An image of a selection of classic children's books on a dark blue background with a lighter blue shape that has spots inside of it.

Article-Card-Which-Classic-Should-You-Read-Update

Children's quizzes

Quiz: Which classic children’s book should you read next?

From Jane Austen's Chawton to Bram Stoker's Whitby, this is the definitive literary tour of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Literary-map-UK-main-image.jpg

Features

A literary tour of the United Kingdom

A photo of the book The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling on a light peach background surrounded by cacti and plants

Article-Card-The-Jungle-Book-Extract-Update.jpg

Extracts

The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling

Best Rudyard Kipling Books | Novels & Short Stories

Vintage-reading-list-kipling-apc.jpg

Reading lists

3 of the best Rudyard Kipling books

Just So Stories

Puffin Classics: the definitive collection of timeless stories, for every child 
Rediscover the Puffin Classics collection and bring the best-loved classics to a new generation - including this charming edition of Just So Stories 
 
The delightful tales of whales and cats and kangaroos and crabs - everything from how the camel got in a humph (and got his hump!) to how the alphabet was invented. Enchanting and funny, these fantastical stories continue to delight each and every generation. 
 
With an inspiring introduction by Jonathan Stroud, author of the 'Bartimaeus' trilogy, and including fun-filled endnotes.

Joseph Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936) was born in India, although educated in England. He was a prolific writer and recognized as a genius. In 1907 he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. His many books for children include The Jungle Book and Kim.

Rediscover the Puffin Classics collection and bring the best-loved classics to a new generation - including this charming edition of Just So Stories 
 
The delightful tales of whales and cats and kangaroos and crabs - everything from how the camel got in a humph (and got his hump!) to how the alphabet was invented. Enchanting and funny, these fantastical stories continue to delight each and every generation. 
 
With an inspiring introduction by Jonathan Stroud, author of the 'Bartimaeus' trilogy, and including fun-filled endnotes.

A timeless collection of 21 tales for all ages

BBC Classics Children’s Library

An irresistible anthology of folklore, fables and perennial favourites, including four novels and 17 short stories 
 
This superlative collection of children's stories brings together a feast of fantastic fiction, read in full by a host of top narrators and with a comprehensive track listing for ease of listening. Comprising everything from fairytales for little ones to thrilling adventures for pre-teens, these unabridged readings are ideal for families to keep, treasure and dip into as their children grow. 
 
Listed by suggested age range and with track numbers provided, the stories are as follows: 
 
Ages 4+ 
1-12 Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll (read by Carolyn Pickles) 
13 Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter (read by Jonny Holden) 
14 The Elves and the Shoemaker by the Brothers Grimm (read by Sam Dale) 
15 Too Clever By Half by E Nesbit (read by Helen Capp) 
16 Tom Thumb by the Brothers Grimm (read by Shaun Mason) 
 
Ages 7+ 
17-25 The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame (read by Michael Bertenshaw) 
26 How the Camel Got His Hump by Rudyard Kipling (read by Kenny Blyth) 
27 The Emperor's New Clothes by Hans Christian Andersen (read by Shaun Mason) 
28 The Raspberry Worm by Zacharias Topelius (read by Debbie Korley) 
29 The Tongue Cut Sparrow by Yei Theodora Ozaki (read by Sean Baker) 
30 The Elephant's Child by Rudyard Kipling (read by Tony Turner) 
31 The Magic Bed by Hartwell James (read by Chris Pavlo) 
32 How the Rhinoceros Got His Skin by Rudyard Kipling (read by Tony Turner) 
33 The Tortoise and the Rain by MI Ogumefu (read by Kenny Blyth) 
34 The Baba Yaga by Katharine Pyle (read by Susan Jameson) 
 
Ages 9+ 
35-41 The Call of the Wild by Jack London (read by Joseph Ayre) 
42 Finn and the Scottish Giant by Harold F Hughes (read by Paul Hickey) 
43 The Children's Joke by Louisa May Alcott (read by Catherine Cusack) 
44 The Ants and the Treasure by MI Ogumefu (read by Kenny Blyth) 
45 The Happy Prince by Oscar Wilde (read by Tony Turner) 
46-59 The Railway Children by E Nesbit (read by Sarah Ovens) 
 
