L. Frank Baum's The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus offers a rich, imaginative, and mythological origin story distinct from common folklore, perfect for exploring themes of compassion, good versus evil, and the roots of tradition. Found as a human infant and raised by immortal fairies, nymphs, and magical creatures in the enchanted Forest of Burzee, Claus grows up witnessing the hardships of mortal children and dedicates his life to bringing them joy through handcrafted toys. The book details his inventive solutions for crafting and delivering gifts (including befriending reindeer), his conflicts with the malevolent Awgwas who delight in sorrow, and culminates with the council of immortals granting him the Mantle of Immortality so he can continue his work forever, providing a unique fantasy explanation for Santa's existence and customs.

Uncle Wiggily's Adventures follows the kind, elderly rabbit gentleman, Uncle Wiggily Longears, often nursing his rheumatism, as he embarks on a series of short, episodic escapades outside his hollow stump bungalow. Each chapter typically presents a simple challenge or encounter with various animal characters, both friendly (like Nurse Jane Fuzzy Wuzzy, his muskrat housekeeper) and mischievous (like the Pipsisewah or the Skillery Skallery Alligator). Uncle Wiggily consistently uses his cleverness, politeness, and sometimes his distinctive crutch to overcome mild obstacles or outwit predators, always concluding with a safe return home, reinforcing themes of gentle problem-solving, kindness, and perseverance in a charming, predictable format suitable for young children.

The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald tells the story of young Princess Irene, who lives a somewhat lonely life in a castle on a mountainside plagued by mischievous and malevolent goblins living underground. Irene discovers a mysterious and magical great-great-grandmother hidden in the castle who provides her with guidance and a magic thread, while she also befriends the brave young miner boy, Curdie, who is knowledgeable about the goblins' ways. Together, guided by faith (especially in things unseen, like the grandmother and her thread) and courage, Irene and Curdie must uncover and thwart the goblins' wicked plot to flood the mines and potentially kidnap the princess, making it a classic Victorian fantasy about overcoming fear, the battle between good and evil, and the importance of bravery and trust.

These stories are perfect for celebrating Easter and the spring season with young children. The stories feature themes of kindness, helpfulness, and the joy of spring. One story focuses on the Easter Bunny losing his eggs and a child helping him find them, emphasizing the importance of friendship and teamwork. Another story humorously explores how a kind bunny helps a rabbit family by bringing Easter eggs. Other stories explain where Easter eggs come from and how to find them, and one story focuses on the origin of lilies at Easter. These simple narratives are ideal for reading aloud in classrooms or at home to introduce Easter traditions and values.

In "The Twelve Brothers," a king orders his twelve sons to be killed if his thirteenth child is a girl, causing the brothers to flee into the forest. Years later, their younger sister learns of their existence and seeks them out. After a joyful reunion, she accidentally turns her brothers into ravens by picking twelve magical lilies. To break the curse, she must endure seven years of complete silence and seriousness. During this time, she marries a king but faces persecution and accusations of witchcraft due to her inability to speak or laugh. Just as she is about to be executed, the seven years end, her brothers return in human form, and she is finally able to explain her silence, leading to reconciliation and a happy ending highlighting themes of sibling loyalty, sacrifice, and overcoming adversity.

These two elephant stories offer lessons on behavior and consequences for children. The first tale shows how a tailor's cruelty towards an elephant results in clever revenge with dirty water, demonstrating that meanness often leads to negative repercussions. The second story contrasts this by highlighting an elephant's capacity for kindness and memory even when enraged; despite being mistreated by its sitter, it gently saves a familiar child, teaching that kindness is remembered and rewarded, and emphasizing the importance of treating all creatures, especially intelligent ones like elephants, with respect and fairness.

This charming tale contrasts the lives of Timmy Willie, a simple country mouse, and Johnny Town-mouse, a sophisticated city dweller. After accidentally travelling to the city in a vegetable hamper, Timmy Willie finds the urban environment, with its noise, rich food, and constant threat from cats, utterly overwhelming and unpleasant, despite Johnny's hospitality. He happily returns home, but later, when Johnny visits the countryside, he finds it too quiet, damp, and unsettlingly different, promptly returning to the city. The story gently illustrates the theme that different individuals thrive in different environments, concluding that "one place suits one person, another place suits another person," making it a good starting point for discussions about preferences, adaptation, and appreciating different ways of life.

This story tells of a young Kid who, feeling grown-up, disobeys his mother and lingers behind the flock, only to find himself alone and confronted by a Wolf. Facing certain doom, the clever Kid asks the Wolf to play music for him to dance one last time. The Wolf obliges, but the sound of his piping alerts the nearby Shepherd Dogs, who race back and chase the Wolf away, saving the Kid through his own quick thinking and the Wolf's foolish distraction. It serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of disobedience and straying from safety, while also highlighting the value of cleverness in a crisis.

Ada, Millie, and Hilda celebrate Christmas, but Millie is upset Santa didn't bring her specific wish. Ada and Hilda explain the Christmas Spirit, a feeling of love and giving, and Millie starts to see her gifts in a new light. Recognizing her previous envy, Millie decides to share her gifts with less fortunate children, showing that the true Spirit of Christmas has finally entered her heart.

Sallie Hicks, prone to trouble caused by her right index finger, burns it in hot jam despite warnings. As punishment, she sits in the hallway, contemplating her great-grandmother's portrait. Sallie imagines the portrait speaking to her, sharing a story of her grandmother's childhood mischief and a mother's tears. Awakening from her dream, Sallie tearfully promises her mother to be good and her unruly right index finger no longer causes trouble.