The tale of Mowgli, the orphaned “man-cub” who wolves raise in the jungles of Central India, is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential works of literature ever produced. Mowgli faces some of the most memorable animals in the jungle, including the bear Baloo, the graceful black panther Bagheera, and Shere Khan, the tiger with the blazing eyes, as he embarks on a series of exciting adventures. Other animal tales included in The Jungle Books include “Rikki-Tikki-tav,” which depicts a dramatic conflict between good and evil, and “The Undertakers,” which is a macabre comedy about funeral directors. With The Jungle Books, Rudyard Kipling created a rich, symbolic portrait of man and nature as well as an eternal classic of childhood literature. He did this by drawing on ancient beast fables, Buddhist philosophy, and memories of his childhood spent in Anglo-India. This edition includes both of Kipling’s Jungle Books, as well as the short story “In the Rukh,” which is the one that first introduced readers to Mowgli.
These delectable and collectible editions are bound in high-quality, tactile cloth with foil stamped into the design. They are a part of the gorgeous Hardcover Classics series published by Penguin, which was designed by the multi-award-winning Coralie Bickford-Smith.