Production credits 
First broadcast on BBC Sounds, 21 December 2018-1 November 2019 
 
Produced by Simon Richardson (Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, The Tortoise and the Rain, The Elephant's Child, The Ants and the Treasure, How the Rhinoceros Got His Skin, How the Camel Got His Hump, The Elves and the Shoemaker, The Happy Prince), Karen Holden (The Wind in the Willows), Martha Littlehailes (The Call of the Wild), Anne Bunting (The Railway Children), Anne Isger (Too Clever By Half, The Tongue Cut Sparrow, The Emperor's New Clothes, The Children's Joke, Finn and the Scottish Giant) and Mabel Wright (Tom Thumb, The Raspberry Worm, The Magic Bed, The Baba Yaga, Peter Rabbit) 
The Raspberry Worm edited by Andrew Lang 
 
 
© 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (p) 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

A BBC Radio full-cast reimagining of the classic story

The Jungle Book

Rudyard Kipling's timeless story re-imagined as a gangland coming-of-age fable 
 
In this radical radio reboot, Kipling's family classic is given a darker twist and reimagined in the concrete jungle of present-day India. 
 
Born in a tenement block in Mumbai, orphan boy Mowgli is brought up by the Wolves, a gang of tough, streetwise petty criminals, and quickly learns how to survive in that world. But when the villainous politician Tiger Khan threatens his life, two residents of the block, the 'black panther' Bagheera and the 'bear' Baloo, offer to help him escape. 
 
Leaving behind the only home he's ever known, Mowgli embarks on a journey of self-discovery through the city, meeting 'creatures' along the way who don't always have his best interests at heart... 
 
Dramatised by Ayeesha Menon, whose radio version of Midnight's Children won Best Adaptation at the 2018 Audio Drama Awards, this stunning audio retelling features Namit Das (A Suitable Boy) as Mo, with Bollywood stars Rajit Kapur and Shernaz Patel as Tiger Khan and Mrs Gupta. 
 
Written and directed by Ayeesha Menon 
Based on the novel by Rudyard Kipling 
Produced by Nadir Khan 
Executive producer: John Scott Dryden 
Music by Sacha Puttnam 
Recorded in India 
A Goldhawk Production 
 
Cast 
Mo/Adult Mo - Namit Das 
Tiger Khan - Rajit Kapur 
Mrs Gupta - Shernaz Patel 
Mr Gupta - Zafar Karachiwala 
Bugs - Sukant Goel 
Yuva - Abir Abrar 
Kala/Adult Kala - Shikha Talsania 
Rikita - Devika Shahani 
Father Carvalho - Sohrab Ardeshir 
Young Kala/ Rani - Preetika Chawla 
Young Mo - Omkar Kulkarni 
Dimple - Trisha Kale 
Bobby - Alka Sharma 
Varun/Boy - Ajitesh Gupta 
Amma - Prerna Chawla 
Raksha - hivani Tanksale 
Rafiq/Naag - Tavish Bhattacharyya 
Baldeo/Tabaqui/Purun Bhagat - Vivek Madan 
Akhil - Nadir Khan 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 28 February-6 March 2021 
 
© 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd 
(p) 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Rudyard Kipling's timeless story re-imagined as a gangland coming-of-age fable 
 
In this radical radio reboot, Kipling's family classic is given a darker twist and reimagined in the concrete jungle of present-day India. 
 
Born in a tenement block in Mumbai, orphan boy Mowgli is brought up by the Wolves, a gang of tough, streetwise petty criminals, and quickly learns how to survive in that world. But when the villainous politician Tiger Khan threatens his life, two residents of the block, the 'black panther' Bagheera and the 'bear' Baloo, offer to help him escape. 
 
Leaving behind the only home he's ever known, Mowgli embarks on a journey of self-discovery through the city, meeting 'creatures' along the way who don't always have his best interests at heart... 
 
Dramatised by Ayeesha Menon, whose radio version of Midnight's Children won Best Adaptation at the 2018 Audio Drama Awards, this stunning audio retelling features Namit Das (A Suitable Boy) as Mo, with Bollywood stars Rajit Kapur and Shernaz Patel as Tiger Khan and Mrs Gupta. 
 
