I loved this book. That's all there is to it. Kipling has written a very cute collection of short stories telling how the world came to be as it is currently. Sure, it has a very heavy British Imperialist influence, but it's just so stinkin' cute that you can't help but love it.
My only problem with the book? Figuring out when I can read it to my kids without feeling bad about telling them blatant lies. Maybe if I get into the habit of reading fairy tales with my kids before bed I could slip this in as a collection of fairy tales. Because in all honesty, these stories are really the perfect model for the lies we all tell little kids when we're not ready to tell them the scientific truth about why some things are the way they are (or when we really don't know the answer).
The thing I love the most about the book? There's a clear cause-and-effect theme throughout the stories. You behaved in X manner, so now Y will happen to you. It's said out loud to the audience and in direct connection to the punishment that is usually meted out. I don't have any kids, but I imagine this might be a good way to introduce how a relatively short lived behavior might have long term consequences. If you have kids and you've read these stories since having kids, let me know if you think that works.
The saddest thing about Kipling for me is that I can only read one or two of his books before I have to read something else. I tried to start Puck of Pook's Hill, but I just couldn't do it.
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