The Jungle Book
by Rudyard Kipling
Classics, Fiction, Fantasy, Adventure, Short-Stories, Animals
“There is no harm in a man’s cub.” Best known for the ‘Mowgli’ stories, Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book expertly interweaves myth, morals, adventure and powerful story-telling. Set in Central India, Mowgli is raised by a pack of wolves. Along the way he encounters memorable characters such as the foreboding tiger Shere Kahn, Bagheera the panther and Baloo the bear. Kipling’s fables remain as popular today as they ever were.
Recommendations from Common Sense Media
Age Recommendation: 8+
What Parents Need to Know:
Parents need to know that Rudyard Kipling’s book of short stories The Jungle Book is far less whimsical (and musical) than Disney’s classic animated film, and it includes stories with different central characters besides Mowgli, the “mancub” raised by wolves and befriended by Baloo the bear. However, in part because of the charming movie, Mowgli’s stories are probably the best loved and best known pieces in the collection. These wonderful stories, which alternate with lyrical poems about the characters, depict a complex and sometimes dangerous natural world in which creatures must respect the “ways of the jungle” in order to coexist. Creatures hunt and kill each other in suspenseful scenes, but almost all violent acts happen “offscreen.” In one scene, Mowgli uses his wits to trick an adversary into being killed by a stampeding herd of cattle; the animal’s death is not shown, but Mowgli is later described skinning the animal. In general, animals talk about killing others for food. The Jungle Book has been made into a number of film and TV versions, and a sequel to the book, The Second Jungle Book, contains more stories about Mowgli and other jungle creatures.
Educational Value: 3/5
In itself, The Jungle Book is a classic work of literature, a point of reference for subsequent works that personify animals. This book also encourages readers to see the natural world from different points of view and gain an understanding of the intricate relationship between animal populations that share the same environment.
Positive Messages: 3/5
The Jungle Book features a few different protagonists, but all of the stories show the importance of respect for the natural world, and the ways that creatures large and small (even children like Mowgli) can gain respect and success by using their own intelligence and understanding.
Positive Role Models: 3/5
Young characters learn a lot from mature ones in this book. Mowgli, especially, has a strong role model in Akela the wolf, who teaches through leadership and dignity. Baloo the bear and Bagheera the panther also protect Mowgli and teach him the ways of the Jungle animals. In his story, Rikki Tikki Tavi, the brave mongoose, uses intelligence and ruthlessness to best his enemy and protect his family.
Violence & Scariness: 2/5
There’s certainly violence in these stories, but most of it takes place “offscreen,” such as when Rikki Tikki Tavi disappears into a hole, where he apparently kills a cobra, and then emerges victorious; or when Shere Khan is duped by Mowgli, but he’s hidden all the while by a herd of cattle. The most overt violence is when Mowgli skins a dead animal, and he “slashed and tore and grunted for an hour.” Animals in the stories often talk about killing other animals for food.
Sex, Romance & Nudity: n/a
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Language: n/a
Animals insult each other in animal terms — a snake is offended by monkeys that call him an “earthworm,” for example — but there’s no cursing.
Products & Purchases: n/a
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Drinking, Drugs & Smoking: 1/5
Humans smoke a Hookah (water pipe) in one of the Mowgli stories.
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