Written and directed by Ayeesha Menon 
Based on the novel by Rudyard Kipling 
Produced by Nadir Khan 
Executive producer: John Scott Dryden 
Music by Sacha Puttnam 
Recorded in India 
A Goldhawk Production 
 
Cast 
Mo/Adult Mo - Namit Das 
Tiger Khan - Rajit Kapur 
Mrs Gupta - Shernaz Patel 
Mr Gupta - Zafar Karachiwala 
Bugs - Sukant Goel 
Yuva - Abir Abrar 
Kala/Adult Kala - Shikha Talsania 
Rikita - Devika Shahani 
Father Carvalho - Sohrab Ardeshir 
Young Kala/ Rani - Preetika Chawla 
Young Mo - Omkar Kulkarni 
Dimple - Trisha Kale 
Bobby - Alka Sharma 
Varun/Boy - Ajitesh Gupta 
Amma - Prerna Chawla 
Raksha - hivani Tanksale 
Rafiq/Naag - Tavish Bhattacharyya 
Baldeo/Tabaqui/Purun Bhagat - Vivek Madan 
Akhil - Nadir Khan 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 28 February-6 March 2021 
 
© 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd 
(p) 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

A BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation

The Man Who Would Be King

Kipling's chilling adventure about two men who set out to be kings of a remote region of Afghanistan

Kipling's chilling adventure about two men who set out to be kings of a remote region of Afghanistan. 
 
Kipling, our narrator, tells this strange story: he was running a newspaper in a big Indian city. In the hot stillness of one night when he was putting the paper to bed, two men come into his office. They are red-bearded giant Daniel Dravot and his friend Peachy Carnehan. These two "gentlemen at large" as they call themselves, lately of the British army, have put together an insane and dangerous plan: they want to be Kings of Kafiristan, a mountainous region of Afghanistan. 
 
Three years later, a crippled man in rags comes into Kipling's office. He is Peachy Carnehan, and he relates the chilling story of their adventure. 
 
A thrilling and haunting story about the folly and glory of imperial ambition, yet at its heart this is also a story of friendship. 
 
Cast 
Rudyard Kipling - Blake Ritson 
Daniel Dravot - Richard Ridings 
Peachey Carnehan - Samuel James 
Timuk - Peter Polycarpou 
Tribesmen - Joseph Ayre, Stephen Hogan, Ryan Early, Ryan Whittle 
Young woman/Bride - Lauren Cornelius 
Wounded man - John Lightbody 
 
Produced by Abigail le Fleming

V&A Collector's Edition

A classic story of friendship between man and beast. 
 
Saved from the jaws of the evil tiger Shere Khan, young Mowgli is adopted by a wolf pack and taught the law of the jungle by lovable old Baloo the bear and Bhageera the panther. The adventures of Rikki-Tikki-Tavi the snake-fighting mongoose, little Toomai and the elephant's secret dance, and Kotick the white seal are all part of Mowgli's extraordinary journey with his animal friends. 
 
This special Puffin Classics edition brings together two of the most inspirational collections at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London - the works of Arts and Crafts pioneer William Morris and the literature of Rudyard Kipling. 
 
Illustrator Liz Catchpole has selected patterns from the V&amp;A archive and introduced new artwork inspired by the collection to create a beautiful cover which brings Ruddyard Kipling's timeless story to life.

Joseph Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936) was born in India, although educated in England. He was a prolific writer and recognized as a genius. In 1907 he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. His many books for children includeJust So Stories and Kim.

A classic story of friendship between man and beast. 
 
Saved from the jaws of the evil tiger Shere Khan, young Mowgli is adopted by a wolf pack and taught the law of the jungle by lovable old Baloo the bear and Bhageera the panther. The adventures of Rikki-Tikki-Tavi the snake-fighting mongoose, little Toomai and the elephant's secret dance, and Kotick the white seal are all part of Mowgli's extraordinary journey with his animal friends.

Samuel West reads a selection of Just So Stories

Samuel West reads ten of Rudyard Kipling’s famous tales, as broadcast on BBC Radio 4.

Sam West's readings were superb ...He brought to mind Martin Jarvis doing Just William – and praise doesn't come any higher than that.

Rudyard Kipling (1865 – 1936) was an English short-story writer, poet, and novelist. He wrote tales and poems of British soldiers in India and stories for children. He was born in Bombay, in the Bombay Presidency of British India, and was taken by his family to England when he was five years old. 
 
