Once upon a time, there was a little girl whose father didn’t make very much money. But she loved to read, so every single week her father, who preferred Publix, went to Winn Dixie and bought just enough that he could get that week’s hardbound Educator Classic Library children’s classic for the reduced price ($1, I think). They were numbered, starting with No. 1 Treasure Island, through No. 12, Paul Bunyan. Her very own books — with all the hard words defined in glosses at the sides! You can still get the Kindle versions (now renamed Classic Starts) on Amazon, no longer numbered and with additional classics added since 1968. Her favorites were No. 7, The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes, and No. 5, The Jungle Book.

Were they abridged and dumbed down a bit? Sure. But they gave me a taste of what great literature looked like, and I went on to read the originals later.

Is this manga version as good as the Educator Library Classics editions? Not even close. I don’t take issue with the Japanese-style illustrations in the book published by Udon Entertain; my own children love ’em. I also laud adapter Chrystal S. Chan for being faithful to Rudyard Kipling’s novels. However, the manga Jungle Book just doesn’t rise to the level of a real book — even one adulterated to make it more palatable to tweens. However, just as the Educator Library Classics edition led me to read real classics, perhaps — just perhaps — someday a child reading this manga version will one day decide to turn to Rudyard Kipling’s own words. Because of that and because this unabridged magna tracks the real book so closely, I award it three stars.

In the interest of full disclosure, I received this graphic novel from NetGalley and Udon Entertainment in exchange for an honest review.

This is the series of short stories that make up Kipling's Jungle Book. They completely do the stories justice. The art is a perfect fit for the stories in this book. It makes it way more accessible to students. We read Rikki Tikki Tavi each year and the comic version would be a really cool addition to the story. The fight scenes between the cobras and the mongoose were very well done. I will definitely be adding this to both my classroom library and personal library.

Once again, Manga Classics has done an amazing job of turning classics into great manga books. The illustrations were great and the story played out well over the pages. I really enjoyed reading another one of these books.

I'm only giving this four stars because they were short stories and poems, I would have preferred a full reworking of the jungle book. Again the front cover and graphics were great.

I enjoyed this manga version of the classic book. It was a fun way for a new generation to learn about the classics.

I've read a couple of manga's over the years so I can recognize a well written and well illustrated manga when I see one.

It wasn't my taste of illustration and the story lacked suspension for me, but that might be because I'm so used to the animated Jungle Book (which was a childhood favorite).

It was very strange to see my beloved Jungle Book in manga (Anime) style illustrations, but it doesn't take away that it was still expertly illustrated and you knew exactly what was happening.

An unfortunately lackluster adaptation. I definitely enjoyed other classics better. Something about this one just didn't really click with me.

Always loved The Jungle Book story, this book did not disappoint. I liked the everything about it, starting from drawing to characters.

Udon Entertainment and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of The Jungle Book. I was under no obligation to review this book and my opinion is freely given.

This is a retelling of the classic tales by Rudyard Kipling, told in Manga format. There are seven tales, as well as some of the poems that were in the original book. Three of the stories are about Mowgli, while the others are about different animals set in the Kipling universe.

I am not sure that I would recommend The Jungle Book Manga Classics to other readers, for the simple reason that the illustrations are inconsistent and are not drawn all that well as a whole. The story is conveyed largely through the artwork, which is why it is so important. The sweetness of the story through the Disney lens is not shown here, but the original Kipling book is a bit darker as well. The White Seal is better represented, with good illustrations and a well written story. Others, like the Mowgli stories, struggle with seemingly hastily drawn artwork. I was most looking forward to reading one of my favorite Kipling stories, Rikki-Tikki-Tavi, but I was disappointed with the rendition. For these reasons, I would be hesitant to recommend The Jungle Book to other readers.

Some of my favorite books growing up was The Jungle Book 1 and 2. I thought the stories of a boy being raised by wolves and able to speak the language of animals amazing, one of my favorite tales in The Jungle Book 1 being the story of Rikki-Tikki-Tavi. And to this day, I still love those stories. Over the years, my family and I have watched many different versions of The Jungle Book, including Disney’s two versions, and the recently released version directed by Andy Serkis. And there was always one thing that I didn’t really like about the movies. So, when I saw that Manga Classics had turned The Jungle Book into a graphic novel, I had to see it for myself.

