Looking for the NCERT Class 8 English book It So Happend? All 8 chapter PDFs are on this page, straight from ncert.nic.in. It So Happened is the supplementary reader in the NCERT Class 8 English set, the companion to the main textbook Honeydew.
This page adds what the PDF alone does not give: a chapter-by-chapter map of the book — how many chapters it runs, how long each one takes, what each story teaches, and where the exercise load sits.
Download the NCERT Class 8 English book It So Happend PDF
Every file in the table below is NCERT’s own upload on ncert.nic.in — the same chapter files CBSE schools link to. The four columns show the chapter number, the chapter title, its page count, and the official PDF link.
| Ch. | Chapter | Pages | Official PDF |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | How the Camel got his hump | 6 | |
| 2 | Children at work | 10 | |
| 3 | The Selfish Giant | 8 | |
| 4 | The treasure within | 9 | |
| 5 | Princess September | 11 | |
| 6 | The fight | 10 | |
| 7 | Jalebis | 11 | |
| 8 | Ancient Education System of India | 11 |
- Eight separate chapter files: NCERT publishes this book as eight individual chapter PDFs rather than one combined volume, so each chapter has its own row and its own link.
The CBSE Class 8 English book PDF at a glance
- 8 chapters in the book.
- 8 verified official PDFs, one per chapter.
- 76 printed pages across the book.
- 0 numbered section headings — the chapters are continuous stories, not instructional units.
- 0 activities — the work in this book is reading, discussion, and writing.
- 112 questions in all — 20 closing exercise questions and 92 in-text questions.
This page covers one of the two NCERT Class 8 English textbooks: It So Happened, the supplementary reader. The main reader, Honeydew, is a separate book.
The chapter status list further down shows which chapters already have their own study page.
What is inside each chapter of It So Happened
The directory below records what each chapter of this book actually contains.
| Ch. | Chapter | Sections | Activities | Figures | Questions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | How the Camel got his hump | — | — | — | 12 |
| 2 | Children at work | — | — | — | 15 |
| 3 | The Selfish Giant | — | — | — | 10 |
| 4 | The treasure within | — | — | — | 13 |
| 5 | Princess September | — | — | — | 18 |
| 6 | The fight | — | — | — | 15 |
| 7 | Jalebis | — | — | — | 15 |
| 8 | Ancient Education System of India | — | — | — | 14 |
The counts work like this: a section means a numbered heading, and this book numbers none of its headings, so those counts are zero throughout. The headings NCERT prints are unnumbered exercise prompts, not instructional sections. A question counts every question printed in the chapter, adding the in-text Comprehension Check items and the closing Think it Over exercises together.
No chapter prints a hands-on activity, so those counts are zero as well.
The exercise pattern in every chapter
- Before you read — pre-reading prompts, printed in Chapters 2 and 4.
- Comprehension Check — quick recall questions in every chapter, done as you finish reading.
- Think it Over — the closing discussion-and-writing exercise in every chapter.
- Group work — Chapters 3 and 7 add a small-group discussion task.
Chapter 1: How the Camel got his hump (6 pages)
Kipling’s Just So story explains how the camel got his hump after refusing to work — a fable for anyone learning how stories carry morals. Core concepts: the value of work and the cost of laziness. 12 questions close the chapter.
Chapter 2: Children at work (pp. 7–16)
Velu, a boy who runs away to Chennai, is taken in by Jaya, a ragpicker — a realistic story about child labour and survival on the street, essential for anyone studying poverty and street life. Core concepts: child labour, poverty, survival. 15 questions. The chapter opens with a Before you read prompt.
Chapter 3: The Selfish Giant (8 pages)
Oscar Wilde’s fairy tale of the giant whose closed garden keeps eternal winter until a child returns — a story about selfishness and sharing, for readers who watch the seasons change with the children. Core concepts: selfishness and sharing, love and kindness. 10 questions, the lightest load in the book.
The story’s turning point hangs on the garden notice ‘Trespassers Will Be Prosecuted’.
Chapter 4: The treasure within (9 pages)
A profile of architect Hafeez Contractor, written off at school until a teacher, Mr Subramaniam, saw the treasure within him — his drawing talent — for anyone asking whether marks define ability. Core concepts: hidden talent, mentorship, learning in your own way. 13 questions. The chapter also carries the ‘Hafeez Contractor — a profile’ box and a note headed ‘Advanced Personalised Learning’.
Chapter 5: Princess September (pp. 34–44)
A fairy tale about a princess whose caged songbird dies while her sisters’ mechanical birds survive — possession kills, freedom sings. Core concepts: freedom versus possession, love as letting go, jealousy. 18 questions — the heaviest exercise load in the book.
Chapter 6: The fight (10 pages)
Ranji and Suraj fight over a forest pool, earn each other’s respect, and walk away friends — a story for readers who think fighting settles things. Core concepts: pride, courage, reconciliation. 15 questions.
Chapter 7: Jalebis (11 pages)
Munna spends his school fee on jalebis and waits for a repayment that never comes — a humorous story about temptation and its price. Core concepts: temptation, honesty, facing consequences. 15 questions. The chapter closes with a ‘Work in small groups’ task.
