The stories feature family bonds and neighborly relations. They seek to bring out kindness, promote goodwill towards all, and are set in a whimsical, enchanting wood. Each tale begins with an event from Shalop's life. Whether he is collecting crabapples for the wintertime or sitting in his burrow by his fireplace, smoking a pipe, and drinking boysenberry juice after a long day, he uses the occasion to teach a lesson by telling a story.