 The book includes tales of kind and proud dragons, along with savage ones.Insight into how Manning-Sanders believed fairy tales should usually end is given in her foreword to "A Book of Witches"

While many of Manning-Sanders's tales are not commonly known, she includes stories about more famous figures such as Baba Yaga, Jack the Giant-Killer, Anansi, Snow White, Hansel and Gretel, Robin Hood and Aladdin.The dust jacket for "A Book of Giants" notes "her wit and good humour.