The Jungle Books and Just So Stories (Bantam classics) - Softcover

Kipling, Rudyard

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0553211994 ISBN 13: 9780553211993

Publisher: Bantam Books Inc, 1985

Synopsis

First published in 1894 and 1895, The Jungle Books remain some of the most beloved tales of all time. Adored by readers of all ages, these classic stories in two volumes spin the unforgettable story of Mowgli--a boy raised by a pack of wolves--as he learns indelible lessons about the laws of the jungle as well as the needs of the heart. Through Mowgli's journey, readers also meet the tiger Shere Khan, who stalks man and beast alike, the rock python Kaa, who dispenses wisdom, and the aging wolf Akela, who struggles as his leadership of the pack is challenged. Set in India, Kipling's great masterpiece is an allegory for Britain's imperialism, filled with high adventure and extraordinary characters. The mythic tale of a boy looking for where he truly belongs--either with the man-pack of the village or the wolf-pack of the wild--The Jungle Books touch both our intellect and our emotions, while Kipling's dazzling storytelling makes them the timeless archetype for popular tales to come.

About this title

Review:

"The Jungle Book was one of those rare books that I felt I was actually living as I read it" (Michael Morpurgo)

"The original stories of The Jungle Book surpass all rollicking Disneyfied expectations. On one level, the Mancub's education is pure entertainment; on another, the jungle is symbolic of Kipling's philosophy of life, a moral playground in which the young learn to swing on the vines of life" (The Times)

"The incantatory text of Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Books still rewards reading aloud" (Sunday Times)

"Around a century ago, Rudyard Kipling laid the foundations of modern children's literature with works such as The Jungle Book, Just So Stories and Puck of Pook's Hill. Far from the fusty Victorian conventions of the time, they were wild, magnificent stories that felt as though they'd always existed, stories people might have told each other in the caves" (Daily Telegraph)

"So what makes these different to any other set of classics? In a moment of inspiration Random House had the bright idea of actually asking Key stage 2 children what extra ingredients they could add to make children want to read. And does it work? Well, put it this way...my 13-year-old daughter announced that she had to read a book over the summer holiday and, without any prompting, spotted The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas...and proceeded to read it! Now, if you knew my 13-year-old daughter, you would realise that this is quite remarkable. She reads texts, blogs and tags by the thousand - but this is the first book she has read since going to high school, so all hail Vintage Classics!" (National Association for the Teaching of English)

Book Description:

Learn the ways of the jungle with little Mowgli the man-cub. Swing from the trees, befriend the animals, face your primal fears

About this edition

• Publisher: Bantam Books Inc
• Publication date: 1985
• ISBN 10: 0553211994
• ISBN 13: 9780553211993
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• Number of pages: 384