The famous child psychologist, Bruno Bettelheim (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruno_Bettelheim), explains how fairy tales educate, support, and liberate the emotions of children.
Wicked stepmothers and beautiful princesses … magic forests and enchanted towers … little pigs and big bad wolves … Fairy tales have been an integral part of childhood for hundreds of years. It’s in this book of 1976 that Bettelheim seeks to explain what they mean. This is a thought provoking and stimulating exploration of the best-known fairy stories. The author reveals the true content of the stories and shows how children can use them to cope with their baffling emotions and anxieties. A landmark work in this subject.
Available in paperback at http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Uses-Enchantment-Importance-Psychology/dp/0140137270/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1389684374&sr=8-1&keywords=uses+of+enchantment
352 pages in Penguin paperback edition
ISBN 978-0140137279
Bruno Bettelheim