A Note From Shirley Temple

As a child I loved fairy stories and tales of enchantment. Even in this Atomic Age, children enjoy the magic world of fairy princes and princesses, of wicked witches who are punished for their bad deeds, of cleverness that is rewarded - in short, the same kinds of stories that their parents read when they were young. Certainly this is true of my own children.

There is nothing unusual, it seems to me, in a child's clinging to the idea of fairyland even as he tries on a space helmet and dreams of going to the moon. For to a child everything is new and a great experience. One such experience is the discovery of favorite tales handed down from generation to generation, tales of the fascinating world of make-believe where even the most fantastic wish can come true. And who would deny any boy or girl this eternal right?

To children everywhere, therefore, I offer this book of favorite stories which I selected for my own television program. I hope this storybook will provide many hours of reading pleasure that will become a most cherished memory.