I hope these links are helpful to teachers and parents
seeking further information about Heidi and Johanna Spyri.

Johanna Spyri u. ihre Zeit
Zurich-born Marcel Brun, writing under the pen name Jean Villain, has written Spyri's biography. As yet it has not been translated into English. Brun's great-grandfather, minister Ludwig Spyri, was Johanna's brother-in-law.

Heidi's Village, Maienfeld, Switzerland
This commercial Swiss site (click the U.S. flag for English) is informative and contains links to an online souvenir shop, Heidi's village, local activities and excursions, as well as contact information for the Heidi foundation. It also features some lovely e-cards and interesting essays about Heidi. I like writer Jürg Winkler's spunky challenge to postmodern critics of Heidi that the challenge in today's world is not to lose faith entirely in things that represent goodness, truth, and beauty.

Heidi-Stiftung (The Heidi Foundation)
The foundation's purpose is "to promote and publicize the story of Heidi, as conceived by the author, Johanna Spyri, all over the world. This includes encouraging a variety of literary works, publications, and publicity measures, especially as they relate to the story of Heidi, as well as the preservation and support of authentic sites connected with this story. The Foundation also supports contributions directed to promoting culture and preserving nature and also projects and institutions of every kind whose goals are to benefit children and youth." The site is gorgeous, but, alas, only in German. But you can still enjoy the artwork even if you don't speak it.

All Things Considered: Heidi Wars
Scroll down to click on the "Heidi Wars" real audio link. National Public Radio reports from Switzerland's eastern Alpine region that two neighboring cantons are battling over which has the right to claim Spyri's Heidi as its native daughter. This is an older piece from 1998, so perhaps the issue has since been resolved.

Allison-Shelley Collection of
German Literature in Translation
This collection at Pennsylvania State University houses what appears to be the only recorded copy of the earliest English translation of Johanna Spyri's Heidi in a two-volume set of 1884.
For more information, contact
Rare Books Room
The Pennsylvania State University
W342 Pattee Library
University Park, PA 16802
(814) 865-1793

Johanna Spyri Autobiographical Information in Spanish
I don't read Spanish myself, but it looks like Charles Tritten, a Spyri translator and author of the sequels Heidi Grows Up and Heidi's Children, is also mentioned.

The Project Gutenberg E-text of Heidi

Playing Heidi
Online column by Australian writer Carmel Bird, discussing her perceptions of the commodified version of Spyri's fictional character.

Special Events for the Year 1829
for happenings the year Spyri was born, or
Through the Years
for events the year Heidi was published.