Little Saint Elizabeth and Other Stories is written by Frances Hodgson Burnett, an avid writer who penned many books for both children and adults. Burnett also wrote a number of plays.

Born in Manchester, England, Burnett was a child of the mid 1800s, when the economy was flailing. Times were hard, and the death of her father when she was 4 years old coupled with the failure of the family’s furniture business led to her family’s emigration to the USA. The Burnett family’s financial troubles persisted in the US, and it was for this reason that Frances decided to start writing for money. Submitting articles to women’s magazines, she was successful and managed to keep the family well afloat.

Little Saint Elizabeth and Other Stories is a selection of short stories, the first featuring Little Saint Elizabeth in a quest to save the poor and destitute. The remaining three stories are short and equally sweet fairytales, suitable for children and adults.

The story, usually renamed as Alice in Wonderland, is about Alice’s trip into a fantasy world she literally fell down into through a rabbit hole (the “Rabbit Hole” is believed to symbolize the real stairs in the back of the main hall in the city of Oxford’s Christ Church). In this alternate reality, Alice meets a number of interesting and peculiar characters who are animal-like but with human attributes. Carroll based these characters on his friends.

Although superficially, many of Alice’s encounters appear nonsensical, they are highly symbolic and are an insight into  important elements of humanity. In fact, they may even be considered “philosophical” to a certain extent.

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland was written by Lewis Carroll, which is actually the pen name for Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, a British author. The story has been created into film, comic books, short stories, plays, musicals and other entertaining forms.

Here’s another great book from Beatrix Potter: The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin. Available in audio or electronic book format at All You Can Books Blog, this delightful tale is about mischievous and riddle-telling Squirrel Nutkin, his hardworking siblings and cousins, and a wise old owl. Of course, Potter made sure that this tale also includes a valuable lesson learned. Let’s suffice it to say that the story ends with Nutkin losing his tail because the wise old owl wanted to teach him a lesson!

Published in 1803, Potter was inspired by the gorgeous setting of the Lake District, where she spent her summer holidays. According to reports, The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin is based partially on a red squirrel colony she discovered during her holidays, from which she wove the tale. The story was a huge success for Beatrix Potter pretty much as soon as it was published, and we’re sure you’ll also enjoy the book. The beauty of Potter’s many tales is that they tend to appeal to both children and adults alike – making it great reading for people of any age.

Read it now for FREE at All You Can Books Blog now.

One story your child is sure to love is The Tale of Peter Rabbit.

The Tale of Peter Rabbit at All You Can Books Blog
The Tale of Peter Rabbit has been translated into a number of different languages around the world. It is one of the most popular children’s book to date, with millions of copies sold worldwide. Although the story is short, much like other children’s books, it has been able to capture the minds and hearts of many.

Written and illustrated by British author, Beatrix Potter, the story is about mischievous Peter Rabbit. Peter, disobeying his mother, enters into the garden of Mr. McGregor, enticed by a lush garden bearing an abundance of fruit and vegetables. After eating his fill, Peter must escape the wrath of Mr. McGregor then return home, bruised, battered and sick from his experience. Although published in 1902, it remains a popular favourite because of the disobedience of the main character and moral that can appeal to even today’s children.

Beatrix Potter wrote The Tale of Peter Rabbit for her former governess’s 5 year old son, Noel Moore.