to understand. I think for any future audio books I choose to read, I will have to only listen to ones that are read with expression (as opposed to monotone) and will have to pay extra attention at the beginning till I get into the story.
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Okay now onto the review.

This book was read for the Decades 08 challenge and was written in 1880.

I really enjoyed this story. I remember seeing the Shirley Temple version of the movie and vaguely remember liking it but had never read the book. I’m glad I did. I loved the descriptions of living in the alps and they were so good I could picture it well. In fact the book was very descriptive but not in a monotonous way. The character’s food was meager compared to today and often was just fresh bread, toasted cheese and goat’s milk but every time I read a description of a meal, I found myself craving freshly toasted cheese on fresh bread more than any food I’d normally eat.

While looking for the cover graphic I found out there were two sequels to the book written not by the author but the author’s English Translator Charles Tritten, however I have only a slight inclination to read them and probably never will. Heidi is a book that doesn’t need a sequel.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who has not read it, even if you don’t normally read children’s fiction.
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Read it Online: http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/20781
Audiobook: http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/20271
or here, where I got it: http://freeclassicaudiobooks.com/page3.htm

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About Kathleen

I've been a nonfiction lover for as long as I can remember. I love children's nonfiction as well and love to share my knowledge and the books I gained them from, with the world. I wish more people would give nonfiction a chance.