However, in particular, I love to share stories with my children that help them develop a sense of where they belong and explores their cultural backgrounds (so fellow Aussies, if you need a book recommendation, just ask). Below though, is a list of some of our favourite stories that have helped my children connect to places, the culture and the language of Switzerland – our current home.
Children books based around Switzerland and it’s culture.
- Türli und Flidari series: Join Türli and Flidari on their 7-part adventure series (all books in German, except series 5, which is also written in French) as they tumble down the Rhine river in an old wine barrel, visit Pilatus, explore the alps and learn to sled in different parts of Switzerland together.
- Gian und Giachen series: Join two adventurous Steinbock (Ibex) as they explore the Graubunden region, meet friends, and find out more about the area. These books are in german, the Graubünden Romantsch language, as well as a few in English.
- Festivals and Traditions in Switzerland: A month to month guide, with stunning imagery, exploring the festivals and traditions through a year in Switzerland. Published in both German and English.
- Stories by Selina Chonz with art by Alois Cariget: The stories of Schellen Ursli und his sister Florina would have to be my very favourite. Beautifully illustrated by the Swiss artist Alois Cariget, they are quintessentially Swiss. I love them so much I have copies in both English and German. Kristin loves them too and added them to her list of Swiss Children’s books.
Audiobooks in Swiss German
Audiobooks are a great way to bring an additional language into your home, especially if you don’t feel confident reading in that language yourself. There are many products available on the market for High-German stories (Tonies boxes or stories on Spotify), but here are some that provide options in Swiss German:
- Kasperli (On Tonies): Kasperli is a traditional Swiss story based on the puppet theatre performances that many kindergarten and school children are invited to attend throughout their years at school. There are many different Kasperli themed stories (just search on Spotify), but our favourite is listening via the Tonie audio system.
- SRF Kids Hörspiele: The SRF (Swiss TV and radio) Kids website has several stories online that you can listen to.
- Die Schönschte Märli series: These can be found on Youtube music. We often listen to these stories during lunch or dinner, it has been great for my language learning too.
- Globi: The ever-popular stories about the adventures of the Swiss parrot “Globi” can be found on Spotify as well as Globi’s friend Globine!
Stories by Swiss Authors
While not based specifically on Switzerland, the following are written by Swiss authors and have been translated into many languages.
- Der Geburtstag (The Birthday): written and illustrated by Hans Fischer. A story about an old lady, Lisette, and how her animals are organising a surprise birthday party for her
- Pitschi: Also written and illustrated by Hans Fischer, this book continues the story of Lisette and her animals, but this time focusing on the little kitten, Pitschi, who dreams of being something else.
- Der Regenbogenfisch (The Rainbow Fish) by Marcus Pfister: This story, although obviously not set in landlocked Switzerland, is written by a famous Swiss author. This well-known story is based around the adventures of a small fish who is learning to get along with others, share and make friends. This story has been translated into many languages, and it is available throughout the world.
What are your favourite Swiss children’s stories? Share them with us in the comments below!
