Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Beware, the beauty of literature is not in this edition! THIS REVIEW IS FOR THE PUFFIN IN BLOOM EDITION ONLY. Heidi is such an awesome story, the translation by Helen Dole reads so beautifully and engages the reader to follow closely along, to interact and enter into the adventure. This book has short sentences, as if to hand feed the reader so that they don't need to pay attention or engage. In other words- it's a dumbed-down translation!! Please don't deprive young readers of good literature! There is a place for simplified versions of books BUT that should be clear when purchasing that it isn't the original version and writing has been altered. This book changes the names of characters too. It is a travesty!! So, if all you want is a "pretty" cover - fine, but even the inside illustrations aren't good - it saddened me and I sent it back. Thank you, Amazon for ease of returns. Please be aware that Amazon sells different editions translated differently. Perhaps you'll find a new edition that is better than this one. I'm very happy with the used copy I found on Amazon with a copy write date of 1945. The illustrations are wonderful and the language is beautiful, and the names are not Americanized. The Puffin in Bloom edition has a character named Barbie.