The Jungle Book is about a boy named Mogli who is taken in by a den of wolves and brought up in the Jungle after the monstrous tiger Sher Khan tries to to kill the boy. Mogli grows up with these animal instincts and becomes the protector of the jungle. I don't really like this books, but it does have some good morals to it. The Graveyard book is fashioned after the Jungle Book, so once you read one you've read the other.

The Jungle Book ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The White Seal ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Rikki-Tikki-Tavi ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Toomai of the Elephants ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Her Majesty's Servants ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Jungle Book story itself is entertaining and the characters are incredibly lovable, however, the other short stories are not. They are undoubtedly full of racist themes (white seal is the only seal that can save all the black seals?), and should be read in the historical context.

The Jungle Book was another book on the list for a Disney origin story book club on Instagram and this was my first time reading it. My only previous exposure to this Kipling classic is through the various adaptations; therefore, the book was not exactly what I expected.

First, I was surprised to find that The Jungle Book is not one story, but rather an anthology comprised of seven short stories and seven songs, with the first three stories and songs making up Mowgli’s story and the next four being completely unrelated to Mowgli. And second, I was surprised that there seems to be less action in the book, than in the movies. But another surprise, and quite a pleasant one at that, was Kipling’s beautiful lyrical writing style. He begins each story with a lovely little verse, and goes on to describe each scene in vivid detail and with great imagination.

If you’ve put off reading this book because you, like me, thought it was just the Disney movie in book form (I know, I know…), let me encourage you to pick it up immediately. It’s nothing like you are expecting it to be!

Firstly, I didn’t know that The Jungle Book was a collection of stories, I just thought it was the story of Mowgli along with Bagheera and Baloo. This is likely because of my familiarity with the Disney movie. Perhaps my love for it is why I wasn’t a huge fan of this book.

I lacked interest in the stories that weren’t about Mowgli as honestly this is why I read it in the first place. Also, my love for the film characters meant I wasn’t keen on the completely different book characters. Mowgli is ten and yet he talks like Shakespeare-I know this was written in the 1890s but surely children didn’t speak with “thy” and “thou art”? For me, he was just an unlike able character. Additionally, Baloo is the opposite to in the film-he is serious and Mowgli does not like him!

I did enjoy the story and can understand why it is so famous but I was a little disappointed; I feel I must give it the benefit of the doubt as I will always compare this to the film.

Nice introduction to the classic stories. This one is obviously abridged heavily. I enjoyed the colorful illustrations. The little asides about India and animals reminded me of a textbook. Using this one for a children's book club, so I'll add their assessment later.

This was cooler than I expected it to be. I really enjoyed all of the stories.

As I grew up watching the Disney version of the Jungle Book, I couldn't help but compare the movie with the book while I read. As I expected, they are very different as far as the overall moral to the story, but Disney actually stayed true to many of the finer details of each character. In the book, I was surprised to find that Mowgli has more interaction with the man village than just as a babe and toward the end (of the movie) where he decides to stay among them. In fact, I found the writing to be more of a commentary on the interaction of man and beast and the need for respect between the two. This book could easily be dissected and interpreted into many themes, symbols, and the like, but it can also be read for pure entertainment. Very much enjoyed this one!

I admit this is not the edition I read, but couldn't find it on the site without the bar code. The one I read also had other short stories by Kipling. (Most likely the Just So Stories.) Those were even more interpretable, and I did not enjoy them nearly as much as the main feature.

This is my first time reading The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling in its entirety. As expected in a collection of short stories, some resonate more with me than others. The stories take me on a trip down memory lane through the reading I did in my own childhood and through the special moments I cherish of reading with my children. I hope the legacy continues as stories are shared generation to generation.

Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2020/05/the-jungle-book.html

The Jungle Book
Ruyard Kipling

The difference between this and the Disney retelling was very interesting. I liked the Jungle Book, but was “meh” with the other fables. I probably should have learned more lessons or morals from them……but I didn’t.

4/5