Rudyard Kipling is one of the best known writers of the 20th century, and an author whose works are ready by kids around the globe. In his day, he was known for his tales and poems, many of which were set in India during the era of the British Empire, but now he is best known for works like The Jungle Book, Just So Stories, and Kim.

Among the works Kipling produced about India, Plain Tales from the Hills is arguably the most popular. Plain Tales was Kipling’s first collection of stories, and it looks at what life was like in India when the British still ruled it. It also serves as a prequel of sorts to Kim, one of Kipling's most famous novels.