The Third Grade reader includes a total of fifty-two selections which are somewhat coordinated with the seasons of the year. The selections include poetry (about God, country, nature, etc.) and a variety of stories that are both appealing and inspiring - saint stories, fairy tales (with very obvious morals), biographies, stories that teach something about the world around us and others relating examples of devotion and heroism, such as the well-known tale of the little Dutch boy ("The Hero of Haarlem"). A few of the stories are a little "dated", such as the story entitled, Jamie Watt and his Grandmother's Tea Kettle" which treats the concept of steam engines in a rather contemporary fashion. Rather than being problematic, I see this perspective as informative and educational. (Another learning opportunity). The stories are surprisingly "multicultural" (in a good way) for their day; you'll find several very nice stories (and even a poem) involving American Indians and one story about a little boy from China.
