Heidi's Aunt Dete takes her to live with her grandfather, who has a reputation as an unfriendly recluse. In fact, Barbel can't imagine that Aunt Dete would leave her niece with such a man, given his bad reputation and the fact that he lives in a rough cottage up in the mountains.

However, Heidi finds her new home heavenly. She is a child of nature, and almost immediately, to her aunt's distress, sheds her shoes and much of her clothing so that she can run free. She loves the goats she sees Peter tending. She also loves her grandfather's simple home. She is delighted to sleep on the fresh hay in the attic bedroom and is especially happy when her grandfather brings her extra hay and a sheet and devises a coverlet for her.

Although her grandfather has a bad name in town, he almost immediately warms to Heidi because of her quick intelligence. She, in turn, can see he is a kind person. Though very young, she immediately takes over helping with the household tasks, such as setting the table for dinner, and she is thrilled when her grandfather makes her a high stool so that she can sit easily at the table.

Heidi has a naturally joyful, positive personality that makes those around her happy. She settles in gladly to a simple home near nature and can see the goodness in her grandfather, even if others cannot.