In The Birthday Burglar, Bassington is surely the world's most fortunate boy, with his own island and no parents to spoil his fun. But Bassington is bored--until when he realizes what he really wants is a few birthdays. In the second story, listeners meet Tatiana Taffeta, the wicked girls school headmistress. Things start to go wrong for Taniana when she sets out to marry her neighbor, ex-farmer Fendalton Bassett.