What do you think?
Rate this book
Jungle Book and Just So Stories
The twelve magical Just So Stories tell, among other things, how the camel got his hump, the leopard his spots, the elephant his trunk, how the alphabet was made and how a butterfly caused mayhem at the court of King Solomon when he stamped. Kipling's own illustrations that make Just So Stories one of the few enduring classics of children's literature that G. K. Chesterton called 'Fairy tales told to men in the morning of the world.'This new impression includes Kipling's well-loved The Jungle Book, a quite different set of stories that introduce the orphan Mowgli who runs with a wolf pack, and tells of his friends and adversaries such as Shere Khan the tiger, the python Kaa, Baloo the sleepy brown bear and Bagheera, the black panther. A separate story describes the deadly duel between the mongoose, Rikki-tikki-tavi and Nag the cobra.
Paperback
First published January 1, 1894
6 people are currently reading
135 people want to read
About the author
Rudyard Kipling
7,172 books3,674 followersJoseph Rudyard Kipling was a journalist, short-story writer, poet, and novelist.
Kipling's works of fiction include The Jungle Book (1894), Kim (1901), and many short stories, including The Man Who Would Be King (1888). His poems include Mandalay (1890), Gunga Din (1890), The Gods of the Copybook Headings (1919), The White Man's Burden (1899), and If— (1910). He is regarded as a major innovator in the art of the short story; his children's books are classics of children's literature; and one critic described his work as exhibiting "a versatile and luminous narrative gift".
Kipling was one of the most popular writers in the United Kingdom, in both prose and verse, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Henry James said: "Kipling strikes me personally as the most complete man of genius (as distinct from fine intelligence) that I have ever known." In 1907, at the age of 41, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, making him the first English-language writer to receive the prize, and its youngest recipient to date. He was also sounded out for the British Poet Laureateship and on several occasions for a knighthood, both of which he declined.
Awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1907 "in consideration of the power of observation, originality of imagination, virility of ideas and remarkable talent for narration which characterize the creations of this world-famous author."
Kipling kept writing until the early 1930s, but at a slower pace and with much less success than before. On the night of 12 January 1936, Kipling suffered a haemorrhage in his small intestine. He underwent surgery, but died less than a week later on 18 January 1936 at the age of 70 of a perforated duodenal ulcer. Kipling's death had in fact previously been incorrectly announced in a magazine, to which he wrote, "I've just read that I am dead. Don't forget to delete me from your list of subscribers."
Kipling's works of fiction include The Jungle Book (1894), Kim (1901), and many short stories, including The Man Who Would Be King (1888). His poems include Mandalay (1890), Gunga Din (1890), The Gods of the Copybook Headings (1919), The White Man's Burden (1899), and If— (1910). He is regarded as a major innovator in the art of the short story; his children's books are classics of children's literature; and one critic described his work as exhibiting "a versatile and luminous narrative gift".
Kipling was one of the most popular writers in the United Kingdom, in both prose and verse, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Henry James said: "Kipling strikes me personally as the most complete man of genius (as distinct from fine intelligence) that I have ever known." In 1907, at the age of 41, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, making him the first English-language writer to receive the prize, and its youngest recipient to date. He was also sounded out for the British Poet Laureateship and on several occasions for a knighthood, both of which he declined.
Awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1907 "in consideration of the power of observation, originality of imagination, virility of ideas and remarkable talent for narration which characterize the creations of this world-famous author."
Kipling kept writing until the early 1930s, but at a slower pace and with much less success than before. On the night of 12 January 1936, Kipling suffered a haemorrhage in his small intestine. He underwent surgery, but died less than a week later on 18 January 1936 at the age of 70 of a perforated duodenal ulcer. Kipling's death had in fact previously been incorrectly announced in a magazine, to which he wrote, "I've just read that I am dead. Don't forget to delete me from your list of subscribers."
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
August 16, 2008
I'd never read Just So Stories before, though I think I'd heard of one or two of them, and The Jungle Book is far more interesting a broader than Disney's version of it.
The Jungle Book has the adventures of Mowgli, but the Disney version only spans the first chapter and an episode in a subsequent one, but Mowgli's adventures in the book also relate how he killed Shere Khan (of course in Disney we just get the episode where he scares him off) and also how he tried to integrate into the village. In the book, Mowgli doesn't fit in with the wolves, or with the people.
