Thank you to the effort of those who are behind the publication of this graphic novel of The Jungle Book because through this, I've finally got to read this awesome classic book. Before, I thought that the story of The Jungle Book is only about the boy who grew up in the jungle; instead, it is a compilation of short stories. Aside from the first story, which is the well-known tale of the jungle boy, Mowgli, there are several stories that I like in this book: the story of mongoose Rikki-Tikki-Tavi, and The White Seal.

If you loved The Jungle Book growing up you'll really love this manga classic. It separates the stories and goes deeper than the disney movie. It's a real treat and I will be buying copies for my nephews!

I love the Manga Classics line from Udon! And the teens in my library love them as well! The adaptation of the Jungle Book seems to be pretty faithful and though I was unfamiliar with some of the other stories adapted here, they flowed well and the art matched the story perfectly.

This was my first Manga, and I wasn’t sure how I would feel about it. To be honest, I’m not a big fan of this style of reading. I found the pictures distracting, the different-sized fonts unappealing, and some of the sketches were a bit too dramatic. This might be my last graphic novel, but that’s not to say others wouldn’t enjoy the book.

For one who hasn’t read the original The Jungle Book, I was a bit shocked that a good portion of the book did not focus on Mowgli, but on other animals. I wasn’t a big fan of this, but that was probably because my expectations were set a certain level and I was disappointed.

Overall, there’s really not much to say, except that I wasn’t a fan of this read. However, it was more of the style than anything else, and I feel fans of Manga and/or comic books would enjoy this.

The Jungle Book isn't my favourite book ever, but I like this Manga Classics collection and thought I'd give this one a try, too. This one was quite different from the others I've read, containing seven different "books" - three of which made up The Jungle Book story itself. The other tales were of a white seal trying to save his friends from the murderous men, a mongoose protecting his new family from snakes, a young boy who witnessed the dance of the elephants that no man has ever seen before, and finally a man and the parade of animals serving.

Four of these books I had never heard of before, so they were interesting to read. They all contained little poems like those in The Jungle Book, meaning they all fit together well as a collection. 

The art was different to what I expected; it often took a comedic, exaggerated look. It wasn't the best art I've seen in a novel like this, but it expressed the story well enough. I did, however, notice a few typos throughout the novel.

Not a bad novel, but I can't say I'm overly amazed by it. I'd give 2.5 or maybe 3 stars at a push.

I've never actually read the Jungle Book though I knew a little bit about it. I apparently knew less than I thought I did. The stories were short but interesting. Some were more interesting than others but each was unique. All were about animals and their relationships with humans, good and bad. An interesting addition to the classics series. I can't wait for my nieces and nephews to be slightly older so I can start to get them hooked on the classics with these.

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.

The Jungle Book has 7 different stories in it. The first is “Mowgli’s Brothers,” which is about Mowgli, who grew up with wolves. The next is “Kaa’s Hunting,” and it is about how Mowgli used what he learned from Baloo and Bagheera to defeat the snake, Kaa. In “Tiger! Tiger!” Mowgli moves to a human village and he has to kill Shere Khan, the tiger, to prove his worth. The next 4 stories aren’t about Mowgli. “The White Seal” is about a unique white seal who looks for a safe island for the seals, away from human hunters. “Rikki-Tikki-Ravi” is about a mongoose who saves his human family repeatedly from cobras. “Toomai of the Elephants” is a boy who has a deep connection with elephants. “Her Majesty’s Servants” is about animals in a military camp who question why they fight with each other.

I have never read the original Jungle Book, so I didn’t know what to expect from this graphic novel. I watched the Disney version when I was little, but I don’t remember all the details.

I was confused when the story drifted away from Mowgli. I thought he would be more prominent in the story. The final four stories which were about different animals were a little disjointed. They didn’t relate to each other or the previous stories about Mowgli.

The one common theme that I found throughout the stories was animals versus humans. In some of the stories the animals worked with humans and sometimes they were against them. It was an interesting relationship that changed over time.

I was disappointed in this story. The pictures were good, but the stories just weren’t for me.

