Down the Snow Stairs is a tale of young girl Kitty whose little brother Johnnie falls ill on a Christmas Eve. Kitty is worried and struggles to fall asleep, and when she finally closes her eyes she travels in her dream to Naughty Children Land. Kitty sees various strange things and meets weird people and creatures. She has to fight and struggle against many tempestuous lures in order to escape her nightmare and comes back in the morning to witness the incredible Christmas miracle.

Alice Corkran (1843-1916) was an Irish author of children's fiction and an editor of children's magazines. Corkran's fame rests in particular on her first novel Bessie Lang as well as her other novel Down the Snow Stairs.