But there's also this great story about Rikki Tikki Tavi, a mongoose that kills an entire cobra family, saving a little boy and his family from certain death. Don't you love the words "Rikki Tikki Tavi"? Great name for a lovable mongoose. So imagine my surprise when I watch a movie trailer while I'm still finishing the book in which Billy Bob Thornton tells a kid that it's okay to lie to his dad because he's from rikki tikki tavi or someplace like that! (Bad News Bears remake obviously). Spoiled the deliciousness of the name just a little. But not too much 'cause Kipling's got a real flair for storytelling and I loved Rikki Tikki Tavi (the name and the character).
Just So Stories is a series of "How the Leopard got his Spots" kind of stories, but the interesting part about these is the extent to which the narrator of the stories is engaged with the audience (a child, from the sounds of it). He repeatedly interrupts the narration to explain things, humorously, and in great detail to the child who the story is directed at. He also very humorously, and in great detail again, describes the drawings that accompany the stories, making comments about the limitations of working in B&W and the difficulties of representing things accurately. Very interesting from a narratological perspective.
The Jungle Book has the adventures of Mowgli, but the Disney version only spans the first chapter and an episode in a subsequent one, but Mowgli's adventures in the book also relate how he killed Shere Khan (of course in Disney we just get the episode where he scares him off) and also how he tried to integrate into the village. In the book, Mowgli doesn't fit in with the wolves, or with the people.
But there's also this great story about Rikki Tikki Tavi, a mongoose that kills an entire cobra family, saving a little boy and his family from certain death. Don't you love the words "Rikki Tikki Tavi"? Great name for a lovable mongoose. So imagine my surprise when I watch a movie trailer while I'm still finishing the book in which Billy Bob Thornton tells a kid that it's okay to lie to his dad because he's from rikki tikki tavi or someplace like that! (Bad News Bears remake obviously). Spoiled the deliciousness of the name just a little. But not too much 'cause Kipling's got a real flair for storytelling and I loved Rikki Tikki Tavi (the name and the character).
Just So Stories is a series of "How the Leopard got his Spots" kind of stories, but the interesting part about these is the extent to which the narrator of the stories is engaged with the audience (a child, from the sounds of it). He repeatedly interrupts the narration to explain things, humorously, and in great detail to the child who the story is directed at. He also very humorously, and in great detail again, describes the drawings that accompany the stories, making comments about the limitations of working in B&W and the difficulties of representing things accurately. Very interesting from a narratological perspective.
August 27, 2023
picked this up at work while bored and it actually rocked wish it had been a lil longer tbh even
May 29, 2013
1.Rudyard Kipling, Level 2
2.85min
3.jungle,human,child,wolf,enemy,tiger,fight
4.Can you fight the battle against an enemy for your treasure?
Yes,of course! I'll do my best.
5.There was one boy in the city. One day, he entered the jungle. Then, he was caught by a Wolf. After that, he was raised by the wolf. So, he thought he is the wolf, not human. However, he is human. Many people tried to help him from wolf. This story is like “MONONOKE-HIME” Japanese movie, I think.
2.85min
3.jungle,human,child,wolf,enemy,tiger,fight
4.Can you fight the battle against an enemy for your treasure?
Yes,of course! I'll do my best.
5.There was one boy in the city. One day, he entered the jungle. Then, he was caught by a Wolf. After that, he was raised by the wolf. So, he thought he is the wolf, not human. However, he is human. Many people tried to help him from wolf. This story is like “MONONOKE-HIME” Japanese movie, I think.
January 19, 2014
"The Butterfly That Stamped," the creation of the animals, the world, what's not to love about "Just So Stories?" Then of course there's the original, unabridged "Jungle Book" and "Rikki Tikki Tavi." It's hard not to be amused and in a good mood reading them again. It was a great book to pick up and read when I was either unsure of what to read, or didn't have a lot of time to commit to reading (such as waiting for an appointment).
June 10, 2013
Just So Stories is infinitely delightful. The Jungle Book was totally fine, but kind of a let down after the first half of the book. I defy anyone to be in a bad mood and read How the Elephant Got His Nose, or the others. Very very sweet.
August 13, 2009
I will definitely be reading these stories to my kids.
April 9, 2012
I loved these! Rhino wrinkles particularly, never forgotten ;-)
December 15, 2016
very interesting how a kid is raised by wolf very different then the rest of us also has adventures love adventures
June 24, 2012
It was very intersting :D
January 7, 2013
Excellent.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews