The Jungle Books, Volumes I and II

New York: Doubleday & Company, 1948. Very Good in a Very Good Dust Jacket. Very Good/Very Good. Illustrations by Watson, Aldren.

The stories are set in a forest in India. A major theme is abandonment followed by fostering, as in the life of Mowgli, echoing Kipling's own childhood. Another important theme is of law and freedom; the stories are not about animal behavior, but about human archetypes in animal form.

They teach respect for authority, obedience, and knowing one's place in society with 'the law of the jungle', but the stories also illustrate the freedom to move between different worlds, such as when Mowgli moves between the jungle and the village.

Critics have also noted the essential wildness and lawless energies in the stories, reflecting the irresponsible side of human nature. [wiki]

Bindings are tight and square. Text clean, light even toning. Moderate shelf handling wear. Dust Jackets with price are in a new clear protective Mylar sleeve. Light top edge wear on volume 1; Corners mild rubbing. Previous owner's name on front free end page. Slipcase had moderate shelf handling. Watson, Aldren Color Illustrations.. The Jungle Book first published in 1894 is a collection of stories by the English author Rudyard Kipling.

Most of the characters are animals such as Shere Khan the tiger and Baloo the bear, though a principal character is the boy or "man-cub" Mowgli, who is raised in the jungle by wolves.