Squeezing a 300-page (give or take a few) classic into a mere 32 pages may sound impossible, but this new Swiss translation not only pulls it off, it never sacrifices heart for succinct storytelling in the doing. Spyri’s novel of a young girl who is sent to live with her grandfather in the mountains is retold here with accompanying lush watercolors and wide, sweeping panoramas. Dusíková taps into the emotional core of this tale, making it accessible to all but the youngest readers. Though this version does rely to some extent on reducing individual scenes into their most essential parts, the narrative is smooth and consistent. Some parents will eschew this version for a bedtime reading of the original, but for those youngest children who still need a swath of beautiful pictures to carry them through the story, this may well fit the bill. (Picture book. 4-8)