An amazing manga adaptation of Rudyard Kipling's "The Jungle Book." Having only read a little of "The Jungle Book" I was really surprised to see many other different stories in the book! The last story left me utterly confused but it made me laugh nonetheless.
The artwork was beautiful & the artist perfectly illustrated every scene. I highly recommend for reluctant readers, children 10 & up, and for anyone who loves a good manga!

A wonderfully illustrated version of Kipling's classic. I am a huge fan of classic children's literature and I enjoyed reading this graphic novel. I would like to look for more in this series as the drawings make the characters leap off the page.

This is a good introduction to this story for those who feel unable to tackle to full-text version and I will recommend this to my students.

I never knew there is more than Mowgli in Jungle book. When I started this book for first few pages I thought author and publishers have fooled us by giving normal jungle tales with Jungle Book tag. But I was proved wrong. A wonderful read indeed. I follow manga like Naruto, One Piece, etc. So I really like this adaption.

I actually haven't read the original classic but I have watched the movie. I didn't know that there were so many little stories in this book, but I did enjoy reading it as it was in manga form.

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.

This book has been one of my favourite since my childhood and I am disappointed to say that I did not like the illustrations. The original illustrations of this book are too good to be altered.

I was so thrilled when I saw a new Manga Classics was out! I love this series and have read them all. Jungle Book excited me as 1) I've read the original and 2) these are short stories, something the series has not done before. The art is just as magnificent as on previous volumes and the author notes on adapting the original at the back are as illuminating as ever. This series stay as close to the originals as possible only adding artistic license where necessary to adapting a printed word novel to an illustrated manga format. The Jungle Book succeeds and presents a well-told version of the original seven stories: 4 featuring Mowgli and three others. The Mowgli stories aren't exactly chronological but they flow nicely told together and of the three stand-alone stories Rikki-Tikki-Tavi is my favourite as it is in the original. Be warned though that this (and others in the series) are sourced from the original material, not anything like its Disney counterpart. I don't think the short story format works as well in manga as it does in text so this is not my favourite of all the books (Great Expectations and Scarlet Letter probably are) but this is well done, nevertheless, and will encourage readers to pick up Kipling's classic if they have not already.

I grew up watching the animated Disney version of the The Jungle Book and just read the original book a few months ago. It was very different from the movie and actually includes several short stories about different characters. In my opinion, some of those stories were great, but as in most short story collections others were less impressive. This book is a wonderful adaptation of those original stories and stays true to their details. I truly enjoyed the same stories that I enjoyed in the original, and thought the others were well told in this format. The art added a great layer to the stories and represented the characters well.

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 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.

I don't know that I've every actually read the original book. Or, for that matter, seen the Disney movie. SO I can't speak directly to the translation here. I can say that it plays well as manga. Chan does a great job with facial expressions and body posture, conveying emotions regardless of the species. The storytelling is largely clear as is the progression of panels. If I have one complaint its that it's a bit on the wordy side. The seal story in particular is over-narrated.

From my Mountain Times (Boone, N.C.) monthly roundup:

A potboiler from Chicago, a translation of Sweden’s ‘best crime novel,’ a graphic adventure set in both India and India ink, and three from North Carolina (one for those over 21 and two for the kids) round out a fresh crop of books just in time for a break from your spring planting.

‘The Black Book’ by James Patterson and David Ellis

In a variation on the theme of a locked-room mystery, Bill Harney — a good Chicago cop who, like his twin sister, followed in the footsteps of their chief of detectives father — wakes up in the hospital following an apparent love triangle murder in which Harney is assumed both victim and culprit.

Working backward and forward through the novel, Patterson weaves an aggressive cast of characters while spinning his “can’t miss” brand of storytelling. Astute fans of both Patterson and the genre will figure out the whodunit, but the rest of us will keep turning the pages as fast as we can.

“The Black Book” (Little, Brown) is written for a modern audience that prizes visual, quick-paced storytelling: Patterson’s 418-page novel contains 109 chapters, most ending in a cliff-hanger designed to drive the reader forward. The style works and fans of Patterson won’t be disappointed in what the author says (in large, bold type on the book jacket) is “the best work I’ve done in twenty years.”

With 176 books to his credit (if a reviewer counted right on the author’s website), that’s a hard claim to dispute — but one made harder by the sheer force of this novel.

