The classic story of the extraordinary animal doctor from Puddleby-on-the-Marsh - Doctor Dolittle. Once upon a time, many years ago - when our grandfathers were little children - there was a doctor, and his name was Dolittle - John Dolittle M.D. Doctor Dolittle likes animals. In fact, he likes them so much he fills his house with every kind of creature imaginable and even learns to talk their language. And when the Doctor hears of a terrible sickness among the monkeys in Africa, soon he and his animal friends are setting off on the most unforgettable adventure . . .

Respected physician John Dolittle swaps human patients for animal ones as his parrot Polynesia teaches him the secret of talking to the animals. His fame spreads and he travels to Africa to treat a monkey epidemic. Setting out with his favorite crew of creatures, Dolittle must face trial after trial; being shipwrecked, escaping the king of Jolligingki and figuring out what do do with a pushmi-pullyu, the shy two-headed gazelle-unicorn cross.

Just in time for the major motion picture Dolittle starring Robert Downey Jr.—soaring into theaters on January 17, 2020! Journey into the world of Doctor Dolittle, the kind and eccentric naturalist who can speak with animals. Working with original author Hugh Lofting’s son, these books have been fully updated for the modern reader, all while retaining the full charm of the originals. Rediscover the children’s literature classic with three novels from the beloved series! Here are the good Doctor’s three exciting tales of world travel, beginning with his greatest adventure. In The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle, winner of the prestigious Newbery Medal, the Doctor and his young assistant, Tommy Stubbins, travel in search of the brilliant naturalist Long Arrow, culminating in a meeting with the most fabled creature of all, the Great Glass Sea Snail! The Story of Doctor Dolittle details how the Doctor came to learn the languages of animals, and how he was called to Africa where he meets the rarest of all beasts, the marvelous two-headed pushmi-pullyu! And in another African adventure, Doctor Dolittle’s Post Office, the Doctor establishes the only postal service in the world where birds deliver the mail!

John Dolittle, MD, is a respected physician and quiet bachelor living with his spinster sister in the small English village of Puddleby-on-the-Marsh. His love of animals grows over the years and his household menagerie eventually scares off his human clientele, leading to loss of wealth. But after learning the secret of speaking to all animals from his parrot Polynesia, he takes up veterinary practice. The Story of Doctor Dolittle, Being the History of His Peculiar Life at Home and Astonishing Adventures in Foreign Parts is the first book about Doctor Dolittle, a man who learns to talk to animals and becomes their champion around the world.

Doctor Dolittle heads for the high seas in perhaps the most amazing adventure ever experienced by man or animal. Told by nine-and-a-half-year-old Tommy Stubbins, crewman and future naturalist, the voyages of Doctor Dolittle and his company lead them to Spidermonkey Island. Along with his faithful friends, Polynesia the parrot and Chee-Chee the monkey, Doctor Dolittle survives a perilous shipwreck and lands on the mysterious floating island. There he meets the wondrous Great Glass See Snail who holds the key to the greatest mystery of all.

This is the first in Hugh Lofting’s famous Doctor Dolittle book series. Written and illustrated by Lofting it contains 30 pen and ink illustrations plus 21 illuminated drop-capitals – one for the start of every chapter. SYNOPSIS: John Dolittle, MD, is a respected physician, a quiet bachelor living with his spinster sister in the small English village of Puddleby-on-the-Marsh. His love of animals grows over the years and his household menagerie eventually scares off his human clientele, leading to a loss of income and wealth. But after learning the secret of speaking to all animals from his parrot Polynesia, he takes up veterinary practice. His fortunes rise and fall again after a crocodile takes up residence, leading to his sister leaving in disgust with the intention of getting married, but his fame in the animal kingdom spreads throughout the world. He is conscripted into voyaging to Africa to cure a monkey epidemic just as he faces bankruptcy. He has to borrow supplies and a ship, and sails with a crew of his favourite animals, but is shipwrecked upon arriving to Africa. On the way to the monkey kingdom, his band is arrested by the king of Jolliginki, a victim of European exploitation who wants no white men travelling in his country. The band barely escapes by ruse, but makes it to the monkey kingdom where things are indeed dire as a result of the raging epidemic. He vaccinates the well monkeys and nurses the sick back to health. In appreciation, the monkeys find a pushmi-pullyu, a shy two-headed gazelle-unicorn cross, whose rarity may bring Dr. Dolittle money back home. On the return trip, they again are captured in Jolliginki. This time they escape with the help of Prince Bumpo, who gives them a ship in exchange for Dolittle's bleaching Bumpo's face white, as his greatest desire being to act as a European fairy-tale prince. Dolittle's crew then have a couple of run-ins with pirates, leading to Dolittle's winning a pirate ship loaded with treasures and rescuing a boy whose uncle was abandoned on a rock island. After reuniting the two, Dolittle finally makes it home and tours with the pushmi-pullyu in a circus until he makes enough money to retire to his beloved home in Puddleby.

A brief, simplified retelling of the episode in "Doctor Dolittle" during which the physician-turned-veterinarian is caught in a storm and shipwrecked while trying to bring the circus crocodile home to Africa.

Doctor Dolittle loves animals. In fact, he loves animals so much that his cozy cottage in Puddleby-on-the-Marsh is bursting with pets: goldfish in the pond, rabbits in the pantry, white mice in the piano, a squirrel in the linen closet, a hedgehog in the cellar, not to mention a horse, chickens and pigeons, two lambs, and many others. But his favorite pets by far are Dab-Dab the duck, Jip the dog, Gub-Gub the baby pig, Polynesia the parrot, and Too-Too the owl. It's no wonder no human patients will visit the good doctor--it's too crowded! But soon Doctor Dolittle's fame as an animal doctor spreads far and wide--all the way to Africa, where a village of sick monkeys needs Doctor Dolittle's help! At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

“After a while, with the parrot's help, the Doctor got to learn the language of the animals so well that he could talk to them himself and understand everything they said.” John Dolittle is a highly respected doctor in the village of Puddleby-on-the-Marsh, yet he loves animals so much that his house is soon full of them. With all his patients scared away, and the expense of feeding his menagerie mounting, a friend suggests that the Doctor become a vet instead. With the help of Polynesia the parrot, Doctor Dolittle swiftly learns the language of the animals so that he can talk to all of his new patients. However, when a message comes from Africa, telling of a terrible sickness among the monkeys there, the Doctor and his animal friends depart on a thrilling and dangerous adventure that they are never likely to forget.