Which collection of verse by Rudyard Kipling, based on his association with the British army, became a bestseller on its publication in Britain in 1892?

Introduction / Context:
This question covers English literature and the works of Rudyard Kipling. Kipling is known for both prose and poetry, and he spent important years of his life in British India. His close observation of soldiers and army life strongly influenced one particular collection of verse that became very popular in late nineteenth century Britain. Knowing which work this is helps in literature based general knowledge questions.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The author is Rudyard Kipling.
• The work in question is a collection of verse, not a novel.
• It is based on his association with the army and common soldiers.
• It became a bestseller when published in Britain in 1892.

Concept / Approach:
Kipling's poetry collection Barrack-Room Ballads is closely linked with British soldiers, often called Tommy Atkins, and reflects everyday life, slang and attitudes within the army. These poems were written in the voice of ordinary soldiers rather than officers. First published as a collection around 1892, Barrack-Room Ballads quickly gained popularity. In contrast, Plain Tales from the Hills and Kim are prose works, and The Jungle Book is a collection of stories aimed mainly at younger readers. Departmental Ditties is another verse collection but focuses more on bureaucrats and colonial administration than on the army barracks.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Filter the options by format, looking first for collections of verse. Step 2: Barrack-Room Ballads and Departmental Ditties are primarily poetry collections, while The Jungle Book, Plain Tales from the Hills and Kim are story or novel based. Step 3: Consider the subject matter of each work, especially the connection with army life. Step 4: Barrack-Room Ballads explicitly presents the voices of ordinary soldiers, reflecting their experiences and emotions. Step 5: Departmental Ditties satirises colonial officialdom and administration, so it is not mainly about soldiers. Step 6: Match the publication and popularity clue: Barrack-Room Ballads became a bestseller in Britain soon after its release around 1892. Step 7: Therefore, the correct answer is Barrack-Room Ballads.

Verification / Alternative check:
Literary histories of Kipling describe Barrack-Room Ballads as the work that established his reputation as a poet and gave him a strong readership in Britain. The collection includes well known poems such as Tommy and Gunga Din, which focus on soldiers and military service. These references match the year, the military association and the bestseller status mentioned in the question, confirming this as the right choice.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Plain Tales from the Hills is a collection of short stories about Anglo-Indian society rather than a verse collection centred on soldiers. The Jungle Book contains animal stories and adventures primarily for younger readers and is not a poetry volume about the army. Departmental Ditties is a satirical verse collection about civil servants and office life rather than military barracks. Kim is a novel about a young boy in British India, intelligence work and the Great Game, not a collection of poems.

Common Pitfalls:
Some learners may quickly associate Kipling with The Jungle Book or Kim because those titles are very famous, but they do not match the genre and thematic clues in the question. Others may confuse Departmental Ditties with Barrack-Room Ballads because both are poetry, yet they focus on different groups of people. Paying attention to the references to the army and the year 1892 helps avoid these mistakes.

Final Answer:
The collection of verse described in the question is Barrack-Room Ballads.