Just So Stories

Following the initial success of The Jungle Book, Rudyard Kipling published the collection of parables Just So Stories. He first entertained his own children with these delightful and humorous tales before deciding to write them down for publication. The stories are written in the form of what came to be also known as pourqoui (French for “why”) stories, each explaining how and why things came to be as they are.

From “How the Camel Got His Hump” to the classic “How the Whale Got His Throat,” Kipling masterfully tells these origin stories, describing how each of these animals developed their distinct characteristics. This classic collection also includes stories featuring other subjects such as the beginnings of the alphabet and the first letter. Kipling spins anecdotes which envisioned intriguing animals and exotic jungles that still resonate with readers today.

This volume also features thirteen full-color illustrations and more than thirty black-and-white illustrations by J. M. Gleeson and Paul Bransom, as well as several images created by Kipling himself. With their entertaining characters and well-executed narrative arcs, these tales are perfect for readers both young and old—to read separately and, more importantly, together.