The Blue Fairy Book assembles a wide range of tales, including seven from the Brothers Grimm, five from Madame d'Aulnoy, three from the Arabian Nights, and four Norwegian fairytales. The Fairy Books are some of Andrew Lang’s most notable works. Lang was fighting against the critics of his day who judged fairy tales as being harmful for young readers. Over a generation, Lang’s books worked a revolution in this public perception.

These collections have been immensely influential, as their publication was the first time many of these stories had been written in English. The series was immediately popular due to Lang’s reputation as a folklorist and the packaging of the uniform books. The series proved of great influence in children’s literature, increasing the popularity of fairy tales over tales of real life.