A little boy had a set of tin soldiers that were made from a melted spoon. One soldier was missing a leg because there was not enough metal left over from the melted spoon.

Tossed aside by the boy, the one-legged soldier sees a paper cut out figure of a ballerina. She is poised on one leg and he feels an instant bond. He has found another one-legged toy and believes this to be love.

The steadfast tin soldier has a series of mishaps. He falls off the window sill into a stream. From there, he is transported to a rat infested sewer. He is swallowed by a fish and through an unlikely stroke of luck, winds up back in the boy's playroom with the other toys and the ballerina.

The ending is what gets to me every single time. A gust of wind lifts the paper ballerina up and she flutters into the fire place, winding up a charred heap of ashes. Devastated, the tin soldier joins her. The remaining metal that was once the tin soldier is a charred piece of heart shaped metal.

I still think this is a very sad story. The photographs really emphasize the feeling this story evokes.

I taught 1st grade for 4 years and all of the teachers in my grade passed this book around at Christmas to read to our class. I cried everytime I read it. It has a wonderful message and my kids in my classroom always loved it! I have now (finally) purchased my own copy of this book to read to my little girl. It is a classic and I know she will love it as much as I do. Every home should have this book to read at Christmastime.

This is a really good book. It has all the characteristic's that made the original a cherished and remembered fairy tale. It is a great gift for any young child, and can be enjoyed by adults too. It maintains the feel of the original tale, but is more like a poem. The art work on each page is beautiful, and the pictures are totally devine. I would recomend buying this for a different and fully enjoyable version of the original.

A fine read for young children and beautifully illustrated in the Disney tradition. The main characters are very lovable dogs who have been given the sweetest and most endearing of human characteristics. The kids might get some good ideas for future dates and relationships such as in the famous restaurant scene. The romance is tame but still very sweet and innocent for the four to eight year old set it targets. Disney also doesn't fail to add the usual requisite spice of some characteristic villains to complicate our sweet little dogs' lives. The Lady and the Tramp is not easy to find in the library or in bookstores as it is an older Disney. So if you are able to find a copy on Amazon.com I would highly recommend purchasing it. The price is right and Disney's wholesome tale delivers what you'd expect from old Mickey and his friends. The morals and flavor are reminiscent of the era from which it derives. Not to discount Toy Story or Hercules. I just prefer the tried and true Disney Classics that I grew up with and can share and pass on to the next generation. The books are also a good tie in for video watching after the book is read or vice versa.

I think that the Many Adventures Of Winnie the Pooh is such a neat book because it is really cute and I think that everyone should read it. I haven't always loved Winnie the Pooh but now I do. My favorite character is Tigger. I don't know why but I guess it's because of how he acts and stuff like that.