Great Stories For Children

by Ruskin Bond

“Great Stories For Children” by Ruskin Bond. Published by Rupa Publications. A delightful collection of nineteen charming tales by the master storyteller from the hills of Mussoorie.

The stories feature a wide variety of characters from school going village children to animals in the forest to friendly ghosts cropping up. While some are fictional, others are from Ruskin’s own childhood days in Dehradun at his maternal grandparents place or from his adulthood in Mussoorie. Some stories are popular ones of his like the cherry tree and monkey trouble.

The book transports us to the beautiful places in the hills where the stories are set. The quaint places and the characters are heartwarming. While some stories are outright hilarious, there are some which are spooky to a small degree. The ghosts of a bygone era of the British who lived in the hill stations of Garhwal are featured in a couple of stories. For them, time has stood still. The stories give a glimpse of life in the hills and the beauty of the terrain.

My eight year old is a huge fan of Ruskin Bond now and goes looking for his books in the school library. His memoirs have been read in a loop countless times. He came excitedly from school last week saying that he had got his first book issued by himself from the school library.

And it turned out to be this book. He loves the writing style and settings of Mr Bond’s stories. To me it seems like a strong bond has been forged between the master storyteller and this little reader. He loved monkey trouble and the python stories the most in this collection. Both are related to  Ruskin’s grandfather having an unusual collection of pets which cause some kind of mayhem or the other around them.

Recommended Age

The book is apt for anyone aged 7/8 and above.

Reasons to Read

For a charming collection of stories from the master storyteller giving a glimpse of the idyllic life in the hills and forests of Garhwal.