Special Ruskin Bond Stories Containing Very Captivating Lessons

There are people who are simply fascinated by kids than others. Possibly, this is the inspiration that produces these lovely Ruskin Bond stories for kids. This mercurial English man has committed his life’s work to put up amazing pieces of stories. In the literary profession, Ruskin Bond stories have earned him great recognition and decoration the world over.

Special Ruskin Bond Stories containing very captivating Lessons

Evidently, Ruskin Bond stories have been circulated widely in India, his place of residence, and globally. Ruskin Bond’s stories pay attention to concepts that appeal to children and directs his stories towards building kids is up to be responsible individuals. The Indian populace is quite familiar with his collection of short stories.

Maybe you are looking for great, inspiring stories for your kids, Ruskin Bond stories will be just perfect. He has stories that address different themes and subjects. Thus, to give you a glimpse of his great literary works, this article has compiled some splendid Ruskin Bond stories for you and your family.

23 Interesting Ruskin Bond Stories

23 Interesting Ruskin Bond Stories

For this article, we have put together a selection of 23 lovely Ruskin Bond stories. Below are brief summaries of the stories.

1. The Blue Umbrella

Here, a little girl Binya receives a blue umbrella from a Japanese tourist in exchange for her leopard’s claw pendant. The umbrella becomes the envy of the simple villagers, Ram Bharosa, the shopkeeper, in particular, who attempts to lay his hands on the umbrella.

Therefore, the author transports us to the valleys of the Himalayas, and the story teaches us to be kind and forgiving. The ending of the story will melt your heart.

2. Maharani

Neena is the widowed Maharani of Mastipur. She is a spoilt, selfish and beautiful mother of two sons — both of whom are good for nothing. It is a novella about love, friendship and death. Ruskin Bond, the author, is an old friend of Neena.

And he observes her antics, willing to never give up on her and their friendship. The Maharani lives with her dogs and her caretaker, Hans, in an enormous old house in Mussoorie, always remaining indomitable.

3. The Thief

A 15-year-old thief, the narrator of the story, happens to meet a man named Arun at a wrestling match. He starts living at Arun’s place, cooking and working for him, and Arun, in return, teaches him how to read and write. One day, he robs Arun and tries to run away, but his conscience brings him back to the house.

So, this is a story about trust and forgiveness and teaches us that love and kindness have the power to change people and things around us.

The Cherry Tree

4. The Cherry Tree

A young boy, Rakesh, plants a seed in his grandfather’s garden in Mussoorie only to forget about it. After a year, the seed develops into a twig, and from then on, the author goes on to narrate how the boy keeps nurturing the tree through its various stages of growth, with guidance from his grandpa.

The Cherry Trees is an ideal story for teaching your children lessons about responsibility and perseverance and instilling a love of nature in them.

5. When Darkness Falls

When Darkness Falls is the story of a lonely Markham, a scarred war veteran, who lives a resigned life. His frustration erupts one night which leads to a series of events. Written in Bond’s style, this delightful story would make the readers empathize with the characters.

The Day Grandfather Tickled a Tiger

6. The Day Grandfather Tickled a Tiger

This sweet story tells of how the narrator’s family raised a tiger cub and all the escapades of it growing up in the house with a monkey and a dog. It was bought home by the narrator’s grandfather one day from an expedition in the Shivaliks and the cub and Grandfather were very fond of each other.

Unfortunately, they couldn’t keep it forever for it got too big to handle but that doesn’t mean they won’t meet again… This sweet story succinctly tells of the pros and cons of exotic pets while showing how animals respond to love and authority.

7. Ghost Trouble

A mischievous pret (ghost), which, after its home, a peepal tree, has been cut down, lives in a small boy’s house. The ghost builds a good rapport with the boy and plays several pranks on people.

In the end, the boy’s family accepts that the pret has no bad intentions and learns to live with it amongst them. The story teaches us valuable lessons about the harms of felling trees in the name of development.

8. Cricket for the Crocodile

The humorous plot revolves around a cricket match played between the city boys and the village boys, including some other funny adult characters in the mix, on the banks of a river. The river is home to a crocodile, which is often irked by the boys playing in its territory.

The real fun in the story begins when the crocodile joins the party. The story teaches us an important lesson about living in peaceful coexistence with wildlife.

Grandfather’s Private Zoo

9. Grandfather’s Private Zoo

Grandfather’s Private Zoo is a novella, consisting of ten short stories. The hero in the stories is a young boy who lives with his grandparents. His grandpa is an ardent lover of animals and keeps a private zoo, while his grandma is just the opposite, although she has a rather kind heart.

Sequentially, the stories introduce us to eccentric characters such as Toto, the monkey; a python; Harold, the hornbill; and Caesar, the crow. The book ends with the author giving the readers a piece of relevant advice, which we would leave it to you to read and explore.

10. Dust on the Mountain

Bisnu, a simple village boy, goes from town to town to earn a living and support his family. He goes on to make some good friends along the way but has to face the harsh realities of life. The story, like most of Bond’s stories, teaches readers how important it is to take care of nature.

Also, it highlights the loneliness that children experience when they are away from their loved ones and natural surroundings.

11. Rusty, The Boy from the Hills

Rusty, The Boy from the Hills is the first book in a series. It narrates the story of Rusty, an orphan, who lives with his grandparents in pre-independence Dehradun. He lives amongst some weird animals, survives a plane crash, and leaves Dehradun, following the uncertain turn of events.

