Dear Alexandra: A Story of Switzerland

by Helen Gudel

Alexandra, a girl in the city, receives letters all year long from her grandmother who lives in the mountain village of Torbel, Switzerland. As Christmas nears, her grandmother eagerly awaits Alexandra's visit. Dear Alexandra gives readers a fun and unique insight of a different culture, and a sense what life might be like for a child growing up in Switzerland.



Book
- Colorful illustrations and a heartwarming story
- Read-along Audiobook
- Bonus facts about Switzerland
- 32 pages
- Appropriate for 3 - 8
- 8 x 6 1/2 inches

Genres: Childrens, Picture Books

29 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 1999

Reviews

[Capn]

"Dear Alexandra: A Story of Switzerland"... I'm not sure this is a fitting title. Better to call it "Letters from Grandma in Törbel" to her grand daughter (unseen) living in Bern (only on the cover). I have lived in Switzerland for nearly 10 years and have travelled throughout Wallis, and even I didn't know this village. ;) It is on the way to Zermatt, however. For this reason, I can recommend this book for anyone with children who might be headed that way (please note that Zermatt is a LONG WAY from any major Swiss city and will be a lengthy (but beautiful and worthwhile!) journey just to see the Matterhorn! Maybe this is a good book to bring along on the train... it's train-only at some point! Remote!). The artwork is lovely, and the humble and difficult alpine lifestyle of the farmers (old-fashioned) is well-described (for a newer alpine farming book, try "Mit Sofie auf der Alp" by Salome Siegenthaler-Lüthi). I really have a soft-spot for any well-made book about my adopted homeland, so I rounded this up to a 4. It has really no plot or storyline - it is just somewhat impersonal letters from Grandmother to Alexandra, almost exclusively referring to the activities on the farm and the movements of the various animals (Eringer cows, mules, goats, cats, dogs, chickens). It mentions the St Martin's fair in Visp and the cow fighting (which is not at all bull-fighting, but the cows establishing their pecking-order for the season. Winner is called The Queen. It's a simple life..).

TL/DR: A VERY niche glimpse of farming life and animal husbandry in a remote village in southern Switzerland, in letter form. No plot, nice pastoral illustrations. (Same valley as Zermatt and the Matterhorn, neither of which are mentioned)

[Louise]

This book didn't work for me. The letters that are supposedly from a loving grandmother seem more like forced geography lessons written to a young girl.

[Rachel]

Beautiful art - a lovely introduction for children