Kipling's works of fiction include The Jungle Book (a collection of stories which includes "Rikki-Tikki-Tavi"), the Just So Stories (1902), 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 enduring classics of children's literature; and one critic described his work as exhibiting "a versatile and luminous narrative gift".

Samuel West reads ten of Rudyard Kipling’s famous tales, as broadcast on BBC Radio 4. 
 
How the Whale Got His Throat 
How the Leopard Got His Spots 
The Beginning of the Armadillos 
How the Rhinoceros Got His Skin 
The Cat That Walked By Himself 
How the Camel Got His Hump 
The Crab That Played With The Sea 
The Sing-Song of Old Man Kangaroo 
The Butterfly That Stamped 
The Elephant’s Child 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 as part of Just So Science, these charming tales are sure to delight listeners of all ages.

Rudyard Kipling

Rediscover the Puffin Classics collection and bring the best-loved classics to a new generation - including this bold edition of The Jungle Book. 
 
Saved from the jaws of the evil tiger Shere Khan, young Mowgli is adopted by a wolf pack and taught the law of the jungle by lovable old Baloo the bear and Bhageera the panther. The adventures of Rikki-Tikki-Tavi the snake-fighting mongoose, little Toomai and the elephant's secret dance, and Kotick the white seal are all part of Mowgli's extraordinary journey with his animal friends.

About us

About Us (Header 4)

Kate-Atkinson

James-Baldwin

Marian-Keyes

haruki-murakami-320×320-1

Richard-Osman

Malorie Blackman

Lisa-Jewell

Charlie-Mackesy

Authors (Header 3)

Children&#039;s

Company

Discover

Fiction

Non-fiction

Penguin Classics

Penguin Shop (Header 5)

Useful links

Work with us

prhuk-authors

Penguin Shop: 3 Clothbound Classics for £33

BBC Children's Classics

BBC Classics

Everyman's Children's Classics has more than 50 titles in print. It offers the finest editions currently available of the world's greatest children's books in handsome, full cloth hardcover bindings. 
 
The library brings back into print major illustrators such as Ivan Bilibin, Kate Greenaway, Arthur Rackham, Nicolas Bentley, Walter Crane, Aubrey Beardsley, Edward Ardizzone, W.Heath Robinson and Mervyn Peake.

Everyman's Library CHILDREN'S CLASSICS

The finest editions available of the world's greatest classics from Homer to Achebe, Tolstoy to Ishiguro, Proust to Pullman, printed on a fine acid-free, cream-wove paper that will not discolour with age, with sewn, full cloth bindings and silk ribbon markers, and at remarkably low prices. All books include substantial introductions by major scholars and contemporary writers, and comparative chronologies of literary and historical context.

Everyman's Library CLASSICS

Pocket clothbound volumes from the world's greatest poets, and with a stunning range of anthologies. Each volume has an elegant jacket, full cloth sewn binding, silk ribbon marker and headbands, with gold stamping on front and spine and decorative endpapers. In size, price and presentation they make ideal gifts and are a joy to read and collect. More than eighty titles in print.

Everyman's Library POCKET POETS

<a href="https://shop.penguin.co.uk/collections/book-bundles-clothbound-classics/?&amp;utm_source=Penguin.co.uk&amp;utm_medium=Banner&amp;utm_campaign=Penguin_Clothbound_Series_26_06" target="_blank">Buy 3 classics for £33 on the Penguin Shop</a>

Penguin Clothbound Classics

Penguin Little Black Classics

Puffin Classics

Puffin Clothbound Classics

<a href="https://shop.penguin.co.uk/collections/book-bundles-penguin-english-library/?&amp;utm_source=Penguin.co.uk&amp;utm_medium=Linked_text&amp;utm_campaign=Penguin_English_Library_Series_26_06">Choose 5 classics for £25 over on the Penguin Shop</a>

Rudyard Kipling

Books by Rudyard Kipling

Articles featuring Rudyard Kipling

Quiz: Which classic children’s book should you read next?

A literary tour of the United Kingdom

The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling

3 of the best Rudyard Kipling books

Follow penguin

Follow ladybird

Follow puffin

Sign up to the Penguin newsletter