Gradually, the book takes us through Rusty’s journey from childhood to his early teens, which reflects Ruskin Bond’s life in most ways. The book is ideal for children aged 12 years and above.

12. The Night Train at Deoli

The story narrates one of Ruskin Bond’s train journeys to his grandmother’s place in Dehradun, where he sees a girl selling baskets. Although a brief encounter, he falls for her, and the story proceeds to narrate more of such journeys he takes on the hope of seeing her again.

Truly, the story is delightful and inspires affection. The story forms part of a book with the same title and includes 30 more stories that are partly autobiographical.

13. The Tiger in the Tunnel

Baldeo, a watchman for the railways, single-handedly fights a tiger. The story is both sad and comforting and highlights the importance of protecting and caring for your family. It also highlights the inevitability of the cycle of life and death and the continuity of life on earth. The character of Tembu, Baldeo’s son, is endearing and brings hope to the readers.

14. Time Stops at Shamli

Time Stops at Shamli is a novella consisting of 21 short stories. In the story, Time Stops at Shamli, after which the book has been titled, Bond highlights the timelessness of the small towns he grew up in.

Unlike in the story The Night Train at Deoli, here, Bond steps off the train, explores the town of Shamli, and, in the process, meets an old love of his and learns a few valuable things about himself. The story teaches us the importance of letting go of certain things in our lives.

15. The Woman on Platform 8

The Woman on Platform 8 is an adorable short story narrated in the first person by Arun, a 12-year-old schoolboy. Arun describes how one night, while he was waiting for a train, a kind woman offered him tea and snacks.

He builds a loving bond with the woman, who treats him as his own mother. At the station, he also meets Satish, one of his school friends, and Satish’s mother, an imposing woman who doesn’t trust strangers. The story teaches us about kindness and motherly love and affection.

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16. Delhi is Not Far

Delhi is Not Far is a novel set in Pipalnagar, a small town in North India. Bond, through the voice of Arun, a struggling writer, describes the innocent dreams of some of Pipalnagar’s residents to move to Delhi to find better jobs. Each character in the novel is someone that you would relate to, and the author does well in highlighting the grim realities of people in the small towns of India.

Apparently, the story is also about love and friendship, and the endearing bond between Arun, Suraj, and Kamla in the story will surely keep you engrossed.

17. The Room on the Roof

The Room on the Roof is Ruskin Bond’s first novel and was written when he was just 17. It won him the John Llewellyn Rhys Memorial Prize in 1957. The plot revolves around Rusty, an orphaned adolescent, who escapes from his strict guardians and starts living with his friends.

Interestingly, the novel is an enduring tale of love and friendship, and the author brings the bazaars, festivals, and mountains to life with his accurate and lucid writing style that is an envy of many readers and writers alike.

18. Susanna’s Seven Husbands

Set in the backdrop of a sleepy hill station this story follows the life of Susanna Anna-Maria Yeats, a beautiful and hopelessly romantic girl. In search of love she marries several times, but each time her husbands have a mysterious and untimely death. While she is suspected of killing her husbands, it’s never proven. This story was developed and adapted into a Bollywood movie too.

19. Death of the Trees

Death of the Trees is a short story wherein Ruskin Bond expresses his deep concern about the felling of the trees that he had an emotional attachment to in Mussoorie. In the story, he juxtaposes the pain that he goes through when the trees were felled, to the pain he experienced when his brother passed away in a road accident. The story teaches us the importance of saving the environment.

20. A Flight of Pigeons

Set in Shajahanpur, against the backdrop of the revolt of 1857, A Flight of Pigeons is a novella that opens with the murder of the father of Ruth Labadoor, the narrator. The narrator goes on to describe her family’s ordeal after the incident, seeking refuge in different places. The novel is packed with drama and teaches us the importance of inter-religious harmony. The story is ideal for children aged 13 and above.

21. When Darkness Falls

Markham, a war veteran, lives on his pension. He is confined to a small room devoid of family and companionship and is considered a social outcast for reasons that are beyond his control. Through this story, Bond tries to highlight and sensitize the society about the plight of people like Markham. It is a touching story that can help children develop empathy towards people.

22. The Hidden Pool

The Hidden Pool is a story of three friends, Laurie, an English boy, Anil, the son of a local cloth merchant, and Kamal, an orphan. They spend their days playing around a secret pool that Laurie finds on a mountainside and, one day, decide to go trekking to the Pindari Glacier.

 This journey leads to fantastic discoveries, and we are introduced to magical and endearing characters in a fascinating world. This story about friendship and adventure will be a delight for your child.

23. A Handful of Nuts

For all those wanting to become a future Ruskin, this can be the archetype for you. This classic coming-of-age story depicts the journey of a 21-year old man who wants to become a writer. His quest to be an established writer is constantly interrupted by distractions like romance and adventures. It is an inspirational story about how a young man realises his dreams.

Ruskin Bond Stories

Actually, you can’t help but appreciate the import of Ruskin Bond stories. Truly, this erudite author has a knack for capturing the minds of kids and even adults too with his writing skills. How about you memorize some of these Ruskin Bond stories to teach others?

If you anyone that appreciates good literature, then you should share this article with them. Ruskin Bond stories make for a truly interesting read.

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