The Jungle Book

I don't think I have actually read the original book by Rudyard Kipling, but I have seen quite a few of the movie and/or cartoon adaptations and therefore I have always thought that The Jungle Book is only about the man-cub Mowgli who was raised by wolves somewhere in India. But it would seem that I have been living a lie, because that's not the case! Some of the short stories are about the famous boy named Mowgli, but some stories are about different creatures altogether. For example, there's a story about a white seal looking for a peaceful home, there's a story about a mongoose, there's a story about elephants and then there's a story about different animals who are ordered to do as humans wish them to.

Every short story ends with a poem about the story itself, some of them are a bit shorter and some of them a bit longer, and as I understand, that these are something kind of directly taken from the original work. Unfortunately for Kipling, the poems were my least favourite parts even though the people working on this adaptation have done a marvelous job of combining the poems with the stories.

Although I cannot say that the illustrations are as gorgeous as they have been in the other manga adaptations I've read, they're still really nice and I liked them a lot. It's just it's somehow a lot easier to say gorgeous about pictures about people or subjects that I'm more familiar with (e.g. clothes and buildings) than it is about bears or seals for example. It is very easy to distinguish between the animals and I liked the mix of cartoon and real-life style going on. All of the wolves have different faces and looks and all of the animals have been drawn in a way that it's easy to tell whether they're more of the good, bad or just plain nuts kinds of characters.

I am not used to Manga, so it took some getting used to. Once I broke my habitual reading format it became far more enjoyable to read. the art was a lot of fun and made the story easier to absorb. I think my 7 year old daughter would enjoy this version over the purely text copy I have.

A set of classic tales are brought to life in this amazing book. Fantastic artwork brings the characters alive and immerses you in these stories. And for me, told me stories I've never heard before.

I highly recommend this manga/book. Yeah, I said it from the start. This version of The Jungle Book hearkens back to the originals which don't focus on just Mawgli. You have a heroic mongoose, animals that are used both for burden and war and so on. Yet each story has your attention from beginning to end thanks to great writing and breathtaking art/visuals. When you read about the effort put into this project at the back of the book, you see why. Everyone on this team wanted to create a new way for young readers to be introduced to Rudyard Kipling's original work but in a new style for the younger generation. I never read the original stories and only saw about three versions of the movie (including 2016's masterpiece in visual effects). Just remember that as a manga you have to read from left to right, therefore starting from where most of us would consider the back of the book. I got a free e-copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A great reading and a beautiful manga version to look at!

The Jungle Book is a collection of stories about Mowgli, the boy raised by animals in the Indian jungle and the stories of several animals in their own unique adventures.

I’ve read the original stories many years ago and it was refreshing to go through them again in such a light way. The drawings are magical and the original stories didn’t lose any of their charms or sense. Being a fan of the Disney version of the novel, I could almost hear the songs in my head as the respective characters came to play, such as Mowgli and the elephants.

On the contrary of the other manga classics published so far, this graphic novel can also be read to children. The language is easy to understand and the illustrations are very appealing and pleasant to look at.

A delight to read, this manga version is a treat!

I liked how this manga presentation of The Jungle Book actually followed the real stories from the original book, including not just the story of Mowgli, but also Rikki-Tiki-Tavi, The White Seal, Toumai of the Elephants, and others. I wish they would make another one for Jungle Book 2 with even more stories!

The artwork is so beautiful, and really brings the characters to life! I loved seeing the facial expressions of Mowgli and Rikki-Tikki and the others, showing their fierce jungle spirit. The action was easy to follow, since each panel shows what is going on very clearly. Really well put-together and beautiful art!

Jungle Book has always been one of my favorite classics, so I came into this with some high expectations, and I was not disappointed! It can be difficult to organize a classic into a graphic medium, but the story flows along wonderfully with some of the original dialogue and poetry from the original book.
I really enjoyed revisiting this classic in graphic novel form!

Disclaimer: I received an ecopy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.

