Johanna Louise Spyri was a Swiss-born author of novels, notably children's stories, and is best known for her book Heidi. Born in the rural area of Hirzel, Switzerland, as a child she spent several summers in the area around Chur in Graubünden, the setting she later would use in her novels.

Behind Sami, the Syrian skyline is full of smoke. The boy follows his family and all his neighbours in a long line, as they trudge through the sands and hills to escape the bombs that have destroyed their homes. But all Sami can think of is his pet pigeons - will they escape too? When they reach a refugee camp and are safe at last, everyone settles into the tent city. But though the children start to play and go to school again, Sami can't join in. When he is given paper and paint, all he can do is smear his painting with black. He can't forget his birds and what his family has left behind. One day a canary, a dove, and a rose finch fly into the camp. They flutter around Sami and settle on his outstretched arms. For Sami it is one step in a long healing process at last. A gentle yet moving story of refugees of the Syrian civil war, My Beautiful Birds illuminates the ongoing crisis as it affects its children. It shows the reality of the refugee camps, where people attempt to pick up their lives and carry on. And it reveals the hope of generations of people as they struggle to redefine home.

Sami went and came back with the man of the house. He stepped up to Mary Ann's bed, and tried to encourage her, as that was his way. But he was alarmed at her appearance and wanted to go for the doctor, as he told her. But she held him fast and tried with great difficulty to express herself in his language, for she had only a scanty knowledge of it. Malon nodded his head understandingly and then hurried away. When he returned to the room a couple of hours later with the doctor, Sami was still sitting in the same place by the bed, waiting very quietly for his grandmother to wake up again.

To make a bird, you'll need hundreds of tiny, hollow bones, so light you can barely feel them on your palm, so light they can float on air. Next you'll need feathers, for warmth and lift. There will be more besides - perhaps shells and stones for last touches - but what will finally make your bird tremble with dreams of open sky and soaring flight? This picture book shows how even the smallest of things, combined with wonder and a steady heart, can transform into works of magic.

The works of the Swiss children’s writer Johanna Spyri are renowned for their psychological insight, endearing humour and the author’s inimitable ability to enter into childish joys and sorrows. The beloved novel ‘Heidi’ has achieved fame across the world and was inspired by Spyri’s childhood summers near Chur in the Swiss Alps. This comprehensive eBook presents Spyri’s collected works, with numerous illustrations, rare texts appearing in digital print for the first time, informative introductions and the usual Delphi bonus material. (Version 1) * Beautifully illustrated with images relating to Spyri’s life and works * Concise introduction to ‘Heidi’ * All the famous children’s books, with individual contents tables * Two translations of ‘Heidi’: Marian Edwardes translation (1910) and Elisabeth P. Stork translation (1915) * Each translation of ‘Heidi’ is fully illustrated: Jessie Willcox Smith and Maria L. Kirk * Rare novels appearing for the first time in digital publishing, including ‘Vinzi’ * Includes the original German text of ‘Heidi’ * Images of how the books were first published, giving your eReader a taste of the original texts * Excellent formatting of the texts * Famous books are fully illustrated with their original artwork * Rare story collections available in no other collection * Special chronological and alphabetical contents tables for the short stories * Easily locate the short stories you want to read * Scholarly ordering of texts into chronological order and literary genres Please visit www.delphiclassics.com to browse through our range of exciting titles CONTENTS: Heidi Heidi: Marian Edwardes translation, 1910 Heidi: Elisabeth P. Stork translation, 1915 Heidi: Original German Text Other Books Heimatlos The Story of Rico Gritli’s Children Veronica and Other Friends Cornelli Moni the Goat-Boy and Other Stories Uncle Titus and His Visit to the Country What Sami Sings with the Birds Toni, the Little Woodcarver Erick and Sally Mäzli Vinzi Little Miss Grasshopper The Short Stories List of Short Stories in Chronological Order List of Short Stories in Alphabetical Order Please visit www.delphiclassics.com to browse through our range of exciting titles or to purchase this eBook as a Parts Edition of individual eBooks