Explores the psychological subtexts of a number of children's books, including Carlo Collodi's "Pinocchio", Roald Dahl's "James and the Giant Peach", Kenneth Grahame's "The Wind in the Willows", Louise Fitzhugh's "Harriet the Spy", Mark Twain's "The Prince and the Pauper", and EB White's "Charlotte's Web".

Examines the seventy-year history of comic book superheroes on film and in comic books and their reflections of the politics of their time. Superheroes addressed include Batman, Wonder Woman, Spider-Man, Superman, the Invisible Woman and the X-Men, and topics covered include American wars, conflicts, and public policy.