Heidi

Abridged for Young Readers and Learners of English

By: Johanna Spyri

Narrated by: Peter Batchelor

Heidi is one of the best-selling books ever written and is among the best-known works of Swiss literature. This version is a delightful abridgment of the classic tale.

Public Domain (P)2015 Trout Lake Media

Unbearable

I didn't make it through the first chapter of this. Five-year-old Heidi sounded like a cranky octogenarian. That's just wrong. My little one covered her ears when she heard the character's voice. If it gets better, I wouldn't know. We just couldn't go on.

Peter Batchelor really should avoid voicing female characters. His neutral narrative reading isn't bad, but his character voices are distracting, and every female of any age has a tone both creaky and gravelly. He would be best suited to books that are heavy on narration and light on dialogue. He should absolutely never, ever, attempt to voice the character of a young girl again.

This book cost 48 cents, and I actually asked for a refund. I can't un-hear this monstrosity, but at least this review may save someone else the time and discomfort. You've been warned.