87 but not Rusty: On Ruskin Bond's birthday, pick up his new and classic titles

Ruskin Bond is one of the most cherished names in childrens fiction For many the Indian writer of British descent has been an integral part of our childhood across generations but adults often find themselves equally enthralled by the tales he spinsMost of his works are set in hill stations given his connection with the Himalayas Born in Kasauli Himachal Pradesh in 1934 Bond famously lives in Landour Mussoorie now where fans would regularly arrive to pay him a visit The 1992 Sahitya Academy Award winner went on to receive the Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan awards tooOn his 87th birthday Puffin an imprint of Penguin Random House released lsquoAll Time Favourites for Childrenrsquo It features 25 stories including a mix of his popular favourites and a few new stories Additionally we list some of Bondrsquos other titles that should not be missedThe Room on the RoofIf you want to get introduced to Bondrsquos writing The Room on the Roof is where you should start This is his first novel and also the debut of his most popular fictional character the orphaned teenager Rusty This book traces the journey of Rusty and the situations he faces in the years after he runs away from his strict guardian Bond had written this novel when he was just 17 years old He also received the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize for itThe Blue UmbrellaThe story is set in a small village in Himachal Pradesh It focuses on a young girl named Binya who receives a beautiful blue umbrella in exchange for her leopard claw pendant A local shop owner is jealous of her umbrella and wants to get it from her but Binya refuses to trade her umbrella The book was also adapted into a film by the same name and it was directed by Vishal BhardwajDelhi is not FarIn this book Bond very beautifully portrays the aspirations of the residents of a small town in India We get introduced to the residents of Pipalnagar through the narrator Arun a struggling detective fiction writer Bond very sensitively and poignantly paints the portrait of life and wisdom of the people living away from Indiarsquos big citiesRoads to MussoorieBond takes the readers on a journey to his beloved Mussoorie He describes his journeys to and from Mussoorie over the years and then gives a peek into his life and friends in the hill town Peppered with his signature sense of humour and beautiful illustrations lsquoRoads to Mussooriersquo is an unforgettable description of the writerrsquos environs and the part they have played in his work and lifeOur Trees Still Grow in DehraThis a semiautobiographical book featuring 14 charming stories They span from the authorrsquos childhood years to the present In a series of beautifully imagined and crafted appearances we are introduced to the authorrsquos family friends and various other people who have left an indelible impression on him It also has stories of Bondrsquos beloved Garhwal hills and the small towns and villages that he has returned to time and again in his fiction He was awarded the Sahitya Academy Award in 1992 for this novelLove among the BookshelvesBondrsquos stories have been a part of the formative years of many readers In this part anthology part memoir the writer introduces us to the stories he grew up with lsquoLove among the Bookshelvesrsquo shares a glimpse of Bondrsquos life through the books he has lovedA Season of GhostsLovers of everything spooky and supernatural this book needs to be on your toread list The master storyteller and expert of mysterious tales weaves magic with his words in this collection of short stories Most of these are set amidst the mists of Bondrsquos beloved mountains From the fairy folk in lsquoOn Fairy Hillrsquo to the very proper witch Miss Bellows in lsquoThe Black Catrsquo and a gripping mystery lsquoWho Killed the Ranirsquo these stories keep you hooked throughoutLone Fox DancingBondrsquos Lone Fox Dancing is an anecdotal look at his life and world places people and events that shaped the writer From his growingup years to his boarding school memories during the Partition and his brush with racism as a white boy in India ndash he opens up about everythingAlso Read How oral historians and archivists are struggling to keep memories alive