A review by srivalli
Heidi: A Graphic Novel by Mariah Marsden

adventurous emotional hopeful informative medium-paced

4.25

 4.2 Stars

There have been countless adaptations of Heidi over the years. This is the latest version and claims to be the first full-length graphic adaption of the novel. I’ve watched the Japanese anime multiple times and read the book last year. 

This graphic edition is more on the lines of the anime but in a much more condensed format. Think of it as an abridged version covering all the important elements. The heavy bits of faith and god from the original have been removed to keep the focus on nature. The core story is more or less the same, though I don’t remember the characters making snowmen in winter. 

TBH, I took the book mainly to see the illustrations. These are really well done. So good that we have quite a few pages where the plot progresses without a single dialogue. The expressions and illustrations in each panel do the job very effectively! The color scheme is softer and uses pastels rather than rich vibrant colors. However, the result is not that different. Heidi is taller (compared to the anime) and has short messy auburn curls framing her face. The goats are adorable! 

What sets the book apart from others is the extra content at the end. Apart from the full-page information about the original author (along with her picture), there are many added details about the local celebrations, goat-herding, flowers in the region, etc. These would make good topics for discussion after reading the story with kids. 

To summarize, Heidi: A Graphic Novel is a lovely book to own. I’m sure the illustrations would be even better in a physical copy. Whether you want to read the story with little ones or buy a copy for your collection, this graphic novel is a good choice. 

Thank you, Edelweiss+ and Andrew McMeel Publishing, for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.