The Story of Doctor Dolittle

Lofting, Hugh. The Story of Doctor Dolittle. 1920.

Plot: Dr. Dolittle, despite his considerable skill as a physician, drives his human clients away with his eccentrics. Eventually driven to poverty, Polynesia, his pet parrot, recommends he study animal languages and become an animal doctor. Under the parrot's tutelage, he becomes a renowned veterinarian. However, the animals of Puddleby are not the only one who needs him. Monkeys in Africa are ill, and they (with the help of some migrating birds) ask the doctor to heal them. To help the monkeys and return home, Dr. Dolittle must voyage to Africa, avoid a vengeful king, escape pirates, and return a young boy to his uncle. Yet, the doctor's skills in linguistics provide a powerful tool throughout his adventures.

Genre: Fantasy, Animals

Reading Level: Grades 4-7

Similar Titles: Good Morning Gorillas, Lionboy

Personal Thoughts: While the book offers a whimsical story with solid details and fun subplots, it will never be accepted as an ideal book in the present age. The novel was written during the European colonization of Africa, and, unfortunately, the results of the setting show unpleasantly. Severe racist elements, particularly in regards to the African prince, seep into the novel. Even the revised version I read failed to erase the blatantly wrong point of view offered by the novel. Realistically, the title will not appeal to a modern audience. 

By contrast, some revisions of the novel's eleven sequels manage to eliminate the derogatory elements in the original much more effectively. Additionally, the titles inspired multiple films and musicals, with varying degrees of success.