I was not disappointed! Manga Classics has taken every story and brought it to life with different styles of drawings and staying true to the story. It had been a long time since I had read the originals, so when I saw the way the manga version was set up, with poems and short stories in between Mowgli’s tale, I was confused, and wasn’t sure if it was right. After flipping through my family’s old, worn copy, I realized it was right, and everything in the manga version was as it should be.

The art was a little bit more childish than I expected but seeing as how The Jungle Book is for children, it makes sense. I was just hoping for some epic drawings of Sher Khan and Akila. But I enjoyed this version of The Jungle Book and I appreciate the effort put into making the storyline as accurate as possible.

NOTE: I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through NetGalley for review purposes only. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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!

Manga Classics: The Jungle Book by Crystal S. Chan, 327 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL
Udon Entertainment, 2017. $18.
Language: G (0 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG; Violence: PG
BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - OPTIONAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
Despite the impression given by Disney’s movie with this same title, The Jungle Book is about more than Mowgli and his jungle adventures. Seven stories are contained between these covers, with three about Mowgli and the other four about different animal heroes.
I was disappointed to not be as enchanted by this manga classic as I have been with the others I’ve read. While I did like learning about the original story of Mowgli, I found several of the other stories to be confusing, especially regarding their main points. Also, this classic adaptation has a different illustrator than the other adaptations I’ve read, and I don’t like the style of these pictures as much. Overall, I like the opportunity to read a classic in the more approachable context of a graphic novel, but, in reading this version, I’ve decided that reading the original is unnecessary -- which is the opposite experience I’ve had with other manga classics.
Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

I didn't enjoy this book at all. I found it to be very dry and boring. At less than 50% through it I have no intention of ever finishing it. The art work is beautiful and nice to look at. The story itself is where the problem is and I just can't force myself to finish it.

I have read other Manga Classics and really enjoyed them. This one however, just didn't do it for me.

These Manga Classics have been a wonderful surprise. I have always scoffed a bit at graphic novels. As a reader of quality fiction, of books that make me think and feel, I have tended to snub my nose at the idea of reading a comic book. But this was number 5 in the past week because I discovered the artwork is interesting and the reading experience is fun.

In The Jungle Book I particularly loved the illustrations of the cats with Tarzan as a baby. And some of those that portrayed him as a boy. The style lends itself well to childlike features. But also, the emotions are well-depicted. I really enjoyed this one.

Thank you to NetGalley, UDON and Chrystal S Chan for the digital ARC in exchange for my review.

I did not enjoy this rendering of The Jungle Book. To be perfectly honest, I was confused with was going on at times, I disliked the art and comic page scheme. It made it harder to read, and consequently impeded my overall enjoyment. In terms of story, characters and writing it was fine, though not particularly remarkable.

I really liked this retelling of the classic story. The artwork is really good. My favourite story was that of Rikki-Tikki-Tavi.

I read this book a couple years ago but it was cool to see it done with drawings! I think this is a fun easy way to read a classic.

Second adaptation in manga that I discover at Udon Entertainment (the first being Jane Eyre), and a good discovery!

For this one, it's not the graphic side that I liked the most, but the story told, that I had never discovered outside the film adaptations.
It made me want to discover the original work!

In short, a nice adaptation, and (once again) a good way to introduce the classics to the youngest!

Who doesn't love The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling, Chrystal S. Chan?
So when this came available I had to request it. This was one of my favourite books when I was younger and deep down it still is.
This book had great black and white Illustrations throughout which was in cartoon form, so any child could follow this story and tell it out aloud - which made this book extra special as they can tell their own made up story with the Illustrations.

I found this a sweet book. I read with my nephew and he told me his own story, by looking at the illustrations which was very special moment.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a free electronic copy in exchange for an honest review.

Jungle Book in manga format, now that’s interesting! Based on the pictures and the condensed, yet manageable, text, this would be a wonderful addition to an elementary or middle school library. Thank you NetGalley and Udon Entertainment for this eARC. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.