Johanna Spyri (1827-1901) was a Swiss writer of novels and stories for children. Born in the countryside near Zurich, she spent summers near Chur in the beautiful Grisonian Rhine Valley, a place which she would turn toward for inspiration and as a setting for her fiction throughout her career. She married the lawyer Bernhard Spyri in 1852, moving with him to Zurich where she launched her writing career with a story about domestic violence titled "A Leaf on Vrony's Grave." She made a name for herself as a writer of primarily children's fiction, and much of her work concerns itself with the daily realities of rural life. After the death of her husband and only son in 1884, she primarily devoted herself to charities, though she still wrote stories until the end of her life. She is remembered today as a pioneering woman, devoted feminist, and important figure in Swiss literary history.

Orphaned as a young girl, Heidi is raised by her grandfather in the Swiss Alps. A bitter and reclusive man, he grows to appreciate Heidi's presence, showing his love for her in subtle and heartwarming ways. Although he recognizes her intelligence, he refuses to let her attend school, but Heidi is soon taken to Frankfurt by her aunt to work as a companion for a crippled young girl named Clara. As their friendship grows, and as Heidi learns to read and write, the power of kinship and community shines bright enough for even the most cynical to see.