Chapter 8: Ancient Education System of India (11 pages)
This is the one non-fiction chapter — an informational account of how ancient India educated its people, from Takshashila to Nalanda, and the role of the teacher. It suits students who prefer organised notes over plot recall. Core concepts: Takshashila, Nalanda, the role of the teacher. 14 questions. Its printed subheadings run:
- Salient Features Of Ancient Education System
- Sources Of Education
- Viharas And Universities
- Takshashila Or Taxila
- Role Of The Teacher
- Nalanda University
- Role Of Community
- Continuation Of Indian Education System
Study pages for each chapter
The list below shows where each chapter’s own study page stands on this site.
| Ch. | Chapter page |
|---|---|
| 1 | How the Camel got his hump |
| 2 | Children at work (coming soon) |
| 3 | The Selfish Giant (coming soon) |
| 4 | The treasure within (coming soon) |
| 5 | Princess September (coming soon) |
| 6 | The fight (coming soon) |
| 7 | Jalebis (coming soon) |
| 8 | Ancient Education System of India (coming soon) |
Which Class 8 English book do you need?
If your school follows the NCERT set, the CBSE Class 8 English textbooks are two: Honeydew, the main reader, and It So Happened, the supplementary reader covered on this page.
- Honeydew is the main reading textbook.
- It So Happened is the supplementary reader, with shorter stories and discussions.
A common mistake is treating It So Happened as the main textbook — it is the supplementary reader. Your school’s book list decides which of the two you actually use, and textbook contents and the examinable syllabus are not always identical, so check the current official syllabus.
How to use the NCERT English book Class 8: It So Happened
- Read the chapter as a story first. These are meant to be read, not dissected line by line.
- Do the Comprehension Check items as you finish reading.
- Discuss the Think it Over prompts aloud, then write the answers in your own words.
- For Chapter 8, make notes of the institutions and the role of the teacher instead of retelling a plot.
Theme map: which topic lives in which chapter
| Chapter | Kind of text | What it is about |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fable | the camel who would not work, and work that catches up with you |
| 2 | Realistic story | a runaway boy and a ragpicker in Chennai, child labour and survival |
| 3 | Fairy tale | the giant who kept his garden, selfishness and sharing |
| 4 | Profile | architect Hafeez Contractor, the talent hidden behind school marks |
| 5 | Fairy tale | a princess and her songbird, freedom and jealousy |
| 6 | Realistic story | two boys who fight and become friends, pride and reconciliation |
| 7 | Humorous story | a boy who spends his school fee on jalebis, temptation and honesty |
| 8 | Informational text | education in ancient India, Takshashila and Nalanda |
The question load is not spread evenly. Chapter 5 carries the most questions (18), Chapters 2, 6 and 7 carry 15 each, and Chapter 3 the least (10). If you are revising under time pressure, start with the heavier chapters and leave the factual Chapter 8 for last, after the stories.
Related NCERT Class 8 pages
- NCERT Class 8 English hub — the study pages for this book live here.
- NCERT Class 8 hub — all Class 8 textbook pages on this site.
- NCERT books index — the full set of NCERT textbook pages by class and subject.
Sources and data verification
This listing is maintained for the 2026-27 academic session using the NCERT textbook information available to us. NCERT remains the authority for confirming the latest edition.
- The chapter details above describe the current NCERT edition of It So Happened as published on ncert.nic.in, with the official chapter PDFs linked at the top of this page.
- This page covers It So Happened only. NCERT’s other Class 8 English textbook, Honeydew, is not indexed here, nor are grammar or workbook titles schools may add.
- This listing is maintained for the current academic session using the NCERT files currently on ncert.nic.in.
- NCERT settles textbooks, editions and official PDFs, while CBSE settles the curriculum, syllabus and examinations — and textbook contents and the examinable syllabus are not always identical.
- For the authoritative Class 8 English book list and editions, use NCERT’s official textbook portal.
Reference: NCERT Class 8 English textbook (It So Happened), official edition on ncert.nic.in. Section titles quoted from the textbook; page references are to the official PDFs.
This directory is an independent index and is not an official NCERT or CBSE publication.
Frequently asked questions about It So Happened
How many chapters are in the NCERT Class 8 English book It So Happened?
Eight. The chapters are How the Camel got his hump, Children at work, The Selfish Giant, The treasure within, Princess September, The fight, Jalebis, and Ancient Education System of India. All eight are in the table at the top of this page.
Is the It So Happened PDF free and official?
Yes. NCERT hosts all eight chapter files on ncert.nic.in, and every link on this page is NCERT’s own file, free to download.
Which chapter of It So Happened is about child labour and street children?
Chapter 2, Children at work — the story of Velu, a runaway boy, and Jaya, a ragpicker in Chennai.
What is the difference between Honeydew and It So Happened in Class 8 English?
Honeydew is the main reader and It So Happened is the supplementary reader; both are part of the NCERT Class 8 English set. Your school’s book list settles which of the two you use.
Where are the answers to the Comprehension Check and Think it Over questions?
These are discussion and writing questions. The book expects them to be worked through in class rather than looked up at the back of the chapter.