I received a copy of this from the Publisher, through Netgalley.
There isn’t much I can say about the story, seeing as how practically the world (and certainly my negligible readership) would have become acquainted with Mowgli, Bagheera and the rest of the cast of characters through TV shows and multiple movies, not to mention of course the Rudyard Kipling classic.
This is a Manga edition, meaning it needed to be read from back to front, from right to left.
It took a little getting used to, but a few minutes in, the flow felt very natural to me, and I was finaly able to focus on the gorgeous artwork and the poetic dialogue.
Right from the wolves adopting Mowgli to the fiery ending, it is a familiar tale told through an exciting format.
The review copy had low resolution images, so I can only wonder how stunning the final artwork must be.
Now the comics medium is tricky, seeing as how the writer as only a few words per panel to nudge the story along.
In this book, the writer so very cleverly manages to imbue each character with a unique voice.
In a nutshell, a delightful read and highly recommended, even to the most jaded of Jungle Book Fans.

This is a fun, new, and interesting way to read the classics. I really enjoyed seeing the story laid out in pictures. If you love the classics or even if you have a difficult time getting into them, then I highly recommend giving these a try! They are a lot of fun.

Manga Classics bring to life classics tales for adult and children alike Unlike, the Disney movies of the same name, The Jungle Book contains more stories than just Mowgli's and this manga delves into those.
The Jungle Book contains seven stories (three of which are about Mowgli) about the animals and inhabitants of India based on Rudyard Kipling's experiences there as both a young child and an adult. The collection of stories includes Rikki-Tikki-Tavi, The White Seal and other stories intermingling humans and animals.
I enjoyed this manga as I was inly familiar with two of the Mowgli stories and Rikki-Tikki-Tavi. So I enjoyed reading the rest of the stories including the poetry Kipling wrote with each story. I also liked the art except for their idea of a mongoose; it was too cat like for my taste.
This manga is a great way to introduce Kipling to a new generation.

Rudyard Kipling’s classic, The Jungle Book, is presented to a new generation of readers in the new Manga version.

The Jungle Book is actually a collection of stories that includes six books: the three tales with the main character of Mowgli, (Little Frog), “The White Seal,” “Rikki-Tikki-Tavi,” “Toomai of the Elephants,” and “Her Majesty’s Servants.” Readers will probably know the Jungle Book best from the Disney movie of the same name. However, the Disney version was edited and some characters were changed a bit. In the Manga version, we get the real stories as Kipling originally wrote them. These include the poems that were included after each story in the original version. The writers who adapted this book have included those. Obviously, for purposes of adaptation into a visual format, some story elements were modified to fit that format, but it works quite well.

The first three books are: “Mowgli’s Brothers,” “Kaa’s Hunting,” and “Tiger! Tiger!” These tales follow Mowgli as he grows up from an infant among wolves, to a young man among humankind. The characters of Baloo, the bear, and Bagheera, the black panther accompany him as sort of advisors or tutors. Baloo is drawn as a sloth bear, which is the species native to that area. No one knows for sure what species Kipling intended as his story just called the character a bear. Manga is a visual format, so the characters have to show emotions, and actions have to be inferred by the reader from the drawings. The artists who made this adaptation did a good job conveying the story in this very visual format. The Mowgli stories are already familiar to many readers because they have been adapted many times.

In “The White Seal,” we meet a young seal named Kotick. Kotick sees humans hunting seals and vows to find a place where seals will be safe from human hunters. His long journey to find this place makes up this story. The seals are very attractive and cute. The other characters include manatees, birds, sharks and more. Kotick is a determined and brave seal and his story should appeal to many readers.

Rikki-Tikki-Tavi is a mongoose. This tale is set in India in the 19th century. The antagonist in this story is a snake called Nag, a cobra. Nag and Nagaina, his wife, have a nest of eggs they want to protect. But, they are also a threat to the human family that has taken in the little mongoose. How will the mongoose protect them?

Toomai of the Elephants is the story of a young boy whose father is a mahout, or elephant keeper. It takes place in India, probably around the same time period as the other stories. Toomai gains the respect of the elephants and the other mahouts when he witnesses a rare event.

