I bought this book when my son was about 4 years old, and it became his absolute favorite story book for a long time. Boys need to know that girls can be strong, just as much as girls do! The stories are not as sanitized as many modern stories are -- there are some rather unpleasant things included -- and that may have been part of the appeal for him. We must have read each story hundreds of times. Overall -- a wonderful mix of stories for all listeners and readers!