Ruskin Bond handpicks his favourite children's stories ahead of 87th birthday

The Landour-based veteran author, who is also the recipient of Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan civilian honours, will release the book on his 87th birthday on May 19. He was born in pre-Partition India in 1934 in Kasauli (Himachal Pradesh). Bond grew up in Jamnagar (Gujarat), Dehradun, New Delhi and Shimla.

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 and novellas (including 'Vagrants in the Valley' and 'A Flight of Pigeons') and more than forty books for children.

Bond's 'All Time Favourites For Children; is published under the Puffin imprint of Penguin Books. The 232-page volume is suitable for readers above 9 years of age and is priced at Rs 199.

'All Time Favourites for Children' celebrates Ruskin Bond's writing with stories that are perennially loved and can now be enjoyed in a single collectible volume. Curated and selected by India's most loved writer, this collection brings some of the evocative episodes from Ruskin's life, iconic Rusty, eccentric Uncle Ken, ubiquitous grandmother, and many other charming, endearing characters in a single volume while also introducing us to a smattering of new ones that are sure to be firm favourites with young readers. Heart-warming, funny and spirited, this is a must-have on every bookshelf.

It is a keepsake edition with 25 stories, a mixed bag of his most cherished stories like 'Rusty's Adventures'; 'Grandfather's Stories'; spooky tales along with a diverse set of new stories like 'Goldfish Don't Bark', 'Friends from the Forest' and many more. These much-loved stories from the writer on the hill come with excellent and quirky artwork that makes the book an even more fun read.

Bond, who is a favourite among children and youth alike, took to Instagram and shared a fun image of him holding a soft drink and sporting a fake 'new mustache'. He said he's celebrating his birthday month.