Her Majesty’s Servants takes place in 19th century India. The story tells of the mules, camels, horses, and other animals used by the military at that times. The animals compare their tasks and talk amongst themselves about their roles.

This book is quite entertaining and was well adapted from the original. The illustrations are top-notch and readers will enjoy the visual format. This book would be perfect for teachers who want to introduce their students to classic literature in a fun way.

I thank NetGalley and the publisher for the advance reader copy I received in exchange for my honest review.

The Jungle Book is a collection of short stories by Rudyard Kipling. The six stories that the manga adapts include Mowgli’s Brothers, Kaa’s Hunting, Tiger! Tiger!, The White Seal, Rikki-Tikki-Tavi, Toomai of the Elephants, and Her Majesty’s Service.

This is the first time I’ve read The Jungle Book in any form, with my only introduction to the series being the popular Disney animated film and the recent live-action movie. Heading into the manga, I had no idea the story would be broken down into smaller chapters involving characters I had never heard of.

Reading through the different stories helped me to appreciate the fables and the lessons they contained. My favourite story is Mowgli’s Brothers because it’s the one I’m most familiar with and it offers an alternative take on characters I know from other versions of the tale.

I also like Toomai of the Elephants and the White Seal. Both of these stories are completely new to me but enhance the world of The Jungle Book and the rich characters that inhabit it.

The illustrations in the Manga Classics adaptation of The Jungle Book bring the story to life in a whole new way. The combined beauty and danger of the jungle have never been portrayed as beautifully as they are in the landscapes captured within the panels of this graphic novel.

I liked this version of The Jungle Book. The illustrations fit the adventure perfectly, capturing the wild nature of the setting and its characters. Unlike The Count of Monte Cristo, I’ve never read the original story but this adaptation makes me want to go back to experience it in its first form.

Thanks to NetGalley and UDON Entertainment for the opportunity to read and review Manga Classics! Manga Classics include Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, which is true to the original classic with added cliffhangers to keep manga readers interested and eye-catching illustrations. After the story ends, the details of adaptation from classic literature to manga lets us see into the transformation. Each story in this collection follows these same guidelines! Impressive artwork and transformation!
Manga Classics also include The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling, Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne (the only color is the scarlet letter A, which makes striking illustrations!), Les Miserables by Victor Hugo, The Stories of Edgar Allan Poe: The Tell-Tale Heart, The Raven. The Cask of Amontillado, The Masque of the Red death and The Fall of the House of Usher; Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen, Great Expectations by Charles Dickens and many more!
5 stars for books that make classics accessible and understandable to every reader!

This is the second Manga book I have read as well as the second on based on a classic novel. I have to give credit to Udon Publishing and the artists of these books because I think they are excellent.
The Jungle Book storyline is true to the original by Rudyard Kipling and does a gorgeous job of depicting the short stories visually. I especially like the representations of all the animals which bring them alive.
The stories even come with the poems, which I never was a huge fan of. But, here again, I have to give credit that the publisher/artist adhered to the classic novel.
Thank you NetGalley and publisher, Udon Publishing, for the opportunity to read this ARC.

It has been many years since I read this and while I will pick up the novel again at some point it was enjoyable to refresh myself on the main points of the story through this Manga adaptation. I’m always thrilled and astounded how close Manga classics are to the original books, not only capturing the story but many of the main themes too. This was charming.

Excerpt from Review: "...I had never before realized that the tale of Mowgli was not the only story to be found in The Jungle Book, nor did I realize that Kipling had incorporated poetry into his tales as well. What a talented author. Each of the stories has a message for the young – that you should praise your differences for they are what make you great, that you should believe in yourself, that loyalty is something to be honored, that size does not always matter. I liked the stories and the art that accompanied them, featuring some classic manga just right for children’s tales. Manga Classics does it again with their rendition of The Jungle Book, a great way for me and anyone else who hasn’t yet had the opportunity to experience this classic."

What a great way to turn today’s kids onto classic literature! I’m going to add this to my classroom library. Thank you NetGalley!