‘Quicksand’ by Malin Persson Giolito, translated from the Swedish by Rachel Willson-Broyles

“Quicksand” (Other Press) may be a novel originally written in Swedish, but it’s a story that will lose nothing in translation for a generation of readers who devoured sagas such as “Twilight” and stories such as “The Fault in our Stars.” Not that Malin Persson Giolito’s award-winning story (named 2016 Best Swedish Crime Novel by the Swedish Crime Writers Academy) contains vampires or (physically) sick teens — far from it. It’s that the 18-year-old narrator, Maja Norberg, is at the center of a mass shooting that has taken place at a prep school in Stockholm’s wealthiest suburb, and it’s her telling of the story that will appeal to both a pop audience and fans of a trial mystery.

With her boyfriend and best friend dead, Norberg opens the novel with her first day in court — on trail for her part in the crimes. Is she guilty? The story flows in and out of the courtroom to the bits and pieces of her life before the shootings that Norberg releases on the way to the novel’s denouement.

Readers looking for pure mystery may get bogged down in the teen angst, but the story is clever enough to keep you wanting to know just a little bit more — all the way to the end.

‘Still & Barrel: Craft Spirits in the Old North State’ by John Francis Trump

With the rise of speciality craft beers in the High Country and just about everywhere else in North Carolina, John Francis Trump’s nonfiction “Still & Barrel: Craft Spirits in the Old North State” (John F. Blair, Publisher) is treatise on North Carolina alcohol manipulation that hits the spot.

Trump’s work does a fine job of tracing legal spirits in North Carolina from its more extra-legal beginnings (without failing to mention Wilkes County’s once-upon-a-time dubbing as the moonshine capital of the world, including Junior Johnson’s role in the enterprise), but it must be admitted that that’s been done before.

What hasn’t been done before is the creative narrative Trump offers in bringing us from those days to the industry’s current artisan luster. The author profiles 36 North Carolinian distilleries, from moonshine to Caribbean-style rum, from the mountains to the coast. A generous use of original-period photographs throughout helps complete the journey.

'The Wise Animal Handbook' and 'Lucky to Live in North Carolina' by Kate B. Jerome

New this month from Arcadia Kids publishing are two from acclaimed children’s author Kate B. Jerome. Both books center on North Carolina, but the real magic is a refreshing use of art — whether it’s the eye-grabbing photos of “The Wise Animal Handbook” or the clever illustrations of “Lucky to Live in North Carolina” — coupled with Jerome’s “you haven’t read this before” poetry aimed at the young crowd.

That both books are “Read Together, Do Together” projects set in a sturdy large-format hardcover binding means that the $16.99 cover (steeply discounted by several booksellers) is worth the price of admission. These are books both you and your 4-year-old will treasure two decades hence.

'The Jungle Book' by Rudyard Kipling adapted by author Crystal S. Chan and illustrator Julien Choy

Stories of animals raising human children in the wild continue to fascinate us long after Rudyard Kipling’s “The Jungle Book” was first published in 1894. Although it was largely discredited less than a month ago, in an April 7 Washington Post news story, the idea that “amid a troop of monkeys in the Katraniaghat forest range in northern India roamed a naked human girl, playing with the primates as if she were one of them” captured our imaginations as the girl inevitably drew “comparisons to Rudyard Kipling’s Mowgli, a feral child from Seoni, India, featured as the prominent character in Kipling’s ‘The Jungle Book.’” And seemingly just as that story broke, we have a new version of “The Jungle Book,” wonderfully done in Manga by Udon Entertainment that published April 3.

Perhaps drawing on the inspiration of the “Great Illustrated Classics” series that, for a generation of tweens, were simply a lot more fun (and easier!) to read than the originals, Udon’s “The Jungle Book” is the most recent addition to its Manga Classics lineup (among other titles are “Sense and Sensibility,” “Great Expectations” and “Les Miserables”).

Done as Manga with superb graphics, clear instructions for those uninitiated to the format (back to front, right to left) and author explanatory notes on adapting the original, including its poems, Udon’s classics are just as much fun today as the Great Illustrated Classics were for those who grew up reading their comic novels via flashlight under the bed covers.