Hugh Lofting's Doctor Dolittle is way up there on the list of classic English literature and has, since its first publication back in the 1920s, captured the imagination and affection of generations of children across the globe. The remarkable tales of the doctor who can talk to the animals are as captivating today as they ever were, and have lost none of the mystery and enchantment that made them so popular from the beginning. This delightful, colour-illustrated edition of The Story of Doctor Dolittle brings the unforgettable characters of Polynesia, Gub-Gub, Dab-Dab and the Pushmi-Pullyu well and truly to life, capturing the pure essence of these unforgettable and utterly magical tales that started out as letters from Lofting to his small children during World War I. With an introduction by Christopher Lofting who adds insight into the history behind the stories, this stylish book is the perfect way to introduce new readers to the rotund, kindly Doctor who loves and lives for his animals. It would also make an ideal gift for anyone who has already ventured into Lofting's extraordinary world. (Age 7 and over) -- Susan Harrison
This book is part of a book series called Doctor Dolittle .
There are 128 pages in this book. This is a picture book. A picture book uses pictures and text to tell the story. The number of words varies from zero ('wordless') to around 1k over 32 pages. Picture books are typically aimed at young readers (age 3-6) but can also be aimed at older children (7+). This book was published 1999 by Random House Children's Publishers UK .
Best known for his Doctor Dolittle books, Hugh Lofting (1886-1947) first had the idea for his unusual country doctor while writing to his children from the front during the First World War. The twelve books that followed are loved by children across the globe. Robin Preiss Glasser, who habitually sports glasses and jeans, discovered her "inner Nancy" while illustrating this book. "Wearing lace-trimmed socks helps me draw better," she says. She has illustrated many books and lives in Southern California with her family and tiara collection.
This book contains the following story:
The Story of Doctor Dolittle
John Dolittle, MD, lives in the English village of Puddleby-on-the-Marsh, where his love of animals starts to interfere with his doctor practice. When he learnes the secret off speaking to all animals from his parrot Polynesia, he decides to become a vet. As his reputation grows, Dolittle is invited to Africa to cure a monkey epidemic. The trip comes just in time as he is on the verge of bankruptcy, and has to borrow both supplies and a ship. He sails with a crew of his favourite animals, finds the monkeys, vaccinates the well and nurses the sick back to health. In appreciation, the monkeys find the pushmi-pullyu, a shy two-headed gazelle-unicorn cross, whose rarity may bring Dr. Dolittle money back home. On the return trip, they are captured in Jolliginki again, escape, have a couple of run-ins with pirates, and finally make it home. Here Dolittle tours with the pushmi-pullyu in a circus until he makes enough money to retire to his beloved home in Puddleby.
This book is in the following series:
Doctor Dolittle
This series by Hugh Lofting is about a doctor who can talk to animals and who devotes his time to treating those animals rather than human patients. The stories are set in early Victorian England, in the fictional village of Puddleby-on-the-Marsh in the West Country.
