This book is just great fun. The stories are short and clear, with Mowgli as a reoccuring storyline. You can see how both Disney movies were inspired by this/these book(s).
I regret not reading it sooner, because the thing that held me back most was the general opinion of my surroundings: the book was supposed to be much darker then the movie. It certainly isnt a cheery fun and dance book, but I believed that darker would be an awful miserable unfulfilling life for Mowgli. The main part that was less pleasent is that in the Jungle, animals get killed by man or beast. All in all, it was a good fun read.