Just So Stories for Little Children

The "Just So Stories for Little Children" is among Kipling's best known and loved work. The stories focus on different animals, and how they got their distinctive features. You will for example discover why the elephant's trunk is so very long, and how the leopard got its spots. Written originally for his own daughter, the author's pleasure in playing with the sounds and meanings of words is very evident, and adds to the adults' enjoyment of these children stories. This playfulness is also dramatically present in the plotting. For both reasons, these stories have been loved by generations of children and adults alike, and they are best enjoyed when read aloud.