Asterix in Switzerland  •  Rene de Goscinny LITERATURE •  2004 •  PAPER • MIDDLE READERS (Age 9-12) Asterix, Obelix and Getafix, those zany legionnaires, are in Switzerland on an urgent errand. A Roman inspector has been poisoned, and they must obtain the alpine flower which can save his life. It's another hilarious entry in the Asterix series of comics, especially noteworthy for its evocative drawings of the Alps. (SWZ30, $9.95)
Banner in the Sky  •  James Ramsey Ullman LITERATURE •  1988 •  PAPER  • 256 PAGES • YOUNG ADULTS A Newbery Honor book, this is the suspenseful tale of a young boy determined to keep his father's dream alive. At sixteen, Rudi Matt retraces the footsteps of his father, who died on an expedition in the Alps. It's gripping reading for young adults. (SWZ23, $6.99)
Bloomability  •  Sharon Creech LITERATURE •  1999 •  PAPER  • 288 PAGES • YOUNG ADULTS A coming-of-age tale set in an international boarding school in Lugano, Switzerland. Thirteen-year-old Dinnie is at first a reluctant boarder, but her reluctance evaporates as she skis, climbs mountains and makes friends from all over the world. (SWZ31, $6.99)
Count Karlstein  •  Philip Pullman LITERATURE •  2000 •  HARD COVER  • 256 PAGES • MIDDLE READERS (Age 9-12) An entertaining thriller set in a Swiss village in 1816. It is the twisted tale of a conniving Count who strikes a bargain with the phantom Demon Huntsman to sacrifice his two nieces. Written for middle schoolers, this suspenseful story is filled with hair-raising cliffhangers and hilarious gothic schlock. (SWZ21, $5.99)
Heidi  •  Johanna Spyri LITERATURE •  1986 •  HARD COVER  • 349 PAGES • MIDDLE READERS (Age 9-12) The classic tale of a little girl, clad in "two if not three" dresses, who is sent to live with her curmudgeonly grandfather in a remote Alpine village. This handsome hardback edition retains the quaint prose and buoyant disposition of Johanna Spyri's 1880 original. (SWZ32, $6.99)
Switzerland, Enchantment of the World  •  Lura Rogers CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  2001 •  HARD COVER  • 144 PAGES • MIDDLE READERS (Age 9-12) A volume in the "Enchantment of the World" series by Children's Press, this illustrated, factual survey of Switzerland is intended primarily for a library audience, but it's equally useful (if a bit expensive) as a primer for young travelers ages 9-12. The accessible text introduces Swiss customs, daily life, history, languages, food, economy and more. (SWZ35, $37.00)
William Tell  •  Leonard Everett Fisher HISTORY •  1996 •  HARD COVER  • 32 PAGES • YOUNG READERS (Age 4-8) Elegant full-page paintings bring to life the classic tale of William Tell, a 14th-century Swiss marksman who was forced to either shoot an arrow through an apple placed on his son's head or go to prison. Written for children ages 5-8. (SWZ20, $16.00)