Born in Kasauli (Himachal Pradesh) in 1934, Ruskin Bond grew up in Jamnagar (Gujarat), Dehradun, New Delhi and Simla. His first novel, The Room on the Roof, which was written when he was seventeen, received the
John Llewellyn Rhys Memorial Prize in 1957. Since then, he has written over 500 short stories, essays,
novellas (including The Adventures of Rusty and The Room of Many Colours) and more than seventy books
for children.
He received the Sahitya Akademi Award for English writing in India in 1992, the Padma Shri in 1999 and the Padma Bhushan in 2014. He lives in Landour, Mussoorie, with his extended family
‘Grandfather and I saw eye to eye on the matter of pets, and whenever Grandmother decided it was time to get rid of a tame white rat or a squirrel, I would conceal them in a hole in the jackfruit tree.'
Instead of having brothers and sisters to grow up with in India, young Ruskin had several odd companions, including a monkey, a tortoise, a python and a Great Indian Hornbill. His grandfather was responsible for all this wildlife, and their home in Dehra became a centre of action and laughter as a variety of creatures were brought home—the furry, feathered, fierce and friendly—all under one roof.
Bursting with delightful illustrations, this chapter book features endearing characters and hilarious episodes, making it a perfect introduction to the wonderful world of Ruskin Bond!
