Easy sheet music for beginners

I have found out that it is a terrible problem, to choose appropriate pieces for beginners. Especially with young pianists this process transforms into a burning issue. All of them want to play The Moonlight sonata and For Elise immediately, as soon as they have crossed the threshold of piano room. And no one wants to play studies and exercises. Although studies can be sometimes not really boring and exercises can be quite melodic and nice. What is the best way to explain for children that without playing of exercises they will not be able to play even For Elise? I try to find some funny or interesting moments, to invent a story together with a child. The main purpose is favoring a pianist to understand what does he playing about. When a player has a certain image – a mouse, running fast on the floor, sea waves and so on – it makes him listening very attentively to what is he playing, to the sound of an instrument. In this case not only his fingers but also his mind and his ears are working efficiently. The result of such kind of exercises is much better. It would be very helpful if composers write more programmatic studies and pieces. This is very important for beginners, and not only piano players, I think.
There are some good examples of such pieces:
Berens 50 Piano Pieces for First Beginners Op.70
Beethoven Six pastoral Dances