Synopsis

Ruskin Bond, the master storyteller, is at his inventive best when spinning out yarns for children. For over four decades, the author has conjured up an enchanting literary landscape in which children play an integral role. This collection brings together thirty-seven of his finest stories for children, including some that have never been published in India before.

The themes of the stories are refreshingly simple: the close bond between a young boy and his grandmother and their long trek to buy a new pair of reading glasses in ‘A Long Walk with Granny’; a bicycle ride which becomes a nightmare for a young boy when he encounters the strange duo of a brother and a sister on a lonely road in ‘The Haunted Bicycle’; the hilarious adventures of a family travelling on a train with their unusual pets: a tiger, a squirrel, a parrot, and a whimsical python, in ‘Animals on the Track’. A rich cast of characters exert their magical spell, whether it is uncle Ken, who flits from job to job, living off his doting sisters with great aplomb; or Miss Mackenzie, whose love for flowers becomes a common link between her and a young schoolboy; or Toto, the little frisky monkey, whose exploits make for delightful reading.

With a personal, nostalgic introduction by the author and some superb illustrations, this edition is certain to become a collector’s item.