The Jungle Book (Looking Glass Library) [Hardcover]

Rudyard Kipling (Author), Neil Gaiman (Introduction)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 24, 2012 | Series: Looking Glass Library

Imagine growing up among wolves, being friends with a panther and a bear, and hunting the most fearsome animal in the wild—the man-killing tiger Shere Khan. Rudyard Kipling portrays the exciting and adventurous jungle upbringing of Mowgli in this timeless classic. Still amazingly contemporary even though it was written more than 100 years ago, the pacing, language, and characters will keep readers young and old turning the pages, and then begging for more.

Originally published in two volumes, this edition collects all the Mowgli stories and adds the very popular Rikki-Tikki-Tavi and Toomai of the Elephants. This edition will feature an introduction by Newbery-award winner Neil Gaiman.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-8?The law of the jungle?intense competition for one's niche?seems to apply to The Jungle Book, judging from the numerous editions jostling on the bookseller's shelf. The centenary of publication is the justification given for this avatar: but fortunately, it needs no excuse. All the Mowgli stories, and the perennial "Rikki-tikki-tavi," appear to glorious advantage in a handsome format. A manageable size, creamy paper, a clear typeface, and generous margins are as inviting as the 17 masterly full-page watercolors. They are beautifully composed, balanced but not static, freely handled but without any loss of clarity. Mowgli and the animals are characterized rather than idealized. Color and texture are subtle but lush. These contrasts perfectly complement the tension between order and "the jungle" evoked in Kipling's text. If survival of the fittest indeed applies to publishing, this edition should have a long life.?Patricia (Dooley) Lothrop Green, St. George's School, Newport, RI
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Gr. 4^-7. In 18 rich watercolor paintings, Pinkney captures the sheer drama of the eight Mowgli stories and of the well-loved "Rikki-tikki-tavi." A handsome volume for collections of classic tales. Sally Estes --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers; Elibron Classics series edition (January 24, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0375869611
• ISBN-13: 978-0375869617
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 1.1 x 7.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (105 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #536,368 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

65 of 67 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Edition of a Classic, April 11, 2008

By 

Maria (APO, United Arab Emirates) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Jungle Book (Sterling Classics) (Hardcover)

This unabridged edition includes both Jungle Book and Jungle Book 2. The stories are a wonderful length for read alouds. The Jungle Book is, of course, a classic and not in need of a review; however, if your only exposure to the Jungle Book is Disney, please give this a try. I wanted to commend Sterling Publishers on making a quality, affordable edition of this and other classics. The paper quality was nice, not thin or translucent. The font is also pleasant--not to small or cramped. I know this may seem faint praise, but so many classics collections are very poorly executed. The price is also very agreeable--only slightly more than a paperback.

134 of 148 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Real Thing, January 27, 2008

By 

Chris J. Sexton (Fillmore, California USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Jungle Book (Hardcover)

My favorite books from childhood have always been Milne's "The World of Pooh" and Kipling's "The Jungle Book". Over the years I have purchased many copies of each as presents. Both can be difficult to find in versions unaltered from the original. I have found this to be particularly true in the case of The Jungle Book. Some folks just don't seem to get that Kipling had a pretty good handle on what he was doing. One does not tamper with a Masterpiece.

This version is the real thing. It reads word for word the same as the tattered, 40-year-old copy that I first read when I was eight years old. Add illustrations by Robert Ingpen that faithfully capture the emotion of the story and you have a real winner. For those who appreciate The Jungle Book as it was BEFORE it was adulterated by Mr. Disney and friends, this is a very worthy effort.

31 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exceptionally Beautiful Reading, April 8, 2009

By 

R. Flores (Derwood, MD USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Jungle Book (Sterling Classics) (Hardcover)

I bought this book to read with my 9 year-old son. We have the Disney books and movies at home but since he is an avid reader and I love Rudyard Kipling I thought it was time to find him the real deal and this book is it. I like everything about it, the font type, the illustrations, and the writing is, well... Rudyard Kipling. Beautiful, rich, provocative language that unleashes a child's imagination. My son and I devoured it in a few nights and after we were done it led to a really deep discussion on the differences with the Disney's version. It was a welcomed reminder that we can understimate both our children's capacity to digest the classics and their appeal to them.