The stories of the man-cub Mowgli's boyhood in the jungle have an imaginative power that has appealed to generations of children and adults.

Brought up by wolves among the unforgettable characters of the jungle, Bagheera the black panther, and Baloo the bear who teaches him the law of the jungle, Mowgli grows up to become the Master of the Jungle. He can spaek the jungle languages and understand their complex social structure, from the bees' nets to the monkey folk and the ferocity of the tiger Shere Khan.

Ranging in tone from the simple herosim of 'Rikki-tikki-tavi' to the dark comedy of 'The Undertakers' and the poignancy of Mowgli's return to his own kind in 'The Spring Running', the stories in The Jungle Books are rich in vivid description and superb characterization. They are among the finest work of a master storyteller.