Johanna Spyri

Born Johanna Louise Heusser on June 12, 1827, in Hirzel, Switzerland, Johanna Spyri was a Swiss author best known for her children’s stories. She began writing while living in Zürich, drawing on rural life and the Swiss countryside for inspiration.

Her most famous novel, Heidi, was published in 1881 and tells the story of an orphaned girl sent to live with her grandfather in the Alps. Spyri reportedly wrote the book in just four weeks, and it quickly became a lasting classic of children’s literature.

Spyri also wrote stories for adults and children, including A Leaf on Vrony’s Grave, and produced more than fifty additional stories during her career. She died in Zürich on July 7, 1901.